Person Record

Metadata

Name

Rice, George

Othernames

George Gilbert Rice

Born

Sept. 21, 1892

Birthplace

Luther Twp., Dufferin County

Places of residence

Massie, Ontario [Holland Twp., Grey County]
A 1914 Vernon's Directory listed George Rice (who used Massie P.O.) at Con. 4e, Lot 3, Holland Twp.

Father

William Edward Rice (d. 1914)

Mother

Sarah Jane Fenwick

Nationality

Canadian

Notes

George Rice (b. 1892-d. 1964) was a blacksmith at Massie, in Holland Township, Grey County. He was known to make many of his own tools, and he also did woodworking as well as blacksmithing. George was born in Luther Township, but moved to Grey when he was a young man with his father. George Rice married Jessie M. Root in 1925 at Guelph, Ontario.

His father, William Edward Rice, and he had moved to Grey from Orangeville in 1906. After being in Grey County for some time, on Sept. 12, 1912, William bought a small piece of property near the southeast corner of the E-1/2 Lot 3, Concession 6 in Holland Twp. He moved the blacksmith shop to this location, where it remained until it was closed. It was operated by his son, George Rice, for many years.

George Gilbert Rice was born in Luther Township, Dufferin County, on September 21, 1892. His sister, Charlotte Rice (later Mrs. McLeod) was born in Dufferin County on August 11, 1895. Their father, who worked as a blacksmith, had moved around a lot. William Edward Rice died in 1914, and his wife, Sarah Rice, had died in the early 1900s.

George made various useful items, such as chain binders for securing log sled loads, fence post lifters, etc. He also ironed the runners of child-sized sleds, and made a couple wrought iron garden gates (one is now in the Grey Root collection). He also was known to turn out baseball bats on his wood lathe. His blacksmith shop also had a woodworking shop area, and a shoeing floor for horses. He even made wooden skiis (c. 1945-1955). These were a challenge for a woodworker, as one had to not let the wood sliver--the grain had to run perfectly and not flatten out when drying the wood (e.g. had to not take the wood out of the forms too soon).

He also made the wheels for a red-painted child's wagon (c. 1939-1940) that is now at Grey Roots Museum, and that belonged to J. W. (Jim) Henry. During the Second World War, he was likely kept busy repairing items for farmers and local people, as metal was needed for the war effort and it was harder to obtain manufactured goods.

A number of his tools and items that he made are now in the Grey Roots Collection. Researchers may be interested in the following items as well:

1990.026.001 Farrier's horseshoe sign, made by George Rice
1995.032.001 Reproduction photograph showing three people and the exterior of the George Rice blacksmith shop at Massie, Ontario c.1935
1995.032.002 Reproduction photograph showing the exterior of the George Rice blacksmith shop at Massie, Ontario, c. 1927, with three men and a woman posed by it

Occupation

Blacksmith / Woodworker / Farrier
Baseball Bat Maker / Child's Sled Runners / Wooden Skiis for Skiers

Publications

THE PATHS THAT LED TO HOLLAND: A HISTORY OF HOLLAND TOWNSHIP,1983 has an image of the Massie blacksmith shop and one of George Rice

"Ready for a Blacksmith Building Bee", THE SUN-TIMES, Owen Sound, Sat. Nov. 3, 2007, p. A3 has an image of Brian Rice, Norma Rice, Isabel Rice, Jack Rice and Paul Rice (Gilbert & Evelyn Rice and Yvonne Lawrence were absent).