RICE BIOGRAPHIES, Henry County, Missouri ==================================================================== RICE, John C. - b: 1838 KY source: 1919 History of Henry Co MO, Uel W. Lamkin, Historical Publishing Co - page: 857 residence: Davis Twp John C. Rice, late of Davis township, was one of the best known of the pioneer citizens of Henry County and was born in Kentucky in 1838 and died in 1894. He was a son of John C. and Abigail (Coleman) Rice, of North Carolina ancestry. The Rice family were pioneers in Kentucky and John C. Rice resided in his native State with his parents until 1854, when his parents went to Kansas and were there during the border warfare days. The elder Rice entered land in Kansas as did John C. Rice, but he was too young to obtain title to the land. The family became dissatisfied and started to make the return trip to Kentucky. While on the homeward journey the father of John C. Rice died at Sibley, Missouri, at the home of General Mosby. After his father's death, John C. Rice refused to return to Kentucky and came to Henry County, where he entered forty acres of land in Davis township, finally purchasing one hundred sixty acres and residing thereon with his mother and sister. Civil War breaking out and times being bad it became unsafe to remain in the neighborhood, and his mother and sister went to Warrensburg, Mr. Rice himself joining the 1st Iowa Cavalry Regiment. He served four years in the Union Army and was stationed at Little Rock and Arkansas points. during his term of service. He was accidentally injured and suffered from fever, being placed in the hospital at Little Rock. After his recovery he became a nurse in the hospital and remained there until he was mustered out of the service in 1865. He returned home and rented a farm from Captain Denny, near Calhoun, for one year. He then came back to his farm and erected a cabin, which is still standing. John C. Rice was married in 1868 to Lucetta Jane Walker, who was born in 1841 in North Carolina and is a daughter of Dr. William and Elizabeth (VanHoy) Walker, natives of North Carolina who migrated to Missouri in 1852. Doctor Walker settled in Walker township, Henry County, and was the first pioneer to build a home out on the unbroken prairie away from the streams and timber tracts. For forty years he practiced medicine. When Mrs. Rice came to Henry County with her parents the only homes in the near vicinity were those of Col. John VanHoy, Selathiel Stone, Doctor Gates and Uncle Billy Gates. These homes were located on the edge of timber. School was held in a log cabin for a three months' term during the summer season. The only church in the neighborhood was the Adobe Church, in which services were held by Doctor Jones, an old line Presbyterian minister. The settlers went to Cook's Mill on Grand River in order to have their grist ground. The following children were born to John C. and Lucetta Jane Rice: Hugh, died at the age of three years; Clyde A.; Eva May, wife of John Warner, residing on the home farm, mother of two children, Mrytle and Sylvia. John C. Rice was a Republican and an elder of the Presbyterian Church. He was a supporter of the Grange and was a member of the Grand Army of the Republic. Mr. Rice was one of the best posted and best read men of his day. Being a constant student and reader, who was also a deep thinker, he wrote upon many subjects and the members of his family prize very highly the many literary productions which were accumulated during his life time. Clyde A. Rice, who is residing in the old home of his parents, is one of the best known of the young generation of farmers in Henry County. He was born on March 2, 1870, and received his education in the district school and the old Clinton Academy. Mr. Rice is a Democrat and has held various township offices including those of tax collector and constable. He is a member of the Presbyterian Church and the Woodmen of the World and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows Lodge No.772. Mr. Rice is secretary of the La Due Grain and Supply Company of La Due, Missouri. December 20, 1893, Clyde A. Rice and Estella Coates were married. To this marriage have been born four children: Edna, wife of Brady Morgan, mother of two children, Helen Louise and Hazel Lorene, Montrose, Missouri; Howard C., Bernard, and Ruby, at home. Mrs. Estella (Coates) Rice was born in Bear Creek township, March 9, 1871, and is a daughter of William S. and Nancy (Pinkston) Coates, natives of Kentucky. Mrs. Nancy (Pinkston) Coates was born in Kentucky, November 12, 1835, and is the daughter of Basil and Elizabeth (Noland) Pinkston, who came from their native State of Kentucky to Missouri in 1839 and settled in Rives County, now Henry, near Calhoun. Other pioneers who came to this section about the same time were John A. Pigg, Archie Legg, Colonel Squires, and Uncle Isom Pinkston. Mrs. Coates recalls that the only schools were subscription schools. By a first marriage with William S. Gutridge, who died in 1860, Mrs. Coates had two children, James Henry and John William, deceased. By her second marriage there were two children, Mrs. Olive May Davis, living in Canada, and Mrs. Clyde A. Rice. When the Pinkston family came to this section they drove across country with ox teams. ==================================================================== RICE, Samuel - b: 1834 Wayne Co, OH source: 1883 History of Henry Missouri , National Historical Co. - page: 538 residence: Clinton Twp Samuel Rice, farmer, section 4, came originally from Wayne County, Ohio, where he was born June 29, 1834. His father, Simon Rice, was born in Pennsylvania and moved to Ohio in 1815. His mother, whose maiden name was Barbara Yager, was a native of France, and went to Ohio when eight years of age. They were married in Wayne County, and there reared ten children, of whom Samuel was the third child. The death of Simon Rice occurred in November, 1862, and his widow passed away November 3, 1881. Young Rice reached his manhood and was educated in his native county, and followed farming for a livelihood till 1861, when he engaged in the carpenter trade. This he continued for two years, then resuming his farming operations. In February, 1876, he came to Henry County, and settled in the neighborhood of where he now resides. He has a well improved farm of 150 acres of land, and is widely known as being one of our most progressive farmers. Mr. Rice was married December 27, 1871, to Miss Rebecca McClarren, of Pennsylvania. They have two children, Frederick W. and Willard S. They are members of the First Presbyterian Church. ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by the Henry County MOGenWeb http://www.rootsweb.com/~mohenry/henryco.html Contact the Henry County Coordinator for comments or corrections. ====================================================================