Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1914-02-18
MRS. SOPHIA L. RICE.


Mrs. Sophia L. Rice, wife of our dis
tinguished citizen, Hon. A. E. Rice,
passed away from the scenes of this
world at the Rice mansion on Third
street last Thursday morning, Feb
IL, at the age of sixty years and IL
days, cause of death being aenemia.
Mrs. Rice had not been we'll for sew
eral years. She has been critically i'll
several times, but her strong power
of mind held the malady at bay and
she would partially recover at times.
Her death came as shock to the peo-
pie of city and county, for no other
woman in the county has become so
we'll known to the people as she, thru
an active participation in educational
and cultural circles for a period of
forty years. And in the pail of sad
ness which her death cast over the
hearts Of many friends is deep feel,
ing of sympathy for the lonely life
companion whose true help-meet and
comrade she has been during all
these years. The only son, Capt
Cushman A. Rice, was not at home.
Since retiring from the army service,
he has made his residence at Cana
guey, Cuba. It seems that about the
first of the year he joined a party
that went on a prospecting and hunt
ing trip into the mountainous parts
Of Cuba, and since that time he has
been out Of touch by mail or WIRE
Letters to his mother have come at
stated intervals, one arriving two days
after her death, but all messages and
letters sent to him have remained un-
called for and have failed to reach
him. When the final summons came
to the mother, messengers we're en-
ployed to penetrate the wilds of Cuba
and attempt to bring the sad news to
Capt. Rice, but up to this time he has
not been heard from.
Biography.
Mrs. Sophia Lavinia Rice was born
| at Brattfors, Varmland, Sweden, Jan.
81, 1854 She was the daughter of
| Nils and Maria Brattlund. When
Mrs. Rice was a girl of ten years the
family emigrated to America, first 10.
eating at Rock Island, Ill. In few
years, however, the Brattlunds con.
cluded to come to the Minnesota from
tier and join the fourishing settle
ment Of pioneers within the present
boundaries of Kandiyohi county who
came from the picturesque province
of Varmland, Sweden. The father
staked out his homestead claim in the
present township Of Lake Andrew on
what is now the farm home of Mar
tin Reierson, in Sec. 20. The girl
Sophia, had made the most Of her op
portunities to attend school in I'LL
nois. Soon after arriving to Mime
sofa she attended the State Norma
School at Winona, from which insti
tuition she graduated in one year. She
returned to this county to teach, anc
held the second first-grade certificate
issued in the county. She first taught
in the old Syverson schoolhouse i1
Dist. No. Is of Monongalia county, an(
then in Dist. No. 16, the Railsor
schoolhouse. In 1874 she came tt
Willmar and taught in the village
school, becoming its superintendent
In January of 1877, she married Hon
A. E. Rice, then state senator from
this county. On March Is, 1878, thu
only son, Cushman, was born. Mrs
Rice's duties as wife and mother, how
ever, did not cause her to relinquis1
her interest in the public welfare
i Educational Activities.
She served on the Board of Examiners
for the Willmar schools from 1879 tt
1884, when she was elected as mem
Der of the Board of Education ant
served as it's clerk from 1884 to 1899
term of fifteen years. She was fol
years the president of the oldest lit
erary society of the city, and served
as secretary Of the Woman's Improve
ment League which did much to bring
about sentiment for the beautifyinf
of the city. In 1908, when the public
library was established, she was ap
pointed member of the governing
body Of that institution and took al
active interest in the management o.
the same. She continued as secretary
of the Library Board until her death
She was treasurer OF the local Rec