Caleb Rice
American politician
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Caleb Rice (1792–1873) was an American politician and businessman. He was the first Mayor of Springfield, Massachusetts, when it became a city in 1852, and the first president of MassMutual Life Insurance Company, now a Fortune 100 company.[4]
Caleb Rice | |
|---|---|
| |
| 1st Mayor of Springfield, Massachusetts | |
| In office 1852–1853 | |
| Preceded by | Board of Selectmen |
| Succeeded by | Philos B. Tyler |
| 3rd[1] Sheriff of Hampden County, Massachusetts | |
| In office 1831–1851 | |
| Preceded by | John Phelps[2] |
| Succeeded by | Patrick Boies[2] |
| Member of the Board of Selectmen of West Springfield, Massachusetts[3] | |
| In office 1826[3]–1830[3] | |
| 1st President of the Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company[4] | |
| In office June 1851 – March 1, 1873 | |
| Preceded by | None |
| Succeeded by | E. W. Bond[4] |
| Personal details | |
| Born | April 4, 1792 |
| Died | March 1, 1873 (aged 80) |
| Spouse | Marietta Parsons Rice (m. 1826) |
| Children | Joseph Rice (1828–1831); Benjamin Stebbins Rice (1829–1831); Elizabeth D. Rice (b. 1835) |
| Alma mater | Williams College |
| Profession | Attorney, businessman |
| Signature |  |
Early years
Caleb Rice was born on April 4, 1792, in Conway, Massachusetts. He was the son of Joseph Rice and Betty (Dickerson) Rice. Rice married Marietta P. Parsons, daughter of Israel Parsons, in 1826.
Career
Rice served as the first Mayor of Springfield, Massachusetts, when it became a city in 1852, and he was also the first president of MassMutual Life Insurance Company. Rice also served as the third Sheriff of Hampden County, Massachusetts, and on the Board of Selectmen of West Springfield, Massachusetts,[3] Additionally, Rice served for five years in the Massachusetts House of Representatives from Springfield.[5] He died March 1, 1873.
Genealogy and family relations
Rice was a direct descendant of Edmund Rice an early immigrant to Massachusetts Bay Colony as follows:[6]
- Caleb Rice, son of
- Joseph Rice (1768-1823), son of
- Israel Rice (1742-1833), son of
- Joseph Rice (1712-1789), son of
- Phineas Rice (1682-1768), son of
- Joseph Rice (1638-1711), son of
- Edmund Rice (circa 1594–1663)
- Joseph Rice (1638-1711), son of
- Phineas Rice (1682-1768), son of
- Joseph Rice (1712-1789), son of
- Israel Rice (1742-1833), son of
- Joseph Rice (1768-1823), son of