First husband of Ida May Freeland, married on 13 APR 1885 in Shelbina, Shelby County, Missouri.

Occupation: Insurance & Real Estate

MO d/c 18324

THOMAS J. RICE.
—For a full quarter of a century a resident of Shelby county, and during more than a third of the tune a citizen of Shelbina, Thomas J. Rice has contributed his full share to the growth and development of this portion of the state and done well his duty as an active and industrious factor for good among this people. He is a native of the state, born in Scotland county on November 7, 1858, and although portions of his life have been passed elsewhere, he has always been deeply interested in the state of his nativity and the enduring welfare of its people.
—Mr. Rice is of Kentucky ancestry, his grandfather, Daniel C. Rice, having been born and reared in that state and having lived there many years. He is a son of Jackson A. and Margaret (Roseborough) Rice, the former born in Hardin county, Kentucky, where his life began on December 25, 1835, and the latter in Scotland county in this state. The father accompanied his parents to Missouri when ho was but one year old and returned with them to Kentucky when he was four. The family remained in Kentucky three years, and in 1845 again became residents of Missouri, locating in Scotland county, where the father conducted a flourishing business as a farmer and breeder of live stock, in which his son united with him as soon as he was old enough.
—In 1860 the elder Mr. Rice went to California with an older brother. He was very successful in locating good claims in Colorado, having returned that far east after a short stay in California, and returned to this state in 1863 with money enough to buy a farm near that of his father in Scotland county. He took up his residence on this farm, but it brought him a trying existence. Not only was the country wild and undeveloped, and therefore difficult to bring to cultivation and fruitfulness, but the state militia was exceedingly trouble some during the Civil war. The force was out of commission and many of its members, realizing that they were not responsible to any definite authority, roamed at will and committed continual depredations on unprotected settlers. Horses and cattle were stolen and run off by them, outhouses and even dwellings and personal violence was sometimes inflicted. The Rice family bore its troubles bravely, enduring the wrongs it suffered with fortitude if not always with patience and forbearance, and at length conditions greatly improved for it
—In 1867 the family moved to Clark county and located on a farm which it occupied and operated until 1903. when the father moved to Howell county, where he now resides. He was married in 1857 to Miss Margaret Roseborough, of Scotland county, this state. They became the parents of one child, their son, Thomas J., who is the immediate subject of this sketch. The father is an earnest Democrat in political faith and belongs to the Christian church. The mother died at the birth of our subject in 1858 and the father married a second time, his second wife being Euliama Morrill who is still living. They had three sous and three daughters.
—Thomas J. Rice attended the public schools in Scotland and Clark counties and also the Baptist College at Alexandria, Missouri. Upon the completion of his education he went to Arkansas, where he remained five years, teaching school during the winter months and acting as private secretary for Robert McClelland, a wealthy cattle man, during the summers. At the end of the period mentioned he returned to Missouri and passed one year in Shelbina as a clerk and salesman for W. H. Dye, then one of the leading general merchants of the city. He next located on a farm near Shelbina, on which he dwelt eleven years. From that farm he moved to another near Lentner which he occupied and worked for five years. In August, 1901, he returned to Shelbina, and here he has ever since resided. He is now busily engaged in the real estate and fire insurance business, largely in behalf of the Farmers' Mutual Fire Association of Shelby county, of which he has been president since 1897.
—Mr. Rice's interests are numerous and valuable. He is a large landowner, a stockholder in the Old Bank of Shelbina and connected with several other enterprises of moment in themselves and highly beneficial to the community. He was also one of the founders of the Farmers' & Merchants' Bank, which is now the Shelbina National Bank, and one of its first stockholders and directors. He is a Democrat in politics and holds membership in the Order of Odd Fellows, the Modern Woodmen of America and the Order of Royal Neighbors fraternally. He is also an active and zealous church worker, being steward of the congregation to which he belongs in the Methodist Episcopal church. South.
—On April 30, 1885, Mr. Rice was married to Miss Ida M. Freeland, of this county. They have had five children, three of whom are living. These are: Vivian, wife of P. G. Fox, of Shelbina; and Giles G. and Freeland R., who are living at home. Margaret died in 1909. Exemplifying in their daily lives all domestic and social attributes, and giving to those around them examples in every relation which are worthy of all imitation, Mr. and Mrs. Rice are justly regarded as among the best and most estimable citizens of the county, and are universally respected and admired as such.
GENERAL HISTORY OF SHELBY COUNTY, MISSOURI 1911; pp 218, 219
Written by Shelby Countians and graciously donated by the Shelby County Historical Society, Kathleen Wilham, President—©Copyright 1911