Biographical Sketch of Tompkins Rice, Johnson County, Missouri, Columbus Township >From "History of Johnson County, Missouri," by Ewing Cockrell, Historical Publishing Company, Topeka, Cleveland, 1918. ********************************************************************** Tompkins Rice, grandson of Pleasant Rice, the first settler of Johnson county, was born September 3, 1868 on a farm his grandfather had enter- ed from the government, a place located in Columbus township. He is a son of Charles Cobb and Drucilla (Bradley) Rice. Charles Cobb Rice was born September 15, 1839 in Columbus and he is now living on a farm two miles south of Columbus, probably the oldest person living who was born in this county. Drucilla (Bradley) Rice was born in Pittsville, Jack- son township. To Charles Cobb and Drucilla Rice have been born five children, and three are now living: Joseph B., deceased; Mrs. Mary J. Seigfreid, Lees Summit, Missouri; Bettie, deceased; Tompkins and Plea- sant, Jr., twins, the former, the subject of this review and the latter the owner of the Rice homestead and a resident of Warrensburg. The first school attended by Tompkins Rice was held in an old log barn, owned by James Dobbins. This was a "subscription school" and taught by Miss Anna Dobbins. The puncheon benches were arranged around the room close to the walls. Desks, blackboards, chalk, erasers, and even a bell were unknown. When school was dismissed in the evenings, the children's books were piled in one corner of the room. Mr. Rice, later was a pupil at Waldon school house. Until he was twenty-seven years of age, he remained at home with his parents. In 1901, he purchased his present home, a farm comprising one hundred six acres of land, forty of which are in Columbus townhsip and sixty-six in Hazel Hill township. All the soil is tillable, forty acres being rich bottom land. The land lies nicely and the Tompkins Rice farm is considered one of the best in the township. Mr. Rice has added all the improvements since his coming to the place. The pleasant and comfortable residence was built in 1906. It is a large structure of eight spacious and conveniently arranged rooms. One barn, 24 x 42 feet, is well equipped for handling stock. Mr. Rice has handled sheep for the past ten years and he has found sheep raising very profitable. At the present time, in 1917, there are twenty head of cattle and one hundred head of hogs on the farm. Febru- ary 27, 1896, Tompkins Rice was united in marriage with Olah B. Anderson, daughter of Presley and Sallie Anderson, of Columbus township. Mrs. Rice is a native of Hazel Hill township. To Tompkins and Olah B. (Anderson) Rice have been born three children: Leonard, a graduate of the Odessa High School; Myrle Oneita and Gladys Irene, both of whom are now students at the Warrensburg State Normal School. All three child- ren reside at home with their parents. Mr. and Mrs. Rice are well known and prominent in their community and highly valued citizens of Johnson county. Pleasant Rice, Jr., twin brother of Tompkins Rice, obtained his education in the public schools of Johnson county and in the Warrensburg State Normal School. After leaving school, Mr. Rice engaged in farming in Johnson county until 1913, when he went to Florida and for three years was employed in managing an orange planta- tion which he owned in that state. He disposed of his grove in 1914 and the following year returned to Johnson county in June and since that time has resided in Warrensburg. Pleasant Rice, Jr., is now en- gaged in the grocery business in Warrensburg and in addition to his work in the store supervises the management of three hundred acres of land in Columbus township. This tract of land was formerly owned by the senior Pleasant Rice, the old homestead, in Johnson county. May 12, 1897, Pleasant Rice, Jr. and Lillie M. Brownlee, daughter of M. C. and Etha L. Brownlee, were united in marriage. Mrs. Rice was born May 27, 1873 in Franklin county, Kansas. At the time of her marriage, the Brownlee's were residing in Columbus township. Mrs. Brownlee died in June, 1914 and interment was made in the cemetery at Warrensburg. Mr. Brownlee is still living. To Pleasant and Lillie Rice have been born two children: Melvin, a graduate of the Warrensburg High School in the class of 1917; and Mary A., who is in the junior class of the Warrens- burg High School. Both children reside at home with Mr. and Mrs. Rice at 214 Grover street in Warrensburg. The Rice family has been number- ed among the best families of the county since the beginning of its history. Mr. and Mrs. Pleasant Rice are highly respected in Warrens- burg, where they have a wide circle of friends. ==================================================================== 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: <> Penny (Eisenbarger) Harrell ====================================================================