Ezra Norton Rice was born in Mercey County, Pennsylvania on October 15, 1861 to Joshua E. Rice and Mary Lesure. The family is reported to have migrated to Williamson County in 1864. When the 1870 federal census was taken the family was found to be living in Township 9, Range 1, which is Blairsville Township today and they were living near the Fredonia Post Office which is now the village of Cambria. The father, Joshua, was a 37 year old blacksmith and the 42 year old mother Mary, reported having Ezra aged 9 and five other children.
By the 1880 census, the family had moved to the City of Marion, Ezra was then 18 and his father was still blacksmithing.
On October 26, 1881, Ezra, 21, married Nellie Pulley, 20, daughter of E.T. Pulley and Sarah Hobbs. Unfortunately, after having two children, Nellie, aged 23, died after a long and sever illness on July 24, 1884. To make matters even worse, an article in the Marion Monitor newspaper stated that only a few months later in October, E.N. had lost his youngest child as well.
On December 9, 1885, Ezra re-married again to Mary Ann Whitlock, daughter of John Whitlock and Mary E.J. Norman who lived only 2 miles east of Marion. An article in the Leader newspaper in October of 1891 stated that Violet Rice, 4 year old daughter of E.N Rice had died. An article in the same paper dated January 16, 1896 stated that the family had a new addition only to state in November of 1897 that Grace Rice, 1 year and 10-month-old daughter of E.N. had died presumably the same child as the birth announcement from the previous year. A further article from the Leader dated July 12, 1899 indicated that the couple had just given birth to an 11 pound baby boy born on that day.
In 1896 and 1897 Ezra served as Marion city alderman under first Mayor John H. Burnett and then under Mayor Brice Holland.
When the 1900 federal census was conducted, the Rice family was living inside Marion, Ezra, 48, was working at his blacksmith shop. There were four children listed at home, Carrie D. 17, Lois/Louise 10, Jessie 8 and Joshua A. 10 months old. The family owned their home mortgage free. The census records that the couple had 6 children and 4 were still living.
From 1900 to 1904 Ezra served as county coroner conducting inquests and performing county duties on the side from his blacksmith business back when you didn’t have to be a medical doctor. The coroner also used to have the power to act as sheriff when the actual sheriff was unavailable and this seemed to be the case with Ezra, since I found a couple of articles indicating he had picked people up and delivered them to a judge in Marion. In 1903 when the Marion Pressed Brick company formed in Marion, Ezra became a charter shareholder in the business located in acreage just off of N. Carbon Street. In the years 1901 and 1902, Ezra served as alderman for the city again under Mayor William H. Bundy.
In the 1910 federal census, Ezra now 48 and Mary 41 had a number of people living with them at 305 N. Buchanan Street. Those listed were daughter Carrie aged 26, a single nurse, 19 year old daughter Jessie who had been married for a year, son John 10, Mary’s divorced sister Ellen Whitlock aged 47 and Geneva Whitlock, one month old granddaughter. Ezra still listed himself as a blacksmith.
The 1920 census found 58 year old Ezra and 51 year old Mary still living at 305 N. Buchanan Street with their practical nurse daughter Carrie, 20 year old auto mechanic son Josh and 10 year old Mary Stanley, their granddaughter. Ezra claimed to be a cashier for an insurance company.
By 1922 the couple had purchase a house at 508 S. Mechanic Street which they would live in until their deaths. Ezra then touted himself as President of the Illinois Mutual Union Insurance Company, a locally founded business with James A. Felts as Secretary.
In December of 1929, Ezra slipped on icy sidewalks next to the post office in Marion and took several months to recover from a broken leg. He ended up suing the city of Marion for negligence in August of 1930.
An article appearing in the January 29, 1927 edition of the Marion Daily Republican indicated that Mr. & Mrs. Rice had just returned from a pleasure trip to the Rio Grande Valley in Texas and that Ezra had purchased 20 acres near Raymondville, Texas in which he was going to grow cotton.
A 1928 news article indicated that Ezra was still actively participating as the President of the Illinois Mutual Union Life Insurance Company.
By the 1930 federal census, Ezra was 68 and his wife 61, the only child in the home at 508 S. Mechanic Street was their grandson Jack Vinson, Jr. aged 14. Their home was valued at $4,00 and they were noted as owning a radio set which was one of the questions on the census.
On December 30, 1937, Ezra, 76, passed away in his home. He had been a state official for the Council of the Grand Lodge of the Knights of Pythias, Vice President of the Marion Trades Council and member of the First Baptist Church of Marion. Burial was in Rose Hill Cemetery.
His wife Mary Ann Whitlock Rice died at her home at the age of 69 on July 30, 1938. She was born on August 15, 1868. She was active in a number of organizations including the Marion Temple of Pythian Sisters, Knights of Pythias and the First Baptist Church. Burial was in Rose Hill Cemetery.
Notes on Children:
Josh M. Rice, born abt 1900, married Cleva Dill on August 5, 1920 in Benton, Illinois, worked as an auto mechanic in Marion. Married Olive E., Died in St. Charles, Mo. on Feb. 24, 1964
Carrie Rice, born abt 1873, married H.F Sisk in 1921, they lived on S. Buchanan St. She was a nurse
Jessie Rice, born abt 1881, married A.J. Vinson in February 1909, divorced, son name Jack Vinson, Jr.
Lois Rice, born abt 1890, married George J. Stanly in April 1908
John Rice, born abt 1900
(Sources: Marion Daily Republican, The Leader, Marion Weekly Leader, Federal Census Records, W.C. Marriage Records, Marion Street Directories, FindaGrave.com, WCHS resources. Compiled by Sam Lattuca on 9/9/2023)