Statewide County HI Archives Biographies.....Rice, William Hyde July 23, 1846 - June 15, 1924 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/hi/hifiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: J. Orr orr@hawaii.com October 7, 2009, 3:04 pm Source: The Story of Hawaii and Its Builders. Published by The Honolulu Star Bulletin, Territory of Hawaii, 1925. Author: Edited by George F. Nellist WILLIAM HYDE RICE, “The Grand Old Man of Kauai.” “One of the best loved citizens of Hawaii,” they said at the death on June 15, 1924, of William Hyde Rice, distinguished political leader and former governor of Kauai. Beloved by the native Hawaiians, for whose educational, political and spiritual uplift he had worked for decades, and by people of all other races, Mr. Rice was known throughout the territory as a friend of the people. Mr. Rice served Hawaii and loved Hawaii. He was one of the best Hawaiian scholars of the present generation, speaking and reading the language fluently, and was an acknowledged authority on Hawaiian legends and traditions. For more than 50 years he had collected native legends, and in his later life undertook the task of translating them from his manuscripts in the original Hawaiian. In 1923 the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum published his book, “Hawaiian Legends,” widely known by students of Hawaiian lore. A descendant of old missionary stock, Mr. Rice was always interested in church activities and Christian work among the natives. His grandfather, Jabez Backus Hyde, was one of the first missionaries to the Indians near Buffalo, New York, and his father and mother, William Harrison Rice and Mary Sophia (Hyde) Rice, came to Hawaii as missionaries in 1840. They were first stationed at Hana, Maui, but later were moved to the school for the children of missionaries established at Punahou in Honolulu in 1842. There William Hyde Rice was born on July 23, 1846, and when he was a small child the family removed to Lihue, Kauai, where Mr. Rice’s father was manager of Lihue plantation until his death in 1862. His mother, Mary (Hyde) Rice, maintained the family home at Lihue, where she died in 1911 at the age of 94. William Hyde Rice’s early education was obtained at the boarding school conducted by Rev. Daniel Dole at Koloa, Kauai. He later attended Oahu College, Punahou, and Braton’s College in Oakland, Calif. When he left school he was manager of the ranch at Lihue plantation under Mr. Paul Isenberg, a position which he held for two years. Becoming interested in the sugar industry, Mr. Rice served as a director of Lihue plantation from 1900 to 1917 and was president of the William Hyde Rice Co., Ltd., which owns Kipu plantation and Lihue ranch. He was also president of the Honolulu Stockyards Co. for five years. He was a fancier and breeder of fine horses and cattle. Although his own inclination might have kept William Hyde Rice a country gentleman and a developer of the agricultural life of his community, he was early called to political service. He was sent to the House of Representatives under King Kamehameha V in 1870, the youngest man to serve. He was also a member of the House in 1873, 1882, 1887, 1888 and 1890 under the monarchy, and a member of the senate in 1895, 1896, 1897 and 1898 under the Republic of Hawaii. He was one of the thirteen committeemen who waited on King Kalakaua, giving him 24 hours to sign the constitution, and he also served in the famous convention which drew up the constitution for the Republic of Hawaii, which later was used as the foundation for the Organic Act. While Kalakaua still reigned, Mr. Rice was decorated by the King with the Order of Kalakaua and the Order of Kapiolani. When Queen Liliuokalani ascended the throne she appointed Mr. Rice Governor of Kauai, an office he held through the overthrow of the monarchy and during the period of the provisional government. As Governor of Kauai he was noted for his executive acts of friendship for the natives and his kindly, wise statesmanship. Hawaiians throughout the territory deeply loved their great friend. Mr. Rice generously supported missionary and church work, being an active member of the Lihue Hawaiian church for decades, and for years he was president of the Territorial Sunday School Association. In educational affairs he was also a leader. He was the presiding officer of the Kauai Teachers’ Association, now the Kauai Education Association, for several terms and to him is given much of the credit for the establishment of modern school buildings on Kauai. He also served as commissioner of education for Kauai. In connection with his agricultural interests, Mr. Rice imported many pure- bred animals to Hawaii. His cattle were among the first Hereford and Ayrshire stock brought to the Islands. In 1870 Mr. Rice exported to California the first Hereford cattle imported into that state. He had obtained his stock from Australia and New Zealand. He also shipped to Japan some fine horses, among them a number for the special use of the Emperor. On one occasion he was presented with a pair of magnificent bronze vases from the Emperor of Japan, inlaid in gold with the imperial crest. He was also the recipient of many special courtesies on the occasion of his visit to Japan in 1904. In 1872 Mr. Rice married Miss Mary Waterhouse of Honolulu, the daughter of John Thomas Waterhouse. Their children are William Henry, Charles Atwood, Arthur Hyde, Harold Waterhouse, and Philip L. Rice, Mrs. W. H. Scott, who died in 1923; Mrs. Ralph L. Wilcox, and Mrs. L. L. Sexton. Mr. Rice’s death occurred June 15, 1924. His business interests are now being managed by a son, Senator Charles A. Rice. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/hi/statewide/bios/rice57bs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/hifiles/ File size: 6.0 Kb