William Rice

William Rice (March 13, 1788 – February 11, 1863) was a Massachusetts businessman and public servant, a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives and a Registrar of deeds and Treasurer for Hampden County, Massachusetts.

He was born in Belchertown, Massachusetts to Nathan Rice, an American Revolutionary War veteran and descendant of Edmund Rice, and Hepzibah Allen, a cousin of Ethan Allen, who witnessed the Battle of Concord from home. Hepzibah was the daughter of Edmund Allen and Elizabeth Woodward.

He grew up in Wilbraham, Massachusetts, and moved to Springfield, Massachusetts in 1818, were he remained for the rest of his life. He was involved in the mercantile business. He originally had the firm Rice and Upham, then worked with Rev. Daniel Dorchester and later Rev. Dr. Frederick Merrick to form "Rice, Dorchester & Merrick." He was well liked, and served in many positions including as a justice of the peace. He was elected Register of Deeds for Hampden County in 1830, which he continued for 30 years. In 1838, he was elected County Treasurer, and continued for 15 years. He was elected a town selectman in 1824, 25, 26 and 30, then a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from Springfield in 1831.

He was a devoted member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and he contributed to all three Methodist churches in Springfield. Many early church meetings were held at his house. He was one of the founders of Wilbraham Wesleyan Academy, giving it a third of its land, and helping the institution to succeed. He was president of its board for many years.

He was a founder of the Pynchon Street Church in Springfield, which later became the Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church, and later the Trinity United Methodist Church. He is depicted in a stained glass window in the church along with his son's Springfield Library.

He married Jerusha Warriner on September 17, 1809. She was the daughter of David Warriner and a descendent of William Warriner who settled in Springfield in 1640. Their son Rev. William Rice was a Methodist minister and later longtime Springfield librarian.

William Rice was a direct descendant of Edmund Rice, an English immigrant to Massachusetts Bay Colony, as follows:

• William Rice, son of

• Nathan Rice (1760–1838), son of
• John Rice (1704–1771), son of

• Ephraim Rice (1665–1732), son of
• Thomas Rice (1625–1681), son of

• Edmund Rice (1594–1663)

• Edmund Rice (1638) Association, 2007. Descendants of Edmund Rice: The First Nine Generations.
• "Edmund Rice descendants: First six generations.". Edmund Rice (1638) Association, Inc. Retrieved September 27, 2009.