Rev. R. L. Van Nice 1850- 1940

VAN NICE, FAIN, TURRENTINE

Posted By: Henry Brainard (email)
Date: 2/17/2009 at 13:20:54

Death Ends Career of Rev. R. L. Van Nice.

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Was Pastor of Waukon’s Presbyterian Church for 30 Years\

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Death has closed the career of one of Allamakee county’s most famous pastors, Rev. R. L. Van Nice, who passed away in his Waukon home Sunday morning at 10 o’clock. He had been in poor health for several years and during the past month became rapidly worse.

Rev. Van Nice was born at Crawfordsville, Indiana, October 15, 1850, and was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Van Nice, being the youngest of a family of 12 children. When two years of age, his parents moved to Henry county in Illinois and settled on a farm near Cambridge, Ill. The deceased received higher education there and later took private instruction under Rev. Mr. Thompson of Kewanee. He afterward taught a country school and in 1870 moved with his parents to Missouri. After a year there Mr. Van Nice entered college at Fulton, Mo., and also received instruction in theology under Rev. N. L. Van Nice. Returning to Illinois, he taught school at Morristown and afterward pursued his studies in private, preparing for his life work.

In the fall of 1875 he was licensed to preach and in the fall of 1876 was sent to take charge of a church at Nevada, Mo. Finding a large field in the vicinity of that city without a preacher, Rev. Van Nice preached at various places and organized four congregations before he left the locality.

In the summer of 1881 he was called to the presidency of the Ozark College, Greenfield, Mo., and in the fall of that year became pastor of the Greenfield church. Because of poor health, he resigned from the college but continued his work as pastor of the church until 1888. In that year he became pastor evangelist of the Ozark Presbytery, retaining this office for 14 months and then resigning to accept a call from the board of missions to be pastor evangelist of the work in Iowa Synod.

Soon after taking charge of the state work, Rev. Van Nice moved to Charlton and in October, 1889, came to Waukon with the intention at that time remaining only four weeks, in order to assist the Waukon congregation in securing a pastor. Failing to secure a man whom the church approved, he was presented with a call and in November, 1889, accepted this and was made pastor of the church. He remained in that position for 30 years.

In 1919 he accepted the (sic) postorship of the Rossville Presbyterian church and also one at Mt. Hope. In recent years, his poor health forced him to retire from his work in the pulpit.

Rev. Van Nice was first married on January 16, 1880, to Miss Dora L. Fain who died in 1883, leaving one son Charles. On February 10, 1885, Rev. Van Nice was again married, his second wife being Miss Ida Turrentine, to whom were born two sons, Roy and J. Horace.

During his long and successful career, Rev Van Nice had performed about 1100 marriages and officiated over 800 funerals and as a symbol of Christianity in this county, he held the love of his people in large measure along with the esteem and confidence of the people of all denominations. He was a member of the Masons for 56 years and had long been chaplain of the local lodge.

He is survived by his three sons, Roy of Park Ridge, Ills., Horace of San Francisco, Calif., and Charles of Roberts, Ills. Mrs Van Nice passed away Feb. 3, 1940.

His remains lay in state in the Presbyterian church from yesterday noon until this afternoon. The Rev. Alfred S. Nickless of Davenport, former pastor at Rossville, will officiate which the Masons will have charge of the burial service in Oakland. Pallbearers will be Harry Minegar, Prof M. H. Goede, I.E. Beeman, George Todd, Charles Regan Jr., and George Watkins.

From the collection of obits of Mrs Janet Koozer