William G. Rice Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1670-1671 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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	WILLIAM G. RICE, who is presiding on the bench of the circuit 
court for the district comprising Lawrence, Butte and Meade counties, 
and who has been established in the active practice of law in Deadwood 
for nearly twenty years, was born in Memphis, Scotland county, Missouri, 
on the 1st of February, 1858, and is a son of Hudson and Frances C. 
(Oliver) Rice the former of whom was born in Kentucky and the latter in 
Virginia. The paternal grandfather of our subject likewise bore the name 
of Hudson and was born in Kentucky, whither his father, John Rice, 
removed from Virginia in an early day, both the Rice and Oliver families 
having been established in the Old Dominion state prior to the war of 
the Revolution, in which representatives of both participated, while 
further evidence of loyalty was given in succeeding generations of both 
families, for those of the two names were found enlisted for service 
during the war of 1812, the paternal grandfather of the Judge having 
been a participant in the battle of Fort Meigs, Ohio, in that conflict 
with the mother country. The maternal grandfather became one of the 
pioneers of Missouri, where he became extensively engaged in farming and 
stock raising, being one of the influential men of his section. The 
father of the subject was reared to maturity in Kentucky, where he 
received a liberal education for the locality and period, and as a young 
man he removed thence to Missouri, locating in Scotland county, where he 
became a prominent and successful farmer and stock grower. They became 
the parents of six children, of whom five are living, the Judge being 
the eldest. 

	Judge Rice was reared on the homestead farm and received his early 
education in the public schools of his native county. At the age of 
eighteen years he put his scholastic acquirements to practical test and 
use by engaging in teaching in the district schools, and he followed 
this profession successfully for several years. At the age of twenty-
three he began reading law in the office of the firm of McKee & Jayne, 
whose principals were leading members of the bar of Memphis, Missouri, 
and under their effective direction he continued his technical studies 
until 1884, in May of which year he was duly admitted to the bar of 
Missouri, being pronounced specially well equipped. Shortly afterward he 
started for the west, and in July of the same year located in Deadwood, 
where he has been identified with a large percentage of the more 
important cases litigated in the courts of this and adjoining counties, 
and has retained a representative clientage, gaining popular favor at 
the very inception of his professional career. In 1888 he was elected to 
the office of district attorney, serving six consecutive years in this 
important and exacting position, which fact indicates that he was twice 
chosen as his own successor. He served the three terms and could not 
become again a candidate, this being the limitation prescribed by the 
constitution of the state. In 1894 he was elected to represent his 
district in the state senate, serving during the fifth general assembly 
and making a most excellent record as a discriminating, loyal and 
public-spirited member of the deliberative body of the legislature. He 
introduced and ably advocated the bill providing for the better 
protection of the state funds, and it was largely due to his earnest and 
unceasing effort that this wise measure was enacted. In 1896 the Judge 
was again the choice of his party for the state senate, and while he 
made a vigorous canvass and secured a gratifying support he was not able 
to overcome the Populistic landslide which swept the state in that year. 
From May, 1896, until May, 1902, the Judge served as city attorney of 
Deadwood, and on the 11th of June of the latter year he was appointed to 
his present office as circuit judge, to fill out the unexpired term of 
Judge Frank J. Washabaugh, whose death caused the vacancy. In politics 
the Judge has ever been an uncompromising Republican, and has been an 
able advocate of the principles and policies of the party.- He and his 
wife are prominent members of the Methodist Episcopal church. The Judge 
is an enthusiastic devotee of sports and afield and afloat, and his 
vacations are largely given to recreation with rod and gun. 

	On the 21st of October, 1885, Judge Rice was united in marriage to 
Miss Minerva Smoot, who was born and reared in Memphis, Missouri. being 
a daughter of H. E. Smoot, a prominent citizen of that place and a 
native of Virginia.