Morris D. Rice
Morris D. Rice, a practicing attorney at Osborn since 1909, was born on a farm in the vicinity of Circleville, in Pickaway county, Ohio, July 9, 1885, a son of Elliott and Harriet E. (Morris) Rice, both of whom were born in that same county, the former in 1855 and the latter, in 1853, who are still living there. Elliott Rice is a farmer and he and his wife have two sons, the subject of this sketch having a brother, Lemuel R. Rice.
Reared on the home farm, Morris D. Rice entered the Circleville Business College after leaving the high school in that city and was graduated from the same in 1901. He then became the stenographer in the office of a law firm in Circleville and while thus engaged occupied what leisure he could command in the study of law. In 1906 he entered the law department of Ohio Northern University and by taking both the winter and summer courses was enabled to graduate from that institution two years later, after which he passed the state bar examinatirm and was admitted to tlie bar in that same year, 1908. Thus qualified for the practice of the profession, Mr. Rice located at Osborn and on January 27, 1909, opened there an office and has ever since been engaged in practice. In 1915 he was admitted to practice in the United States courts. Though engaged in general practice, Mr. Rice makes a specialty of cases in the probate courts. He is a Republican and for five years served as city attorney for Osborn.
On June 17, 1909, Morris D. Rice was united in marriage to Mina D. Davidson, who was born in Clermont county, this state, daughter of Henry W. and Rebecca (Hulick) Davidson, who are still living in that county. Henry W. Davidson is a farmer and he and his wife have four children, of whom Mrs. Rice was the last-born, the others being Georgia, wife of John Lytle, a contractor and landowner of Williamsburg, this state; Dr. O. C. Davidson, a physician at Bethel, this state, and Dr. F. L. Davidson, who is engaged in practice at Delaware, this state. Mr. and Mrs. Rice reside on Williams street in Osborn. They have traveled quite extensively, taking a trip to some point of interest in the United States every year, being intent on "seeing America first." Mr. Rice is a Scottish Rite Mason, affiliated with the local lodge at New Carlisle and with the consistory (32°), Valley of Dayton. He was selected by the committee in charge of the purchase of real estate in the village of Osborn for the Miami Conservancy District in 1915 and in addition represented the same district in taking title to all land in Osborn and several thousand acres in the valley of Mad river. Mr. Rice also was one of the attorneys who looked after the purchase of the two thousand four hundred and seventy-five acres in the vicinity of Fairfield whicli was converted by the government into the Wilbur Wright Aviation Field for the training of aviators for the army in 1917.
From Portrait and Biographical Album of Clark and Greene Counties, Chapman Bros., Chicago, published 1890