Jennie Alice Wicks was born November, 1870 to William Montgomery and Amanda Jane (Morford) Wicks in Emporia, Lyon, Kansas. She attended the public school system in Emporia and was an excellent student achieving perfect attendance in 1881, along with being named to the honor roll that same year by her teacher, Miss Belle Carswell. Jennie was very active in social events in and around Emporia and was also a dedicated member of the Methodist Church of Emporia. On July 01, 1886 she with friends Lulu Moulton, Laura Holderman, William Clark and others, attended the annual Sunday school convention in Ottawa, Kansas. That same month she was elected Treasurer of the Young People’s Society of the M.E. church. Jennie was an accomplished pianist and vocalist, performing on many occasions to the delight of the citizens of Emporia. On December 20, she performed a piano solo to usher in the Christmas holiday and New Year for 1887. To start off the New Year, Jennie was elected Secretary of the First Methodist Sunday School program and in February of the same year she attended a party held by Emporia socialite, Mrs. J. Butler Hinkle at her residence at 13 South Constitution Street. On January 02, 1888 she attended the Young Men’s Christian Association open house. On March 9th, she participated in a paper social held by the M. E. Church and was elected treasurer of the Sunday school. On June 19, 1889, Jennie participated in the merchant’s carnival hosted by the W. C. T. U. In July she took a week trip to Independence, Missouri with Ed Rice to visit his family and attend a church social. She performed for the Emporia High School graduation commencement on June 14, 1892 and was an active member of the Emporia Musical Society.
Jennie married Edwin Tomson Rice on July 26, 1892 in Emporia, Kansas. Their marriage produced five children, Willa Ruth, Warren Cyrus, Mary, Elizabeth and Robert Montgomery. After their marriage Edwin was employed as a bookkeeper but the call brought him back to be a full time minister in the Methodist church, following in his father’s footsteps. The family moved to various locations including, Independence, Joplin, Golden City, Pleasant Hill and Webb City, Missouri and in Kansas, Hiawatha, Hartford, Emporia, Eureka, Topeka and Oswego.
Jennie Alice Wicks died December 03, 1929 in Oswego, Labette County, Kansas. She was a former member of the Epworth League, Young Women’s Christian Association and the Oxford League of the Methodist church of Emporia. Jennie was an alumnus of Emporia High School graduating with honors, including valedictorian of her graduating class on June 05, 1890. Jennie attended Northwest University in Evanston, Illinois in 1891. She was also a member of the Ladies Aid Society of Hartford, Kansas. Her husband Edwin died February 02, 1946 in Lawrence, Douglas County, Kansas. Both are buried at Maplewood Memorial Lawn Cemetery in Emporia, Kansas
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