USA > Georgia > Fulton County > Atlanta > History of Atlanta, Georgia : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 22
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32
As councilman Mr. Rice has always been placed on the most important committees, such as the finance, tax, corporations, railroads, public property, and others, having the greatest amount of practical work in behalf of the ma- terial interests of the city. He has uniformly favored the judicious applica- tion of available funds to solid improvements, embracing streets, waterworks, fire department, police, and a system of sewerage adequate to her necessities and keeping pace with her development. For nine years Mr. Rice was a member of Atlanta's board of health, and only resigned that position when elected as a councilman. While on the board of health no one was more act- ive or vigilant in efforts to preserve the health of the people.
129
BIOGRAPHICAL.
When the question of locating the State capital was submitted to a vote of the people of Georgia, Mr. Rice, as a member of the citizens' commitee, la- bored zealously with others, in behalf of Atlanta, and deserves, with other members of that committee, credit for the consequence that followed, viz. : the location of the capital in Atlanta.
In the year 1880 Mr. Rice was elected to the House of Representatives from Fulton county, defeating his opponent by a very large majority and lead- ing in the race by several hundred votes. He was regarded one of the most industrious, sensible and practical members of the house, and pursued such a course during his term of service as to win the plaudit, " Well done, good and faithful servant." During this session the Hon. Pope Barrow introduced a bill into the House of Representatives to provide for the building of a State capitol in Atlanta. This measure was defeated, notwithstanding the ability with which it was advocated by Mr. Barrow. Its defeat had the effect to place the location of the State's capital again in a condition of uncertainty, many re- garding that action of the house a test of popular sentiment and indicative of danger ahead for Atlanta.
In the year 1882 the Hon. Frank P. Rice was again elected, by a largely increased majority, to the House of Representatives from Fulton county. Con- sidering the final location of the State capital a measure of greatest worth and importance to Atlanta, Mr. Rice resolved to devote himself to the work of having the question decided in Atlanta's favor. He accordingly drew the bill, without the aid of anyone, which he introduced into the house on the 3d day of November, 1882, and for which he labored day and night, until it received executive sanction on the 8th day of September, 1883. To say that he was untiring in the advocacy of his capitol bill, and that his vigilance was sleep- less, is to utter nothing more than literal truth.
Mr. Rice followed his measure from the house to the committee, and back to the house, and after advocating it in a speech of great power, passed the bill through the House of Representatives on the 15th day of August, 1883. Thence to the Senate and to the Senate committee, Mr. Rice followed his all- important measure, and when it was reported back to the Senate he was pres- ent, watching its progress and urging the senators, by unanswerable argu- ments, to give it their support.
During the entire period of its progress through the General Assembly, Mr. Rice employed every opportunity to assure its passage. He not only dis- cussed its merits on the floor of the house, but before both the house and Sen- ate committees, and privately with every individual member of the house and Senate. If a legislator ever deserved credit for the enactment of a law, Mr. Rice should be credited with the passage of the act providing for the building of the new State capitol in Atlanta.
Thus was the question finally settled in favor of the city of Atlanta as the 17.
130
HISTORY OF ATLANTA.
capital of Georgia. This was accomplished by the determined resolution and constant efforts of the Hon. Frank P. Rice. He knew how important to At- lanta was the irrevocable decision of this question in her favor, and as a true friend of the city of Atlanta, gave every effort in his power to this purpose. If he had accomplished nothing more than this, he would deserve to be regarded with special gratitude by all the people of Atlanta ; but this is only one sign of his devotion to her interests. Mr. Rice introduced and conducted to a suc- cessful issue the bill by which that great railroad, the East Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia, was chartered, and was a member of the special committee by whom the present general railroad law of Georgia was framed and reported to the General Assembly. He was an active and influential member of the most important committees of the house, and it is known of him that he never ne- glected a meeting of a committee when any question of moment was pending. All who have been associated with him will bear testimony to his unabating industry, his keen observation of every measure before the General Assembly, and his constant watchfulness of everything which directly or indirectly af- fected the interests of his constituency. On questions of finance, taxation, education, internal improvement, etc., his judgment was considered an unerr- ing guide, and being always present in committee meetings his views on the great questions of legislation were impressed on reports to the house.
By frequent judicious investments Hon. Frank P. Rice has become one of the wealthy men of Atlanta. He owns a large amount of central and well- improved real estate, which pays him a handsome annual income, and believ- ing that Atlanta will continue to extend her limits has invested much capital in lands which are now beyond the corporate limits. It is a remarkable fact that, notwithstanding the great number of real estate sales made by him, not a single lawsuit or controversy has ever occurred in regard to property that has passed by deed from him. This indicates his customary care and his integrity which avoids all that savors of unfairness.
No citizen of Atlanta has given more than Hon. Frank P. Rice to promote enterprises tending to Atlanta's advancement. Much has been in the charac- ter of charity to individuals.
Mr. Rice has for years been a student at home, owning a most carefully selected and complete private library, comprising ancient and modern histo- ries, poems, works of science, encyclopedias, and many valuable works on po- litical economy, and in fact, everything necessary to a complete selection of in- structive and interesting books. Mr. Rice is a close student and one of the best informed men of this city. In this the young people have another exam- ple worthy of their imitation, showing the possibility of self-education.
In 1882, while a member of the House of Representatives, Mr. Rice was one of a committee of the General Assembly who visited the technological schools of the North. He had for years favored the establishment of a school
131
BIOGRAPHICAL.
of technology for Georgia. When he returned from this visit his zeal on this subject was increased. The steps taken by that committee were the beginning of an influence which caused the next General Assembly to provide for our State school of technology, located in Atlanta. This is another important en- terprise which he helped to accomplish, and which is destined not only to ben- efit the city in which it is located, and the young men educated in this school, but the State at large, by supplying educated and scientific mechanics to su- pervise the development of her mining and manufacturing resources.
On October 3d 1888, Hon. Frank P. Rice was elected State Senator, by over fifteen hundred majority from the thirty-fifth Senatorial District, composed of the counties of Fulton, Cobb, and Clayton, he being the nominee of the Dem- ocratic Party. He has been appointed upon important committees of the Senate and is actively at work as usual.
About three years since Mr. Rice became a member of the First Methodist Church of Atlanta. He expresses regret that he should have so long de- ferred this important step. He was very soon chosen as one of the stewards of the church, and cheerfully performed every duty imposed upon him in his church relation.
A review of the life of Mr. Rice reveals a character of great usefulness and excellence. The elements of a noble manhood are clearly manifest in his his- tory. While, like all men, he must have imperfections, he has certainly illus- trated more of the praiseworthy characteristics of humanity than most individ- uals. To the reader is left the work of collating his excellencies as they appear in this imperfect sketch. An impartial examination of the life record of Mr. Rice will surely reveal him as an honorable, a good and eminently useful man. The people who know him best hold him in the highest esteem, and are al- ways glad of an opportunity to honor him with their suffrages. Higher hon- ors await this useful citizen.
R ICE, ZACHARIAH A., one of the pioneer settlers in Atlanta, was born in Spartanburg, S. C., September 22, 1822, and is the only son of Parker M. and Mary Ann (Bomar) Rice. On the paternal side he is of English descent, his great-grandfather having emigrated from England and settled in Halifax county, Va., before the Revolution. In this county of Virginia the family resided for many years, and here his grandfather, Zachariah Rice, and his father, were born. The latter continued to reside in Halifax until 1821, when, having married, he moved to Spartanburg. Here he remained engaged in farming and planting until 1829, when he removed with his family to Camp- bell county, Ga. In 1836 he became an ordained Baptist minister, and in 1844 settled in Carroll county, where he assisted in the organization of the First Baptist Church of Villa Rica, and in 1848 he assisted in the organizing of the First Baptist Church of Atlanta. He preached in the various churches of the
132
HISTORY OF ATLANTA.
Baptist denomination in Carroll and adjoining counties, and finally moved to Powder Springs, Cobb county, where he died in 1852. His widow is still liv- ing at the age of eighty-eight years and resides in Atlanta with her son, the subject of this sketch. They had five children, four of whom are still living, three daughters and a son.
Zachariah A. Rice received but a limited education such as the facilities of a newly settled country usually afford. He had a natural love for adventures and excitement, and as a boy took great interest in military affairs. At the age of fifteen he became a volunteer soldier under Captain J. M. Word, father of Dr. T. J. Word of Atlanta, and assisted in moving the Cherokee Indians from the Cherokee country to Arkansas, and spent six months in such service.
In 1839 he became a clerk in the store of General A. A. Austell, who at that time was engaged in general merchandising in Campbell county. In 1843 he began business for himself as proprietor of a general country store in Camp- bellton, Campbell county. He was successful in this venture, and in the fall of 1847 removed to Atlanta, at that time only a small village. Here, in part- nership with H. C. Holcomb, under the firm name of Rice & Holcomb, he began business in merchandizing. They also leased the Washington Hall hotel. Both of these enterprises proved profitable, but in the excitement caused by the discovery of gold in California, Mr. Rice decided to seek his fortune in that region. He accordingly disposed of his business interest in Atlanta, and in 1850 started for California. His journey thither was long and full of hardships, seventy-seven days being consumed in the journey on an English sailing vessel from Panama to San Francisco. In this early period of the history of this now well-known region, Mr. Rice journeyed all over the State of California, but the greater portion of the first year of his stay there was engaged in gold digging in Calavaras county. He then embarked in quartz mining near Suter Creek, in Amador county, and erected the first quartz-mill erected in that county. In the latter work he passed about three years, and his efforts being rewarded with substantial success, in the fall of 1854 he returned to Atlanta. After again settling here, he began a general trading and speculating career in which he was actively engaged when the war between the States began.
In this struggle he took sides with the South, and shortly after the battle of Manassas, in August, 1861, enlisted as first lieutenant in the Fulton Dra- goons, which became a part of Gen. T. R. R. Cobb's Cavalry Legion, and served in all the memorable battles of the Virginia campaign. December 17th 1861 he was promoted to captain, and January 9th, 1863 was promoted to major of the cavalry of Cobb's Legion. In the fall of 1864 Mr. Rice re- turned home, and with J. M. C. Reed organized a regiment of State troops, of which he was made lieutenant-colonel. This regiment was a part of Gen. G. W. Smith's command, and was engaged in active service until the close of the war. During his military career Mr. Rice was often entrusted with im- portant and perilous duty, and proved a most efficient officer and soldier.
ALITTLE.
J . A. Rice
133
BIOGRAPHICAL.
After the war he returned to Atlanta, and soon thereafter established a cot- ton spinning factory in Campbell county, with which he was actively connected until 1884. In 1870 he was among the first stockholders who erected the Concord Woolen Mills on Nickajack Creek, about twelve miles from Atlanta. During the first two years this factory did not prove a successful enterprise, and in 1872 Mr. Rice purchased the entire interests held by the other stockholders, and became sole owner. He then sold part interest in it to S. B. Love and J. H. Porter. Mr. Rice was made president of the reorganized company, and has continued as such ever since. It is largely owing to his vigorous manage- ment and well directed labors since he assumed control, that this mill has proved a profitable enterprise. Thirty to thirty-five hands are employed, and the productions find a ready market.
Mr. Rice in recent years has been largely engaged in farming, and is the owner of the Colquit farm, in Cobb county, and another in Douglass county. He also has large interests in real estate in Atlanta, being the owner of several private and business houses, and has been a taxpayer ever since the incor- poration of the city.
Mr. Rice has always taken an active interest in politics, but never as a seeker after office. He was an ardent supporter of the principles of the Whig party, but since the war has been aligned with the Democratic party, although he has not always been in accord with its position on financial and tariff issues. In 1855 he was elected a judge of the Inferior Court, and served until the war, prior to which he had also been a member of the city council. He has taken a prominent part as a Prohibitionist in the political contests relative to the legal suppression of the liquor traffic during recent years, and in 1884 was elected a member of the city council for a term of two years. He was married in 1855 to Miss Louisa R. Green, of Douglass county, Ga. They have had six children, five of whom are living, two sons who compose the firm of Rice Brothers, and three daughters.
During his long residence in Atlanta few men have been more prominently connected with the fortunes of the Gate City than Mr. Rice. For more than forty years he has been identified with its growth and development from a struggling village with a few hundred inhabitants to its present stalwart pro- portions. His life has been crowded with interesting incidents such as fall to the lot of few men. He has traveled extensively, and has been a close ob- server, and his mind is a rich storehouse of facts relating to the pioneer his- tory of this region. When he returned to Atlanta after the war, and discour- agement was in the hearts of many over the ruin of their home and business interest, he was among the comparatively few who inspired hope in the people by bravely and encouragingly setting to work to repair his well nigh ruined fortune. He has since been a progressive factor in all the enterprises which have fixed the permanent prosperity of the city. As a business man he has
134
HISTORY OF ATLANTA.
shown remarkably good judgment, and by his efforts has accumulated a com- fortable fortune. The honesty of his business methods has never been ques- tioned, and in integrity of character and unwavering faithfulness to every obli- gation, the record of no citizen of Atlanta is more clear and pure. The years of his long, active, and busy life have fallen lightly upon him, and to-day in possession of apparent unabated physical and mental vigor, it would seem as though there were many years yet in store for him to enjoy the rest and con- fort his life of honorable toil has justly earned.
R OOT, SIDNEY, one of Atlanta's oldest and most respected citizens, was born in Montague, Mass., and is a son of Salmon and Eliza (Carpenter) Root, being the seventh of a family of nine children. His parents were of English descent, their ancestors having emigrated to America and settled in Massachusetts in the beginning of the seventeenth century; and on the paternal side Mr. Root is able to trace a probable relationship to Lord John Russell, of England.
Salmon Root, the father of the subject of this sketch, was a farmer, and the early life of his son was not unlike that of the average New England boy of half a century ago. His education was confined to attendance at the district school during the winter months of each year, while his full share of the farm work occupied the remaining months. At the age of twelve Mr. Root removed with his parents to Craftsbury, Vt., and settled on the old Governor Craft farm. But the humdrum existence of a farmer's life illy suited the energetic spirit of the boy Root, and at the age of fourteen he was apprenticed to the jewelry business at Burlington, Vt. Here he remained four years. He then, at the age of eighteen, came to Lumpkin, Stewart county, Ga., and began clerking in the general country store of William A. Rawson. At the end of two years he was admitted as partner in the business, and three years thereafter purchased his partner's interest and assumed entire control.
Mr. Root was married in 1849 to Mary H. Clarke, daughter of the late James Clarke, and sister of Judge John T. Clarke, of Cuthbert, Ga., and of Judge Marshall J. Clarke, of Atlanta. Three children were born to them, two sons and a daughter. Their sons, John Wellborn, of Chicago, and Walter C., of Kansas City, are both architects of high standing in their profession. Sev- eral of the most prominent public buildings in Chicago and Kansas City and other large cities in this conntry were designed by them and form conspicuous monuments to the high order of their skill. Their other child is Mrs. James E. Ormond, of Atlanta. Mrs. Root, a most estimable lady, cultured and de- servedly popular and beloved, died in Atlanta in January, 1886.
Mr. Root moved to Atlanta in 1858 and with John N. Beach established the dry goods house of Beach & Root. This firm soon did the largest business in Atlanta; was the first to engage in the wholesale trade, and did the first
135
BIOGRAPHICAL.
importing business. During the war Mr. Root warmly espoused the Confed- erate cause. In the spring of 1861 Mr. Beach opened a branch house of the firm in Liverpool, England, and Mr. Root opened a similar house in Charles- ton, S. C. They then engaged extensively in the shipping, importing and the cotton trade. They became agents of the Confederate government, and dur- ing the four years of the war did perhaps the largest besiness ever done by a single firm in the South.
In December, 1864, Mr. Root went to Europe, entrusted with important confidential business of the Confederate government. He made an extended tour of the old world, visiting the principal cities of England, France, Spain, Cuba and the West India Islands. In June, 1865, he returned to New York and soon after came to Atlanta, where the fortunes of war had dealt most heavily with him. Here the firm had some fourteen stores destroyed, while their personal loss in merchandise and other property aggregated over one million dol- lars. This large sum did not represent Mr. Root's entire loss on account of the war. During the progress of hostilities his firm was largely engaged in blockade running, and while thus engaged lost eleven steamers.
In March, 1866, Mr. Root went to New York and opened a branch cotton and shipping house of the firm of Beach & Root. In 1867 the firm was dis- solved, and for some ten years Mr. Root carried on the business alone. He returned to Atlanta in 1878, and here he has since been chiefly engaged in works of philanthropy. He is trustee of the Atlanta Baptist Seminary, and of the Spelman Seminary for the English and industrial education of colored women, the latter being the largest institution of its kind in the United States. During the preparations for the International Cotton Exposition of 1881 in Atlanta, he traveled in behalf of the enterprise through the principal cities of the United States and Canada, and was the means of awakening much interest in the un- dertaking. During the progress of the exposition he had charge of the public comfort and foreign departments. The value of his labors in making this great industrial display a success was attested by the director-general of the exposi- tion, who, in his final report, said : " Probably none of the officials will be bet- ter remembered by visitors to the exposition than Mr. Root, whose painstaking and earnest efforts to accommodate and oblige all who fell within the range of his official duties made him deservedly popular."
When the L. P. Grant Park was donated by Colonel Grant to the city Mr. Root was appointed its president, superintendent and general manager, and under his personal direction all the improvements in this popular resort have been made.
For several years Mr. Root has taken great interest in the important efforts made to preserve and extend American forests, and since 1884 he has attended the various meetings held by the International American Forestry Congress. It was largely through his efforts that the last meeting of this body was held
136
HISTORY OF ATLANTA.
in Atlanta in 1888, and his personal endeavors contributed greatly to the grat- ifying success of the gathering. He is a member of the Southern Forestry Congress, and was president pro tem. at its meeting in 1887.
Since 1858, with the exception of the twelve years he resided in New York, Mr. Root has been a member of the Second Baptist Church of Atlanta and has ever been foremost in religious and benevolent work. For ten years he was superintendent of the Sunday-school connected with this church, and during his residence in New York he occupied the same position in the Fifth Avenue Baptist Church.
Mr. Root is literary in his tastes ; has been a great reader and keeps fully abreast of the progress made in the literary and scientific world. Several years ago he wrote for Sunday-school work a book entitled, " A General Bible Ques- tion Book," which had an extended sale in the South. In 1865 he wrote a book of travels, which was published in London. He also wrote a short story, founded on incidents connected with the war, entitled, " History of a Union Spy," which was re-published in England. He is at present a correspondent to several Northern newspapers, and is constantly contributing articles on gen- eral religious and philanthropic topics.
Thus in brief are given a few incidents in a life marked by extraordinary vicissitude and activity-a life distinguished, above all things, by unswerving honesty and devotion to high and lofty conception of duty. Mr. Root has ex- perienced as many changes of fortune as fall to the lot of few men. From humble circumstances, as far as worldly possessions go, he rose, by his own exertions and the exercise of rare business sagacity, to be one of the richest men of Georgia. The war came, and when it ended an immense fortune was swept away. His successes and disappointments since in the business world it is not necessary to detail, but through all his struggles there has always been conspicuous a rigid adherence to a manly, honorable course, from which no
question of policy could tempt him, even when, to have deviated only slightly from the right, might have been to his personal and financial interest. It is this element in his nature which has gained the respect of all who know him, and that respect and esteem he values higher than the possession of any- thing the world could give. His contact with men, his vicissitudes and trials, which would have embittered most men, have left him no cynic or misan- thropist. He has faith and confidence in humanity; believes the world is growing better as time advances; is cheerful, hopeful and even mirthful in disposition, and to the sum of human joys he endeavors in all the ways he can to add his full share. Few citizens of Atlanta have contributed more to the city's advancement in all right channels than Mr. Root. In and out of season he has begrudged neither his time or talents to serve the public welfare. In works of charity and benevolence, in the cause of religion and education, and in behalf of all agencies which tend to make men and women better and
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.