Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1891
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 797
SILAS RICE

Silas RICE, (deceased) came to Harrison County, in June 1855, and that year bought a farm on section 4, of Magnolia Township. In the spring of 1856 he built a story and a half log house, 16x24 feet, now used as a tool house. They lived in that cabin until 1879, when was erected a frame house, two stories high, the upright being 24x30 feet, and an addition 16x20 feet. Upon coming to the county, Mr. RICE bought sixty-six acres of land, without any improvements upon it, and shortly afterwards took a quarter section more, under the Swamp Land Act, and at the time of his death had four hundred and twenty-seven acres. One hundred and twenty-five of this was under cultivation, while the balance was in pasture and meadow land. He was born May 19, 1822, in Franklin County, Vermont, where he remained on his father's farm until 1842, then taught school two terms, and worked at lumbering and quarrying a few years after leaving home. He went to Massachusetts, and remained until 1855, and then came to Harrison County. He was married to New Hampshire., June 11, 1850, to Miss Eleanor S. TAYLOR and they had seven children: Emma M., Dell S., Eugene T., Arthur S., Wilber B., Mamie E., and Hattie E. Emma and Hattie are the deceased.

Mr. RICE died March 9, 1874. All who knew him held him in the highest esteem, as a man of the most solid convictions, who loved the right and despised the wrong; an upright character moulded under the severely correct ideas of New England. A character which stands out with the prominence of the lofty white oak of the forest.

He was chosen Deacon of the Congregational Church in 1856 and was such at time of death.

Eleanor S. (TAYLOR) RICE, was born October 19, 1829, in Franklin County, Vt., and when a small girl her parents died, and she went to live with her uncle William BUCKNAM, with whom she remained until the date of her marriage.

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