Biography - William Edgar Rice
Among
the leading physicians of Tuscola and Douglas county there have been none
more active and aggressive in accomplishing good results in the practice of
their profession than Dr. Rice. He was born in Clermont county, Ohio,
January 23, 1865. He was reared on a farm and attended the country schools,
after which he attended Wesleyan University at Delaware, Ohio, and
subsequently entered the State University at Columbus, Ohio, in both
colleges pursuing scientific studies. After leaving college he took up the
study of medicine, matriculating at the Miami Medical College at Cincinnati,
from which well-known institution he was graduated in the class of 1891. In
the same year he opened an office at Greenville, Ohio, but remained there
but a short time, coming to Tuscola that year. With his well-known ability
and energy for hard work, it is useless to state that he was not long in
getting into a successful and lucrative practice. He remained alone in the
work of his profession up to October, 1898, when, his practice having become
very extensive, he formed a partnership with Dr. Walter C. Blain. (See
sketch of Dr. Blain.)
Dr. Rice is a member of the Ohio State Medical, Miami County (Ohio) Medical, and the Douglas County (Illinois) Medical Societies. He is also a member in good standing of the Knights of Pythias and the Uniformed Rank, Knights of Pythias, and has been a representative to the grand lodge of that order for the past six years; is also a member of the I. O. O. F.; a member of Tuscola lodge, No. 332, A. F. & A. M.; Tuscola Chapter, No. 66, Royal Arch Masons, and Melita Commandery, No. 37, K. T., and a Woodman; also a member of the city board of health of Tuscola, and a member of the Methodist church. Dr. Rice is surgeon for the I. D. & W. Railroad Company and local surgeon for the Illinois Central.
His father, George W. Rice, was by occupation a farmer, stock raiser and tobacco grower, and a native of Kentucky, but reared in Ohio. His mother before her marriage was Miss Kate G. Frazier, born in Ohio. In 1890 Dr. Rice wedded Miss Sarah P. Rust, of Ohio. To them has been born one child, Mary Katherine, aged seven years.
Extracted 12 Apr 2017 by Norma Hass from the Historical and Biographical Record of Douglas County, Illinois, published in 1900, pages 140-141.
