Cleveland Past and Present: Its Representative Men: Comprising Biographical Sketches of Pioneer Settlers and Prominent Citizens
History
Cleveland Past and Present: Its Representative Men: Comprising Biographical Sketches of Pioneer Settlers and Prominent Citizens
Cleveland (Ohio) -- Biography; Cleveland (Ohio) -- History
In 1867, Mr. Rice, wishing to express his regard for the cause of
Missions, as well as for the college where he graduated, erected at his
own expense, and with the approval of the college authorities, a beautiful
marble monument in Mission Park, at Williamstown, Mass., commemorative of
the origin of American Foreign Missions. The park is a part of the college
domains, and within it there is a maple grove where a few pious young
students of the college, in the summer of 1806, held occasional
prayer-meetings. At one of these meetings a shower of rain compelled them
to seek the shelter of a neighboring haystack, where they continued their
exercises, and where one of their number, Samuel J. Mills, first suggested
the idea of a mission to foreign heathen lands, as being a religions duty.
In this noble and philanthropic thought his associates all concurred, and
there, while at the haystack, consecrated themselves in solemn prayer, to
the great work. From this circumstance originated American Foreign
Missions. The monument was planned by Mr. Rice It is erected on the spot
where the haystack stood, is twelve feet in height, and surmounted with a
marble globe three feet in diameter, and cut in map lines. The face of the
monument has the inscription, "The Field is the World," followed with a
haystack, sculptured in bas relief, and the names of the five young men,
who held the prayer-meeting, and the date 1806. The monument was dedicated
July 28th, 1867, at the maple grove, in the park. A large audience was
present. Mr. Rice, by special request, delivered the dedicatory address,
which was received with a high degree of satisfaction, and afterwards
published, with the other proceedings, in pamphlet form.
Mr. Rice has accumulated a reasonable share of "this world's goods;" has
been twice married--first in 1828, and afterwards in 1840.
He has a wife, three sons and three daughters still living, and now
leads, comparatively, a retired, yet not an idle life.
He still has the appearance of a well preserved gentleman, he is six
feet in height, erect and of good proportions, and his general personal
appearance is pleasing. In manner he is a true gentleman,--modest and
kind, but prompt and decided. Two of his sons, Capt. Percy W. Rice and
James S. Rice, are settled in business at Cleveland. The youngest son,
Harvey Rice, Jr., resides in California. The three daughters are
married and settled--one in California and the other two in Cleveland.
Mrs. Rice is a lady of refinement, exemplary, and much beloved and
respected. As a family, but few have been more highly favored, or lived
in more perfect harmony.
Andrew Freese
The name of Andrew Freese will always hold a place of honor in the
scholastic records of Cleveland. No educator in the city is held in such
affectionate esteem by a large class of former pupils, and none better
deserves the grateful tributes paid to his abilities as a teacher and his
worth as a citizen.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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