John S. Rice
John Rice | |
|---|---|
.jpg) John S Rice (1964) | |
| 50th United States Ambassador to the Netherlands | |
| In office May 6, 1961 – May 27, 1964 | |
| President | John F. Kennedy Lyndon Johnson |
| Preceded by | Philip Young |
| Succeeded by | William Tyler |
| Chair of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party | |
| In office July 23, 1959[1] – May 6, 1961 | |
| Preceded by | Joe Barr |
| Succeeded by | Otis Morse |
| Secretary of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania | |
| In office June 10, 1958[2] – May 6, 1961 | |
| Governor | George Leader David Lawrence |
| Preceded by | James Finnegan |
| Succeeded by | James Trimarchi, Jr. |
| Pennsylvania Secretary of the Department of Property and Supplies | |
| In office December 31, 1955[3] – July 18, 1957[4] | |
| Governor | George Leader |
| Preceded by | William Thomas |
| Succeeded by | Kenneth Haldeman |
| Member of the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board | |
| In office February 8, 1955 – December 31, 1955 | |
| Appointed by | George Leader |
| Preceded by | New Appointment |
| Succeeded by | A.D. Cohn |
| President pro tempore of the Pennsylvania Senate | |
| In office January 3, 1939 – November 30, 1940 | |
| Preceded by | Harvey Huffman[a] |
| Succeeded by | Frederick Gelder |
| Democratic Leader of the Pennsylvania Senate | |
| In office April 14, 1937[5][6] – November 30, 1938 | |
| Preceded by | Warren Roberts |
| Succeeded by | John Dent |
| Member of the Pennsylvania Senate from the 33rd district | |
| In office January 3, 1933[7] – November 30, 1940 | |
| Preceded by | Charles Clippinger |
| Succeeded by | Paul Crider |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 28, 1899[8] Brysonia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | August 2, 1985 (aged 86) Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Luene Rogers Rice |
| Children | Ellen Rice |
| Alma mater | Gettysburg College |
| Occupation | Politician, farmer, businessman |
| a.^ Huffman died on the day his term was set to expire, November 30, 1938. Rice immediately succeeded him as Acting President Pro Tempore until he was formally elected to the position when the Senate reconvened the following January. | |
John Stanley Rice (January 28, 1899 – August 2, 1985) was an American Democratic politician, farmer and businessman from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Rice served in a variety of appointed and elected political roles over the course of a three-decade political career.[8]
Background
[edit]A native of Brysonia, a small town several miles north of Gettysburg, Rice graduated from Gettysburg College. He became a successful apple grower, and went on to manufacture packaged apple products. He often returned to this business between political appointments. Rice was a Lutheran.
Political career
[edit]Rice was elected to the Pennsylvania State Senate in 1932.[9] He was elected Democratic floor leader in 1937, following the resignation of Warren Roberts, who took office as State Auditor General.[6] He was elected the Senate's President pro tempore in 1939.
In 1946, he was the Democratic nominee for governor, but lost to Republican State Attorney General James Duff.
Gubernatorial appointments
[edit]
In 1955, Governor George Leader named Rice to the first round of appointments to the overhauled Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board. He resigned from the board later that year, when Leader appointed him Secretary of the Department of Property and Supplies (now the Department of General Services).
After resigning from the cabinet in 1957, he returned to his apple farm and packaging business.[4] However, in 1958, Leader again appointed Rice to a position in his cabinet, having him succeed the deceased James Finnegan as Secretary of the Commonwealth.[2] Rice was also elected chair of the State Democratic Party in 1959.
In 1961, Rice received his final political appointment, when President Kennedy named him U.S. Ambassador to the Netherlands. He stepped-down from the position three years later.
Death and legacy
[edit]Rice died in Fort Lauderdale in August 1985.[8]
Rice Hall, on the campus of Gettysburg College, is named in his honor.[10] He had served as a trustee of the college from 1939 until 1972, when he retired to Fort Lauderdale.[8]
References
[edit]- ^ "Mention Rice For Barr Post". The Gettysburg Times. July 9, 1959. Retrieved January 12, 2012.
- ^ a b "Rice Returns To Place In State Cabinet". The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. June 9, 1958. Retrieved January 11, 2012.
- ^ "Cohn Succeeds Rice On Liquor Control Board". The Gettysburg Times. December 28, 1955. Retrieved January 11, 2012.
- ^ a b "Head of State Agency Resigns". The Washington Reporter. August 1, 1957. Retrieved January 11, 2012.
- ^ Cox, Harold (2004). "Pennsylvania Senate - 1937-1938" (PDF). Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University.
- ^ a b "Threat Seen To Milk Bill". The Reading Eagle. April 26, 1937. Retrieved January 11, 2012.
- ^ Sharon Trostle, ed. (2009). The Pennsylvania Manual (PDF). Vol. 119. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania Department of General Services. ISBN 978-0-8182-0334-3.
- ^ a b c d "John S. Rice, A Former Envoy". The New York Times. August 4, 1985. Retrieved January 11, 2012.
- ^ Cox, Harold. "Senate Members R". Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University.
- ^ "Housing Details: Rice Hall". Gettysburg College Residence Life. Gettysburg College. Retrieved January 12, 2012.
- 1899 births
- 1985 deaths
- American Lutherans
- Gettysburg College alumni
- Ambassadors of the United States to the Netherlands
- Pennsylvania state senators
- Presidents pro tempore of the Pennsylvania Senate
- Secretaries of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
- Pennsylvania Democratic Party chairs
- 20th-century Lutherans
- 20th-century members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly