Alexander H. Rice
A Boston paper magnate who leveraged his business success into political leadership, steering the city and state through transformative decades.
1818–1895 (age 77)·American politician·Birthday: August 30
Biography
Alexander Hamilton Rice was a 19th-century archetype: the industrialist who turns to public service. He built Rice-Kendall into a paper products empire, one of the largest distributors in the country, which gave him the financial independence and civic standing to enter politics. As Mayor of Boston from 1856, he confronted the city's rapid growth and the simmering tensions that would soon erupt into civil war. Later, as a U.S. Congressman during that war, he was a firm supporter of the Union cause. His political career culminated in the Governor's office in 1876, where he led Massachusetts during the complex economic period of Reconstruction. Rice's life was a bridge between the mercantile Boston of earlier years and its emerging industrial identity, with his business acumen deeply informing his pragmatic approach to governance.
#1 When Alexander Was Born
The biggest hits of 1818
Alexander's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1818Born
1823Started school
1831Became a teenager
1834Could drive
1836Could vote
1839Turned 21
1848Turned 30
1858Turned 40
1868Turned 50
President: Andrew Johnson
1878Turned 60
President: Rutherford B. Hayes
1888Turned 70
President: Grover Cleveland
1895Died at 77
First public film screening by the Lumiere brothers
President: Grover Cleveland
Key Achievements
- Served as the 30th Governor of Massachusetts, guiding the state from 1876 to 1879.
- Elected Mayor of Boston in 1856, managing the city during a period of significant pre-Civil War tension.
- Represented Massachusetts in the U.S. House of Representatives during the Civil War as a pro-Union Republican.
- Transformed Rice-Kendall into one of the nation's largest paper products distribution companies.
Did You Know?
The town of Rice, Minnesota, is named in his honor.
He was a major benefactor of his alma mater, Dartmouth College, which named the Rice Gallery in his honor.
Before his political career, he worked as a schoolteacher and principal.
“Good government requires the same diligence and foresight as a successful business.”
