Bio: Rice, Augusta (1854 - 1890)

Contact: Sherrie Rice Smith

Email: Corlissbss@aol.com

Surname: Rice, Flick, Sheff, Zhe

 
----Source: Rice Family Album

 
Augusta Flick Rice was born in the old homestead built by her grandfather, Charles Flick (wife Catherine Reecer) just outside Rimersburg, Clarion Co, PA on Rod & Gun Club Road (2008) in 1854.  Sometime before the 1860 census the Flick family moved to Pine Valley, Clark Co., WI. where Augusta's father, Jacob, was killed in a hunting accident in 1867. 

Augusta married Arthur W. Rice  6-Dec-1870 in Jackson Co, WI.  They had 6 children:  William Arthur Rice b. 7 Feb. 1872;  Edgar b. 1874; Herbert b. 1877;  Lula Ann, b. 1880, married Frank Zhe; George Edward Rice b. 1882; & Caspar B. Rice b. 1886 (probably named for his gg-grandfather, John Caspar Flick, a Revolutionary War veteran buried in the Lutheran Reformed Cemetery, just outside Curllsville, Clarion Co, PA. Casper's ggg-grandfather, Gerlach Paul Flick, also served in the Northampton Co, PA militia during the American Revolution, too).

According to the 1880 census, the Rices lived in Colby Town, Clark Co., WI.  Sometime before the 1890 census Arthur abandoned the family, leaving it quite destitute. No one seems to know the reason why.  This probably happened around 1886-87. Augusta died in 1890 of a stroke.  Family history tells us she starved herself to make sure the children ate. On 24 Oct 1892, the oldest son William Arthur Rice married Ella Sheff, taking all the younger children with him to live in his household, as many of them are still there in the 1900 census.  For many years, no one knew where Arthur went.  Recently it has been ascertained that he went west to Minnesota & died there 2 May 1927 in Cohasset, Itasca, Minnesota according to his death certificate.

Buried in Houghtonburg Cemetery - the Houghtonburg Cemetery is about 3 miles from what is today the Village of Humbird. Augusta died in "Siegel, Chippewa County".  Sigel, WI is essentially Cadott, WI.  Sigel founded in 1863, named after Civil War general Franz Siegal.

Tragedy followed this family.  Herbert died 2 May 1903 of tuberculosis while on a train back from California.  Newspaper article as follows:

Herb Rice's Death, George Rice receives a letter describing the same.

The body of Herb Rice reached here Friday and the funeral services were conducted by Rev. A.J. Coram of Augusta from the Congregational Church that day.  The following letter has been received describing his death by a following passenger.