Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1891
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 781
JOHN H. RICE, M.D.

John H. RICE, M. D. may well be counted among the pioneers of Harrison County, as he has lived at Magnolia since 1854. He being a representative man, both in his profession as well as in his community, the history of his county will not be complete without a personal notice concerning him. The Doctor is a native of the Green Mountain State; was born in Enosburg, Vt., February 28, 1827, and remained on his father's farm until he was nineteen years of age and then taught school four years, after which he commenced the study of medicine under Dr. EATON, in the town of Enosburg, with whom he remained three years, excepting two courses of lectures at Castleton Medical College of Vermont, graduating from that College in 1852. In 1853 he came to Wapello County, Iowa, where he practiced his chosen profession one year and then came to Harrison County, where he resumed the practice of medicine, remaining at Magnolia until the spring of 1870, when he moved to his farm on section 10, of Magnolia Township, the same consisting of a quarter section of wild land, which he had purchased two years previous. To this farm he has added until he now has two hundred and eighty acres all well improved. In Jackson Township he owns four hundred and forty acres which is used as a pasture.

He was the first regular practicing physician in Harrison County, and thousands upon thousands of sick beds has he visited in the last third of a century, during which time Harrison County has undergone great changes.

Miss Harriet N. TAYLOR, of Lee County, Iowa, became his wife May 9, 1855. By this union eight sons and daughters were born---Homer E., Myra G., Ada, Newton J., Waldo G., William, Mattie E. and Stella. Of these Ada, William, Mattie, and Stella are deceased.

Harriet N. (TAYLOR) RICE, wife of our subject was born in Enosburg, Vt., May 25, 1833. Her parents both died before she was ten years of age; after which she went to live with her uncle, Reuben TAYLOR, at New Ipswich, N. H., and remained there until about eighteen years of age, when she came to Lee County, Iowa, where her brother was living. She attended school at Denmark Academy, of that county, for one year, and then taught school at Denmark and other places until about the time she was married.

Waldo G. RICE, son of our subject, was born at Magnolia, Harrison County, Iowa, February 25, 1862, and has remained with his parents thus far in life. He attended Tabor College three years, commencing in September, 1879, attended on year and was out until the fall of 1882, and then went back and spent two years more, after which he went to Knox College Galesburg, Ill., where he graduated in the spring of 1885. He was married at Tabor, Iowa, April 3, 1890, to Miss Cora E. GASTON, and they are the parents of one child ---Marie H., born January 22, 1891.

Cora E. (GASTON) RICE was born at Tabor, Iowa, august 27, 1864, and remained with her parents until the date of her marriage. She graduated from Tabor College in 1886.

Dr. RICE and wife, also Waldo, their son, and wife are members of the Congregational Church.

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