The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1902-08-16
PIONEER PASSES AWAY.
Death of John Rice, One of the EarIi-
est Settlers of Hennepin Co,

est Settlers of Hennepin Co.
John Rice, who at tie time Of his
death Was, perhaps, the olde>t settler
in Hennepin county, passed away at
an early hour Tuesday m rning at the
home of his sen. John Rice, Jr., 1923
Bryant avenue n, at the age of 80
years. Mr.. Rice came to Minneapolis
in 1856, the same year that the late
Colonel John H. Stevers built the first
house on the west side of the river.
Early associations made tie two men
boon compani MS in tn, later years of
their lives and while both were eX-
tremely feeble as the r,s:lt Of adj
vancing years, they never lost an op-
portunity to meet and review days of
forty years aga. When Mr.. Rice came
to St. Anthony Falls, the was bu:
the small village Oh the east side of
the river, ard few lluts, the nucleus
of the town Of A1inneap is on TIE west
side. He made his home for short
with them bore all the vicissi I'd o.
frontier life. 1t was this Ii ndful Of
men that dealt fairly with tie Indians
about and won their friendship, and
WHO did not, in comm II viii the
builders CT many otter harlets ii
Minnesota. live in constant fear of
some treacllerous onslaught. A short
time after arriving in this region he
secured land near what is now known
as Richfeld. just south of the city linn
it's. He remained on the farm there
six years, and in the early eos novel
to another farm in the tjwn of Cor
coran. Here he spent most of his re-
manning years. He was succes full as
farmer, but ten years ago disposed
Of his interests and came to the city
and resided wi Ii lis daughter, Mrs.
William McArdle, until h removal
to Seattle, after which he made his
home from that time on with his son,
Isaac +. Rice, of the Minneapolis post
office. At the time of his last illness
he was enjoying few days. visit at
the home of his son. John Rice, where
he WIS taken i'll and pass d away.
His wife died many years ego, a"d the
survivors of his family are the two
sons, one daughter in st. Paul, Sister
Victoria of the Sisters of st. Joseph,
and two in Seattle Mrs. Ferguson and
Mrs. William McArdle. During early
days Mr.. Rice was a close friend Of
the brothers, Anthony and Patrick III.
Kelly, who attained commercial prom
inence. The brothers We're engaged
in business together, but this partner
ship was dissolved when Patrick rec
ogniaed new opportunities in St.
Paul. There We're no transportation
facilities between the two towns at
the time, and Mr.. Rice was engaged
to move Patricll's goods to st. Paul.
This was done with an OK team, and
several trips had to be made.
The deceased was native Of Stew
artstown, County of Tyrone, Ireland,
where he was born in 1913. When "a
years of age he emigrated to America,
landing at st. johns, New Brunswick,
where he spent two years; from thence
he moved to Providence, r. l., where
he was married The family then
came west as far as Dixon, ILL.,, and in
1856 removed to Minneapolis. The fu-
neral took place on Thursday morning
at 8 o'clock from the Church Of the
Ascension, where requiem mass was
celebrated by Rev. Father Harring-
| ton. after which the remains We're talk
ell to Corcoran Town and laid to rest
beside the body of his wife who died
many years ago.