Location: Chicago
- Office and Salesroom 80 and 82 Wabash Ave. [1905]
- Warehouse 34 to 40 South Water St. [1899, 1905]
- Illinois and St. Clair Streets [1912], 451 St. Clair St. [1913]
- Office and Warehouse: MICHIGAN, ST. CLAIR and ILLINOIS STREETS. [1915]
Officers:
- President James H. Rice
- Treasurer: J. M. Vernon, Secretary: E. Flanigan, 1887
- Secretary: Edward Flanigan, 1891
- President and General Manager: William S. Kenny, Secretary: Matthew J. Garty, 1902
Timeline:
Catalog:
James H. Rice Co.
Manufacturers, Importers and Dealers in
Art and Ornamental Glass
Sand Blast, Chipped, Embossed Glass, Etc.
Also Chipped Glass Signs, Mirrors & Glaziers' Supplies
All Kinds of Glass for Churches and Buildings
Plate and Window Glass
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Advertising:
| GLASS |
James H. Rice Co.
Tel. Main 1944. |
PLATE AND WINDOW GLASS,
ART GLASS, MIRRORS, ETC. |
| Estimates promptly furnished. |
34-40 South Water Street,
CHICAGO. |
Book of the Annual Exhibition of the Chicago Architectural Club, 1899
via Google Books
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The James H. Rice Co.
IMPORTERS AND JOBBERS
GREENHOUSE GLASS
A SPECIALTY.
Window Glass, Paint, Putty, etc.
80-82 Wabash Avenue and 34 to 40 South Water Street, CHICAGO.
American Florist, Volume 24, 1905
via Google Books
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Paint, Oil and Drug Review
Volume 54 No. 4 · 1912
via Google Books
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Headquarters for ART and PRISM GLASS
National Glass Budget, Volume 31, 1915
via Google Books
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Worthy of Notice:
A Gigantic Order.— A window glass order of almost incredible
size. Impossible except to the Leaders
Three double-header trainloads, 125 cars, purchased by the James H. Rice Co.
in one order
Special inducements always offered for carload orders
Notes:
- "JAMES HARLOW RICE, one of the oldest and most highly respected
business men of Chicago, passed away at his home on Michigan Avenue,
in that city, February 6, 1896. He was born in Tompkins County,
New York, in 1830. His parents, Asa and Polly (Reed) Rice, were
natives of Massachusetts, and settled in New York in 1811, shortly
after their marriage. Asa Rice was a prosperous farmer, well known
and esteemed for his great moral worth. Both he and his wife were
members of the Methodist Church and active in good works. They
attained a venerable age, the former dying when eighty years old,
and the latter at seventy-five.
Mr. Rice [Asa] was an "old-line" Whig, and in later life became a
Republican. His nine children reached mature years, and three came
West, namely, Henry, Columbus T. and James H. Rice. The first two
are now residents of Adair County, Missouri. Columbus Titus Rice
came with his brother to Chicago in June, 1854, and proceeded to
Missouri four years later, and has resided there ever since. In
early life he was a carpenter, and worked at that occupation while
a resident of Chicago. On going to Missouri he engaged in farming,
but is now retired from active life. He was married in New York in
1855 to Miss Catherine Wickoff, who is still his companion on life's
journey. They are the parents of six children, namely: Edward, Flora,
Mary, Elizabeth, Charles, Augusta and James." —Album of
Genealogy and Biography Cook County, Illinois via
Missouri Gravestones
- "James H. Rice Co · Importers of Polished, Rough and
Crystal Plate Glass, 13, 15 and 17 Quincy Street. The growth of
Chicago as a business center has not only been very rapid, but its
history is one of advanced strides toward the position it now so
creditably occupies. Every department of commerce has kept pace with
this marvelous growth, and today are to be seen the colossal results
of the ability and energy of her citizens, in which the glass trade
forms a most important branch, one of the leading representatives
being the James H. Rice Co. The business was established just
after the fire in 1871, by James H. Rice, and conducted with
eminent success, the result of which is the present stock company,
which was organized January 1, 1884, with a paid-up cash capital of
$100,000, and whose officers are Messrs. James H. Rice, president;
J. M. Vernon, treasurer; and E. Flanigan, secretary. The company do
an extensive wholesale and retail business, importing direct every
grade of polished, rough and crystal plate glass, and handling large
quantities of English, French and American window-glass, also French
plate and German mirrors, colored, embossed and enameled glass. To
accommodate the immense stock carried, a removal was effected, at
the opening of the year, from their former location, Nos. 80 and
82 Adams street, which had been occupied by them so many years, to
their present spacious premises, Nos. 13, 15 and 17 Quincy street,
a modern constructed six-story building, one hundred feet square
in dimensions. The stock carried embraces the choicest goods in the
market, and the resources of the company are such that the largest
orders can be executed promptly and on reasonable terms."
—A Business Tour of Chicago, 1887
- "The growth of Chicago as a business center has not only been very
rapid but its history is one of advanced strides toward the position
it now so creditably occupies Every department of commerce has kept
pace with this marvelous growth and to day are to be seen the colossal
results of the ability and energy of her citizens in which the glass
trade forms a most important branch one of the leading representatives
being the James H Rice Company The business was established just
after the fire in 1871 by James H Rice with a capital of 50,000 and
conducted with eminent success the result of which is the present
stock company which was organized January 1 1884 with a paid up cash
capital of 100,000 and whose officers are James H Rice president
Edward Flanigan secretary The company do an extensive wholesale and
retail business importing direct every grade of polished rough and
crystal plate glass and handling large quantities of English French
and American window glass also French plate and German mirrors colored
embossed and enameled glass To accommodate the immense stock carried
a removal was effected early in 1891 from their former location on
Quincy street to their present spacious premises 34 36 38 and 40
South Water street The stock carried embraces the choicest goods
in the market and the resources of the company are such that the
largest orders can be executed promptly and on reasonable terms
From its inception this business has been an unprecedented success
each year largely increasing the volume of trade Mr Rice has lived
in Chicago since 1854 and he conducts this important business on
a sound and liberal basis its great extent speaking most impress-"
—Industrial Chicago: The building interests, 1891
- "PLATE GLASS · JAMES H Rice, President of the stock company
which bears his name, was born in Anton Caroline, Tompkins County,
New York, on May 19, 1830; and is the son of Asa and Polly (Reid)
Rice. His early education was gained in the district schools; and,
like so many successful business men of the city, he was obliged in
early life to assert an independence which stood him in good stead in
his after years. At the age of eighteen he left school, and for the
five years succeeding was employed on a farm; when, in the spring of
1854 he came West, and for a time was employed in Peru, Illinois. In
July of the same year he came to Chicago, and for a number of years he
was engaged as a contractor and builder. His first contract in this
city was for the erection of a small dwelling-house for ex-Alderman
Sexton, situated at the corner of 12th Street and Indiana Avenue.
Soon after Park Row was finished by him, and the old Richmond Hotel,
on the corner of Michigan Avenue and Lake Street was built. In 1872,
after finishing the Tremont House, the partnership existing between
Mr. Foote and Mr. Rice was dissolved, and Mr. Rice began business as an
importer and dealer in foreign and American window glass. Mr. Foote
owned an interest, although his name never appeared as a partner in
the firm until 1877. The business was conducted in Mr Rice's name until
January 1st, 1884, when the present stock company was incorporated under
the name of The James H. Rice Company. Since its incorporation this
house has taken a foremost place among the strong business enterprises
for which Chicago is so famous; and in its special line is second to
only one in the United States. It was among the first, if not the very
first, exclusively glass house west of the Alleghany Mountains, and
does a very large importation of French manufactured goods, consisting
of plate glass and mirrors. Many of the largest buildings in Chicago
have been furnished throughout with French plate and window glass from
the establishment of the J. H. Rice Company. Mr. Rice was married
in September, 1876, to Miss Margaret Gilland, of Des Moines, Iowa." —Chicago and Its Resources Twenty Years After, 1871-1891, 1892
- "William S. Kenny, for many years in charge of the business
of the James H. Rice Co., this city, first as sales manager
and latterly as president and general manager, has recently
started in business for himself in the wholesale window glass
business, with offices in the Republic building. Mr. Kenny
has a wide acquaintance among sash and door men all over the
country and is regarded as an authority on plate and window glass
matters. The James H. Rice Co. recently disposed of its business
in Chicago to the Pittsburgh Plate Glass Co., of this city."
—Chicago Lumberman, Volume 34, 1918
- "Garty M J (Frances Louise wife), 833 Forrest av, sec James H
Rice Co, 80-82 Wabash av, Chicago, tel 1944 Cen" —Evanston Directory, 1903
- "Body of Lester Morgan, 1220 Burling st., found in elevator shaft of James H. Rice Co, 451 St. Clair st. Accident." —The Day Book via
Newspapers.com 1913
- "431-51 N. ST. CLAIR STREET building, at the southeast corner of E.
Illinois street and the northeast corner of E. North Water street, was built in
1907 for the James H. Rice Co. and is now occupied by the Pittsburgh Plate
Glass Co. It is six stories and one basement high, of mill construction. C. A.
Eckstorm was the architect." —History of the development of building construction in Chicago, 1949
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