Harvey J. Rice Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1775-1776 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. II (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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	HARVEY J. RICE, receiver of the United States land office at Huron, 
and grand secretary of the Odd Fellows in South Dakota, was born at 
Freeport, Illinois, April 23, 1849, the son of John and Milvira 
(Williams) Rice. In his childhood his parents removed to Nauvoo, where 
Harvey attended the common schools, and later graduated from the 
University of Carlinsville, in 1865. It was at this time his intention 
to become a lawyer and to that end he became a student in the law office 
of George Scoville, in Chicago, but developing taste along commercial 
lines he took the business course in the Bryant & Stratton College of 
Chicago and in 1869, in company with his brother John, engaged in the 
drygoods business in Chicago, in which he continued until the fire in 
1871. Soon after they engaged in general merchandise at Austin, 
Illinois, disposing of the same in 1875 to enter the employ of the 
Chicago & Northwestern Railway. When the Dakota divisions were under 
construction he was made storekeeper in charge of all material and in 
that capacity came to Dakota and established company headquarters in 
Huron in 1880. He continued with the railway company until 1887, when he 
resigned to become teller in the Huron National Bank and continued in 
this position until appointed railway commissioner for Dakota territory 
by Governor Mellette in the spring of 1889. This position he held 
through two terms, until March, 1893, when he engaged in the mercantile 
business in Huron, which he still conducts. In 1884 he was elected mayor 
of Huron and re-elected for five terms. In I90~ he was appointed 
receiver of the land office and continues in the position. He is an 
ardent Republican and is one of the party's safest councilors.

	Mr. Rice is a thirty-second-degree Mason, a Knight Templar, and is a 
past grand master of the order in the state. He is also a prominent Odd 
Fellow and for four years represented the state in the sovereign grand 
lodge. He has been the grand secretary of the order for the past ten 
years.

	Mr. Rice was married, December 25, 1873, to Miss Elizabeth Kimes. Two 
sons have been born to them, John A., who was drowned in the James river 
at Huron, and George H., who is engaged in business in Huron. South 
Dakota has no more competent, reliable and useful citizen than Harvey J. 
Rice.