James S. Rice
Encyclopedia
James Stephen Rice was an American businessman and rancher who was a pioneering resident of Orange County, California
and a civic leader in Tustin, California
.
to Harvey Rice
(1800–1891) and Emma Maria (Fitch) Rice (1812–1889). Rice was educated in the public schools in Cleveland and attended Case Western College
in Hudson, Ohio
, graduating with a BA degree in classical studies in 1866. Rice married Coralinn Frances Barlow (1849–1919) of Cleveland on 2 October 1872, and they had four children. From 1866 to 1877, he was in business with his half-brother Percival Wood Rice and his brother-in-law Proctor Rollin Burnett, who were proprietors of the Rice & Burnett Company a crockery and home furnishing business in Cleveland.
on 18 January 1877, first residing near the head of Newport Bay
in one of the former ranch houses owned by José Antonio Andres Sepúlveda (1803–1875), the owner of Rancho San Joaquin
. Rice began ranching by working for his brother-in-law James Irvine
who had purchased the Rancho San Joaquin from Sepúlveda in 1864 and established the Irvine Ranch.
In 1878, Rice purchased a small tract of land from Peter Potts in the village of Tustin
, shortly after Columbus Tustin laid out the first real estate plats
, and he planted Valencia orange
trees and Muscat
grapes. A few years later, he purchased an additional tract of 50 acres (202,343 m²) and expanded his lucrative agricultural operations. In the California real estate boom of 1886-87, he sold off all but 12 acres (48,562.3 m²) of his land for development at $4000 per acre, allowing him to build a three-story home on his remaining property. Mrs. Coralinn Rice was a noted Orange County socialite frequently hosting performing artists including Helena Modjeska
at their home in Tustin. Mrs. Coralinn Rice died in 1919.
Rice was active in politics in Orange County, serving as chairman of the Orange County Democratic Party
Central Committee in the early 1920s. Rice died in 1939 at his home in Tustin.
, and they had two sons Harvey M. Rice (1913–1974), and James Willis Rice, Jr. (1916–1996). James W. Rice, Sr. died in 1951 in Tustin.
James S. Rice's youngest son Percy Fitch Rice who was born 25 November 1882 was an accomplished inventor who patented several devices, including an automatic paper feeding device for printing presses ( 1903), an automatic transmission for automobiles ( 1913), the push button radio tuner ( 1925), the gasoline gauge for the automobile ( 1930) and a multiple exposure camera ( 1947). He lived in Orange County for most of his life, dying there on 25 May 1954.
Rice's sister, Henrietta Maria "Nettie" (Rice) Irvine (1841-1874) was married to James Irvine
, a San Francisco merchant and founder of the Irvine Ranch in Orange County. His brother-in-law (the brother of Coralinn), Charles Averill Barlow
(1858–1927), lived in Bakersfield, California
and was a U.S. Congressman from the Populist Party
serving in California's 6th congressional district
.
James S. Rice was a direct descendant of Edmund Rice
, an English immigrant to Massachusetts Bay Colony
, as follows:
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
and a civic leader in Tustin, California
Tustin, California
-Top employers:According to the City's 2010 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Tustin had a population of 75,540. The population density was 6,816.7 people per square mile...
.
Early life and education in Ohio
James Stephen Rice was born 31 October 1846 in Cleveland, OhioCleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
to Harvey Rice
Harvey Rice
Harvey Rice, LL.D. was an American lawyer, a Democratic state legislator, poet, author and newspaperman prominent in Cleveland, Ohio.-Early life and education:...
(1800–1891) and Emma Maria (Fitch) Rice (1812–1889). Rice was educated in the public schools in Cleveland and attended Case Western College
Case Western Reserve University
Case Western Reserve University is a private research university located in Cleveland, Ohio, USA...
in Hudson, Ohio
Hudson, Ohio
Hudson is a city in Summit County, Ohio, United States. The population was 22,262 at the 2010 census. It is an affluent exurban community and is part of the Akron, Ohio Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, graduating with a BA degree in classical studies in 1866. Rice married Coralinn Frances Barlow (1849–1919) of Cleveland on 2 October 1872, and they had four children. From 1866 to 1877, he was in business with his half-brother Percival Wood Rice and his brother-in-law Proctor Rollin Burnett, who were proprietors of the Rice & Burnett Company a crockery and home furnishing business in Cleveland.
Life and career in California
James Stephen Rice and his family moved to Orange County, CaliforniaOrange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
on 18 January 1877, first residing near the head of Newport Bay
Upper Newport Bay
The Upper Newport Bay is a large coastal wetland in Southern California and a major stopover for birds. Dozens of species, including endangered ones, can be observed here. Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve and Ecological Reserve represent approximately 1,000 acres of open space...
in one of the former ranch houses owned by José Antonio Andres Sepúlveda (1803–1875), the owner of Rancho San Joaquin
Rancho San Joaquin
Rancho San Joaquin, the combined Rancho Cienega de las Ranas and Rancho Bolsa de San Joaquin, was a Mexican land grant in present day Orange County, California given to José Antonio Andres Sepúlveda...
. Rice began ranching by working for his brother-in-law James Irvine
James Irvine (landowner)
The Irvine family were agricultural pioneers and prominent landowners in California who gave their name to the city of Irvine, CA.-James Irvine I:James Irvine was born in County Down, Ireland on December 27, 1827, the second to the youngest of nine children...
who had purchased the Rancho San Joaquin from Sepúlveda in 1864 and established the Irvine Ranch.
In 1878, Rice purchased a small tract of land from Peter Potts in the village of Tustin
Tustin, California
-Top employers:According to the City's 2010 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Tustin had a population of 75,540. The population density was 6,816.7 people per square mile...
, shortly after Columbus Tustin laid out the first real estate plats
Plat
A plat in the U.S. is a map, drawn to scale, showing the divisions of a piece of land. Other English-speaking countries generally call such documents a cadastral map or plan....
, and he planted Valencia orange
Valencia orange
The Valencia Orange is a sweet orange first hybridized by California pioneer agronomist and land developer William Wolfskill, on his farm in Santa Ana in southern California in the United States. -History:...
trees and Muscat
Muscat (grape and wine)
The Muscat variety of grapes of the species Vitis vinifera is widely grown for wine, raisins and table grapes. Their color ranges from white to near black. Muscat almost always has a pronounced sweet floral aroma. Muscat grapes are grown around the world...
grapes. A few years later, he purchased an additional tract of 50 acres (202,343 m²) and expanded his lucrative agricultural operations. In the California real estate boom of 1886-87, he sold off all but 12 acres (48,562.3 m²) of his land for development at $4000 per acre, allowing him to build a three-story home on his remaining property. Mrs. Coralinn Rice was a noted Orange County socialite frequently hosting performing artists including Helena Modjeska
Helena Modjeska
Helena Modjeska Helena Modjeska Helena Modjeska (October 12, 1840 – April 8, 1909, whose actual Polish surname was Modrzejewska , was a renowned actress who specialized in Shakespearean and tragic roles.Modjeska was the mother of Polish-American bridge engineer Ralph Modjeski....
at their home in Tustin. Mrs. Coralinn Rice died in 1919.
Rice was active in politics in Orange County, serving as chairman of the Orange County Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Central Committee in the early 1920s. Rice died in 1939 at his home in Tustin.
The Rice family relations and genealogy
James S. Rice's eldest son James Willis Rice, who was born 24 August 1873 in Cleveland, followed his father as a rancher and fruit grower in the Tustin, California area. In about 1910 James W. Rice married Ruebel Martin, daughter of John Henry Martin, a Nevada state senator from Douglas County, NevadaDouglas County, Nevada
Douglas County is a county located in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. As of 2000, the population was 41,259. As of 2010, the population was estimated to be 46,997.- History :...
, and they had two sons Harvey M. Rice (1913–1974), and James Willis Rice, Jr. (1916–1996). James W. Rice, Sr. died in 1951 in Tustin.
James S. Rice's youngest son Percy Fitch Rice who was born 25 November 1882 was an accomplished inventor who patented several devices, including an automatic paper feeding device for printing presses ( 1903), an automatic transmission for automobiles ( 1913), the push button radio tuner ( 1925), the gasoline gauge for the automobile ( 1930) and a multiple exposure camera ( 1947). He lived in Orange County for most of his life, dying there on 25 May 1954.
Rice's sister, Henrietta Maria "Nettie" (Rice) Irvine (1841-1874) was married to James Irvine
James Irvine (landowner)
The Irvine family were agricultural pioneers and prominent landowners in California who gave their name to the city of Irvine, CA.-James Irvine I:James Irvine was born in County Down, Ireland on December 27, 1827, the second to the youngest of nine children...
, a San Francisco merchant and founder of the Irvine Ranch in Orange County. His brother-in-law (the brother of Coralinn), Charles Averill Barlow
Charles A. Barlow
Charles Averill Barlow was a U.S. Representative from California.Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Barlow attended the common schools. He moved to Ventura, California, in 1875 and to San Luis Obispo County, California, 1889....
(1858–1927), lived in Bakersfield, California
Bakersfield, California
Bakersfield is a city near the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley in Kern County, California. It is roughly equidistant between Fresno and Los Angeles, to the north and south respectively....
and was a U.S. Congressman from the Populist Party
Populist Party (United States)
The People's Party, also known as the "Populists", was a short-lived political party in the United States established in 1891. It was most important in 1892-96, then rapidly faded away...
serving in California's 6th congressional district
California's 6th congressional district
California's 6th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California that stretches up the Pacific coast north of the San Francisco Bay...
.
James S. Rice was a direct descendant of Edmund Rice
Edmund Rice (1638)
Edmund Rice , was an early immigrant to Massachusetts Bay Colony who was born in Suffolk, England, and lived in Stanstead, Suffolk and Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire prior to sailing with his family to America. He arrived in the Massachusetts Bay Colony in summer or fall of 1638, presumed to be first...
, an English immigrant to Massachusetts Bay Colony
Massachusetts Bay Colony
The Massachusetts Bay Colony was an English settlement on the east coast of North America in the 17th century, in New England, situated around the present-day cities of Salem and Boston. The territory administered by the colony included much of present-day central New England, including portions...
, as follows:
- James Stephen Rice, son of
- Harvey RiceHarvey RiceHarvey Rice, LL.D. was an American lawyer, a Democratic state legislator, poet, author and newspaperman prominent in Cleveland, Ohio.-Early life and education:...
, (1800 – 1891), son of
-
-
- Stephen Rice (1769 – 1850) son of
- Cyrus Rice (1726 – 1804), son of
-
- Josiah Rice (1696 – 1730), son of
- Ephriam Rice (1665 – 1732), son of
- Thomas Rice (1625 – 1681), son of
-
- Edmund RiceEdmund Rice (1638)Edmund Rice , was an early immigrant to Massachusetts Bay Colony who was born in Suffolk, England, and lived in Stanstead, Suffolk and Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire prior to sailing with his family to America. He arrived in the Massachusetts Bay Colony in summer or fall of 1638, presumed to be first...
(1594 – 1663)
- Edmund Rice
-