George Merrick Rice
George Merrick Rice | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date West Brookfield, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Died | November 10, 1894 (aged 85) Worcester, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, politician, banker |
| Years active | 1829–1894 |
| Known for | Presidency of Worcester Steel Works; Massachusetts State Senator (1869–1870) |
George Merrick Rice (November 20, 1808 – November 10, 1894) was a prominent American entrepreneur based in Worcester, Massachusetts, whose professional pursuits spanned dry goods, grain merchandising, and the manufacturing of industrial machinery. As an early leader in the steel production sector, he held the presidency of the Worcester Safe Deposit and Trust Company and chaired the Worcester Common Council for a tenure of three years. Additionally, Rice represented Massachusetts as a State Senator from 1869 to 1870.
Biography
George Merrick Rice was born in West Brookfield, Massachusetts to Col. Samuel Buckminster Rice and Abigail (Bradish) Rice. After completing his education in local public schools, he began his career as a clerk in Leicester. In 1829, he relocated to Worcester where he became a partner at Andrew, March and Company, a firm specializing in dry goods. Shortly thereafter, he acquired the dry goods enterprise Burt and Merrick (1830) and later expanded into the flour and grain sector by purchasing a store adjacent to the Blackstone Canal.
In 1846, Rice entered into partnership with Howe, Goddard and Company, which produced machinery for calico printing and bleaching. This business later transformed into the Rice, Barton, and Fales Machinery and Iron Company. By 1882, he assumed the presidency of Worcester Steel Works, overseeing the installation of a Bessemer steel plant in 1884 followed by the addition of an open hearth furnace. The plant achieved production rates of up to 230 tons of steel daily over three decades but ultimately declared bankruptcy in 1890. Beyond steel manufacturing, Rice also led the Worcester Safe Deposit and Trust Company as well as the Manufacturers Mutual Insurance Company.
In political affairs, Rice was active within the Massachusetts Republican Party. He served as president of the Worcester Common Council for three years prior to his election to the Massachusetts Senate for the sessions spanning 1869 to 1870. He was also engaged in temperance advocacy. George Merrick Rice passed away on November 10, 1894, in Worcester.
Family relations
Rice traced his lineage directly to Edmund Rice, an early settler in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. His father, Col. Samuel Buckminster Rice, held positions both in the Massachusetts militia and as a State Representative during 1813 and 1816.
- George Merrick Rice, son of
- Col. Samuel Buckminster Rice (1760–1828), son of
- Capt. Tilly Rice (1724–1803), son of
- Obadiah Rice (1698–1761), son of
- Jacob Rice (1660–1746), son of
- Edward Rice (1622–1712), son of
- Edmund Rice (c.1594–1663)
See also
References
- Articles with short description
- Articles with hCards
- No local image but image on Wikidata
- Republican Party Massachusetts state senators
- 1808 births
- 1894 deaths
- Politicians from Worcester, Massachusetts
- American bankers
- People from West Brookfield, Massachusetts
- People from Leicester, Massachusetts
- 19th-century American businesspeople
- 19th-century members of the Massachusetts General Court