William H. Rice Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1079-1080 in "History of Dakota 
	Territory" by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. IV (1915) and was 
	scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				WILLIAM H. RICE. 

	William H. Rice, editor and owner of the Faulkton Record, was 
born at Waupaca. Wisconsin, June 26, 1858, a son of Henry H. and Sarah 
J. (Watson) Rice, natives of Clymer New York, and of Pennsylvania 
respectively. The father in early life was employed by a large lumber 
company in the capacity of timber estimator and he engaged in mining in 
California for about five years. He then returned to the middle west, 
settling at Ogdensburg, Wisconsin, where he carried on farming. Later 
he removed to Waupaca, where he was identified with lumber interests 
for a number of years, making his home at that place until his death. 
In early life he had also taught school to some extent. He never sought 
nor held public office, preferring always to concentrate his efforts 
upon his business interests. His wife passed away several years prior 
to his demise. 

	William H. Rice pursued his early education in the district 
schools near his birthplace, attended the high school in Waupaca and a 
business college in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. From early youth he depended 
upon his own resources, beginning work for others when but eleven years 
of age. He was employed in various ways until he had passed his 
twentieth birthday, when he began learning the printer's trade, 
continuing in the service of others until he came to South Dakota in 
1890. He then established business on his own account as a partner of 
M. P. Springer, who was conducting the Faulk County Record. This 
partnership existed for about two years, at the end of which time he 
disposed of his interests and returned to Waupaca, where he was 
employed as a printer for four years. At the end of that time he again 
went to Faulkton, where he worked at his trade for two or three years 
and then purchased the Faulkton Record, in the ownership of which he 
had a partner for about eighteen months. Since that time he has 
conducted the paper alone, issuing it weekly, and his plant is also 
equipped for all kinds of job printing as well as for newspaper 
publication. Into other business fields he has extended his efforts and 
is now a stockholder in the Faulkton Ice Company, the Faulkton Farmers 
Elevator Company and the Faulkton Hospital Company. He likewise owns 
residence properties in Faulkton and a number of unimproved lots. 
Success has attended his efforts because he has closely applied himself 
to the business in which he embarked as a young tradesman, never 
dissipating his efforts over a wide field. His application, his 
persistency of purpose and his honorable dealings have enabled him to 
overcome all difficulties and obstacles and work his way steadily 
upward. 

	In April, 1893, Mr. Rice was united in marriage to Miss Emma 
Oertel, a native of Long Prairie, Wisconsin, and a daughter of Alonzo 
F. and Sarah Oertel, the former a farmer by occupation. Our subject and 
his wife have one child, Grace, who was graduated from Huron College 
with the class of 1913 and is now teaching school at Mellette. 

	In his political views Mr. Rice has always been an earnest 
republican and his fellow townsmen, appreciative of his worth and 
ability, have called him to public office. He served as city auditor 
for about a year and for four years was register of deeds of Faulk 
county. Fraternally he is connected with the Independent Order of Odd 
Fellows as a member of both subordinate lodge and encampment, in which 
he has passed all of the chairs. He is likewise a Knight of Pythias and 
is identified with various fraternal insurance orders. Those who know 
him speak of him in terms of high regard, recognizing in him a public-
spirited citizen who is devoted to the best interests of the community 
and who in all the relations of life measures up to high standards of 
manhood.