Rice, Samuel 1845 – 1927
RICE, COBINE, STUART, PIERCE, HITCHCOCK, SMITH, KIMBER, HEADINGTON
Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 4/25/2015 at 16:09:20
SAMUEL RICE.
A well improved farm of one hundred and seventy acres, located on sections 25, 26 and 36, Burr Oak township, and known as Fair Oaks Stock Farm, is the home of Samuel Rice, he having resided thereon since 1858. He was born on a farm thirty miles west of Montreal, Canada, on the 4th of November, 1845, a son of Thomas and Alary (Cobine) Rice, both of whom were natives of County Monaghan, Ireland. There they were reared and married and in 1832 with their two children, they emigrated to Canada, making that place their home until 1858, when they removed to Winneshiek county. The father here purchased the farm on which our subject now resides, the place comprising one hundred and seventy acres of land in sections 25, 26 and 36, Burr Oak township. The father was a weaver and followed his trade in Ireland but after coming to Canada he engaged in farming and during his residence in Winneshiek county he followed the same pursuit. After leaving their native country five more children were added to the household, the family record being as follows: William and John, deceased; James C, who resides in Canton, Minnesota; Thomas, also of Canton; Mary J., twin sister of Thomas, and the wife of Joseph Stuart, of Bluffton township, Winneshiek county; David, who makes his home in Burr Oak township; and Samuel, of this review. The father gave his political support to the republican party, while his religious belief was that of the Presbyterian church, in the faith of which he died September 10, 1871, at the advanced age of seventy-five years. His wife survived for more than two decades, departing this life November 9, 1891, when she had reached the extreme old age of ninety-two and a half years.
Samuel Rice was reared to farm life and when he started out on his own account he chose this as his occupation. He accompanied his parents on their removal from Canada to Winneshiek county, being at that time a lad in his teens. He has since made his home on the farm of which he is now the owner, the place comprising one hundred and seventy acres, located on section 25, 26 and 36, Burr Oak township, and known as Fair Oaks Stock Farm. Formerly for many years Mr. Rice made a specialty of raising shorthorn cattle, Shropshire sheep and Poland China hogs but now gives his attention more particularly to general farming. Although he has now reached the age of sixty-eight years he is still active in the work of the farm and takes a just pride in keeping everything about the place in good repair.
Mr. Rice was married on the 9th of February, 1876, to Miss Henrietta Pierce, a native of McHenry county, Illinois, born December 28, 1849, a daughter of John H. and Vesta (Hitchcock) Pierce, both natives of Schoharie county, New York, where they were reared and married. They subsequently came to the middle west, first locating in McHenry county, Illinois, later, in 1854, settling in Burr Oak township, Winneshiek county, where Mr. Pierce continued his work as a farmer. The mother died April 13, 1895, at the age of seventy years, while the father, surviving for ten years, passed away in May, 1905, at the ripe old age of eighty-three years. In their family were seven children: Charles, a resident of Canton, Minnesota; Stephen, who has departed this life; Mrs. Rice; Marietta, the wife of Daniel Smith, of Canton, Minnesota; John, who is deceased; Alonzo, a resident of Burr Oak township; and Mrs. Harriet Kimber, who is also deceased.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Rice was born but one daughter, Stella, now the wife of Claude Headington, of Burr Oak township. They have also reared a niece, Maude Pierce, who is still with them. Following in the political footsteps of his father, Mr. Rice has given his support to the republican party since he attained his majority. He has made his home on his present farm for the past fifty-five years, so that the place has grown dear to him through his long connection therewith. He has ever taken a deep interest in the welfare of the county where he numbers his friends by the score, and he is everywhere accorded that respect and veneration which should be extended to one who has traveled thus far on the journey of life.
Source: History of Winneshiek County, Iowa Vol. II Chicago the S. J. Clark Publishing Company 1913
Burr Oak Cemetery gravestone
Winneshiek Biographies maintained by Bruce Kuennen.
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