Rev. John W. Rice, who is now living retired in his eighty-first year at
Medora and is widely known on account of his life of unselfish devotion to
the welfare of others, comes of an old Virginia family. He was born near
Culpeper Courthouse in Fauquier county, Virginia, October 21, 1831, and is a
son of Thomas Brown and Mahala (Farrar) Rice, the former of whom was born in
Fauquier county in 1806 and the latter in the western part of Virginia in
1807. The grandfather on the paternal side was James W. Rice, also a native
of Virginia. He was a Revolutionary patriot and served under General
Washington. Thomas Brown Rice was reared upon his father’s farm and a number
of years after his marriage removed to Illinois with his wife and four
children, arriving at Rhoads Point, now Medora, June 20, 1835. He entered
government land which he cleared and proceeded to cultivate. He was quite
successful as a farmer and at one time was the owner of about one thousand
acres of good land in this county. He erected a mill at Medora which did not
prove successful and was finally dismantled. He continued upon his farm
until his death which occurred about 1891. Mr. Rice was a prominent man in
the early days of Macoupin county and previous to the war served for eight
years as associate judge. In his family were ten children: Susan, now the
widow of John Cleaver, of Portland, Oregon; John W.; Elizabeth, who is the
wife of Amri Vance, of Modesto, Illinois; Amanda, who married John A. Payne,
of Medora; Virginia, who is the wife of Harry M. Westbrook, of New Jersey;
Emma A., the widow of Van Horbeck, of Medora; Washington, who made his home
at Medora and is now deceased; Thomas, who settled at Clinton, Missouri, and
is also deceased; Stephen F., who is a minister of the Baptist church and
resides at Medora; and Charles A., who makes his home in Jersey county.
John W. Rice was brought to Illinois by his parents early in his
childhood and has spent his entire life in this state. He received his
preliminary education in the public schools and assisted upon the home farm
until 1858, when he purchased a farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Honey
Point township, which he industriously cultivated for seven years. In 1865
he disposed of his place and became connected with a mill which his father
had built at Medora, continuing there until 1874. He then went to Lamar,
Barton county, Missouri, where he operated a mill for several years. About
1880 he returned to Macoupin county and operated a sawmill and thresher at
Macoupin. As early as 1866 he began ministerial work and continued actively
as opportunity presented along the same line while pursuing his various
business enterprises. On March 9, 1884, he was regularly ordained to the
ministry at Mount Pleasant Baptist church of Medora and from that time gave
his entire attention to the duties pertaining to the ministry, showing a
zeal and efficiency that produced highly gratifying results. He retired from
active labors in 1908, although he has since officiated on special occasions
and is one of the most respected and beloved men in public circles of
Macoupin county.
In 1852 Mr. Rice was married to Elizabeth Jane
Rhoads, who was born in Kentucky and came with her parents to Rhoads Point,
Illinois, about 1835. To this union nine children were born, eight of whom
died in infancy, the only one living being Mary V., the wife of John A.
Flat, an engineer of Toluca, Illinois. They have two children: Myrtle A.,
who married Charles Carver, a carpenter, of Petersburg, Illinois; and Maggie
Virginia, who is living at home. Mrs. Elizabeth Rice died in 1874 and in
1898 Mr. Rice was married to Margaret (Dixon) Gilworth, widow of Louis
Gilworth. She died in 1901 and in the year following Mr. Rice was married to
Mrs. Frances (Parker) Simpson, widow of William Simpson. Her parents were
pioneers of Macoupin county, arriving from Kentucky in 1835.
Mr.
Rice is the oldest living member of Fidelity Lodge, No. 152, A. F. & A. M.
He was made a Mason in 1856 and has, therefore, been identified with the
order for fifty-five years, a record which few have attained. He is also an
Odd Fellow and is greatly revered by his brethren of both of those
beneficent orders. His study of political and social problems led him years
ago to regard prohibition as the great issue of the country, and he is an
ardent advocate of its principles as a remedy for many of the gravest ills
of humanity. A man of pleasing and straightforward address, he has been
instrumental by his influence and example in leading many to lives of
righteousness. He is justly regarded as one of the most interesting pioneers
of Medora, the house in which he lived as a child in this place, which was
built by his father in 1835, being one of the landmarks of the city. It is
still occupied as a dwelling. Notwithstanding his advanced age, Mr. Rice is
blessed with a good memory and an unusual degree of physical strength for
one of his years, and it is the earnest wish of his friends that he may be
spared for many years in the enjoyment of peace and happiness that fittingly
crown a well-spent life.
Extracted 18 May 2018 by Norma Hass from History of Macoupin County, Illinois: Biographical and Pictorial, by Charles A. Walker, published in 1911, Volume 2, pages 53-55.
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