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 MOS RICE, deceased, formerly a prominent
farmer and stock-raiser of North Okaw
Township, was one of the pioneers of the
Northwest, and an early settler of this
county. He was born Oct. 15, 1787, in New York
State and was the son of Abraham Rice. His
parents were likewise natives of New York, and
his father served in the Revolutionary War. Amos
Rice was reared on his father’s farm, where he
passed his youth and early manhood and to which
he was much attached. He was twice married.
His first wife was Mrs. Martha (Hatton) Davies,
and by this marriage three children were born—Catherine, Mary Jane and Frank. Mrs. Rice’s
death occurred soon after the death of her youngest child, and in later years, Mr. Rice was married
to Miss Sarah Compton. Mrs. Rice was the daughter of John and Lucinda Compton. Her parents
were natives of Ohio, where their daughter Sarah
was born. Her father served in the Black Hawk
War in the early days. Mr. Rice emigrated to Indiana in 1810, where he settled in Vigo County, and aided in laying out the city of Terre Haute. He purchased land there, and was engaged both in farming and boating, during his residence making fifty-two trips on flat-boats from Terre Haute to New Orleans, and also serving as a pilot on the river. In the War of 1812 he was engaged under Gen. Andrew Jackson in the defense of New Orleans, and immediately after his discharge from the service, settled in Terre Haute where he remained until 1852. He then removed to Illinois, where he purchased land of the railroad company and settled in Coles County, making his permanent home here. During the remainder of his life he carried on a successful business in farming and stock-raising. The early settlements in the county were made almost entirety along the borders of the timber, and for some time it was not supposed that the prairies could be utilized for farming purposes; the grass and weeds by which they were overgrown were so rank and tall that the prospects of their ever furnishing rich pasturage for flocks and herds, or waving with harvests of golden grain, was something scarcely dreamed of. Deer, wolves and wild game abounded, and during the summer season, the prairie fires were extremely troublesome. When Mr. Rice arrived, there was not a single dwelling on the site of the city of Mattoon, and he saw the first house placed there, which was an old building moved in. The wild game provided an abundant supply of meat for the settlers, but the wolves were troublesome, and often made the night hideous with their howlings, besides carrying off chickens, young lambs and pigs. By his last marriage Mr. Rice had a family of ten children Abram, William, Nancy L., John, Amos, Job C., Sarah, Eliza, Arthur and Walter; four now deceased. Three brothers and one sister reside in this county, and also one half-sister, but the family have been scattered by business interests, and another brother and sister are residents of Kansas. Mr. Rice was actively interested in public affairs, and was ever ready to promote all measures tending to advance the political and social welfare of the community. He never sought political preferment, but occasionally served in the local Offices, always giving satisfaction in the discharge of his duties. In politics he was throughout life an old-school Jacksonian Democrat. He was a member of the Missionary Baptist Church. Mr. Rice lived to see the flourishing city of Mattoon spring up as if by magic on the site where the lonely old house had stood in the early days, and the prairie grass that seemed almost unconquerable, give place to fertile fields of wheat and corn. After a long and useful life his death occurred Aug. 10, 1872, at the age of eighty-five years. |
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