Morris Rice, manager in New Haven for the United States Life Insurance Company of New York, was born May 16, 1879, in Horodenka, Austria, a son of the late Bernard Rice, who was a native of that country and a watchmaker by trade. He met with a tragic death at the invasion of Austria by the Russian cossacks soon after the outbreak of the present war. The news of his demise, which occurred in July, 1915, when he was seventy-five years of age, was sent his son Morris by the American ambassador to Austria through the state department at Washington. His wife bore the maiden name of Deborah Edelstein and is still living in Austria. She had five children.
     Morris Rice, who was the third of the family, was educated in the public schools and the high school of his native city and when eighteen years of age started out to earn his own living, serving an apprenticeship to the watchmaker's trade under the direction of his father. He continued to engage in that business until 1909. In December, 1900, he had come to America and had spent the first year in New York. He then removed to Waterbury, where he was employed by the Waterbury Clock Company for one year. He later came to New Haven and entered the employ of the New Haven Clock Company, with which he continued for three years, and then returned to Waterbury, where he engaged in a similar line of work until 1909. He retired from that field of activity to enter the employ of the Metropolitan Insurance Company on the 22d of February and continued as agent for that company for eighteen months, after which he was appointed deputy superintendent and filled the position until 1916, when he resigned and became connected with the United States Insurance Company as general manager for New Haven county. In this position he has since been active and has carefully directed and developed the interests of the business in his territory. He has the agency for New Haven county, employs five solicitors, and his business is in volume equal to that of any other life insurance company represented in this county.
     On the 10th of June, 1906, in New Haven, Mr. Rice was married to Miss Lillie Kreveitzky, a native of Russia and a daughter of Aaron and Rose (Stein) Kreveitzky, both of whom have been residents of New Haven since they came to America about 1898. Mr. and Mrs. Rice have become the parents of three children: Alfred, born in Waterbury, March 5, 1907; Milton, born in New Haven, October 6, 1911; and Beatrice, born May 10, 1916.
     Mr. Rice is president of the Merchants Protective Association of New Haven. In 1909 he became a naturalized American citizen and since obtaining the right of franchise he has east an independent ballot. He belongs to the Knights of Israel, to the I. 0. B. A. and to the I. O. B. B. He also belongs to the Independent Connecticut Lodge, the Young Men's Hebrew Association and has been very active in the Workmen's Circle. He was one of the promoters of the Labor Lyceum, took a very helpful part in the erection of its building and is one of its trustees. He came to America a poor boy and owes his success to his perseverance and diligence.