Pulaski County ArArchives Biographies.....Rice, Nora Bingham Parker 
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Robert Sanchez http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00027.html#0006574 August 4, 2009, 11:46 pm

Source: See Full Citation Below Biography
Author: S. J. Clarke (Publisher, 1922)

NORA BINGHAM PARKER RICE.
    Mrs. Nora B. P. Rice, one of the best known women in Little Rock, is a
daughter of Isaac Montgomery and Mary Ann (Bingham) Parker, both natives of
Arkansas. Her father was born at Point Chico, in 1818, and had the distinction
of being the first white child born in that county. The mother was born in
Pulaski county, in 1832. Isaac M. Parker was best known for his wide benevolence
and there are many substantial citizens and successful men and women living in
Arkansas today who owe their advancement to the assistance which he kindly
rendered them. Mr. Parker took more than passing pleasure in helping those whom
he knew to be deserving and reared and educated fifteen children in addition to
those of his own family. He spent his life as a planter and his career seemed an
exemplification of the admonition, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His
righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you," for notwithstanding
his great generosity he continued to prosper, so that he was able to aid his
fellowmen more and more as the years passed by. In politics he was a democrat
and as a citizen he did much for the improvement and upbuilding of the state.
The Parkers came from old colonial Virginia stock and Samuel Parker, the father
of Isaac M. Parker, was a gallant soldier in the War of 1812. Immediately after
the close of that war he came to Arkansas and thus cast in his lot with the
earliest of the pioneers of the state. The Bingham family was one of the early
families of North Carolina, connected with that state from colonial times. Both
Mr. and Mrs. Parker have long since departed this life, both dying in 1883, the
mother in March and the father in July.

    Nora Bingham Parker was educated in private schools and in May, 1881, she
became the wife of Patrick J. Rice, a native of New York, who had located in
Arkansas when nineteen years of age. He took up railroad work and remained in
active connection with railroad interests for thirty years. As an engineer he
took into Pine Bluff the first engine of the Missouri Pacific Railroad and as a
conductor brought into Little Rock the first train on the same line. His
character as a business man may be gleaned from the fact that all his service of
thirty years was spent with the one road, indicating his marked capability and
fidelity. He died November 16, 1900, much regretted by a large circle of friends
and by the officers and employes of the corporation to whose interests he had
given faithful service for so many years. Mrs. Rice was left a widow with four
children: Mary J., who is now the wife of Thomas Harding, a well known
architect; Leonora, the wife of E. A. McCaskill; James H., who is the
superintendent of public works in Little Rock; and Patrick J., who is engaged in
the oil business. Another member of the family is Walter B., who was adopted and
is now a resident of El Dorado, Arkansas.

    Mrs. Rice is one of the most patriotic and public-spirited women of the
south. She is a Daughter of the American Revolution by virtue of the services of
her ancestor, John C. Vance of North Carolina, in connection with the war for
independence. Her membership in the Daughters of 1812 comes through her
grandfather, Samuel Parker, and she was formerly vice president of the Nicholas
Headington Chapter. She was also one of the organizers of the Arkansas Pioneer
Association and during the first year of the life of that association acted as
first vice president and acting president. She is a member and an ex-president
of the J. M. Keller Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy and an
ex-president of the School Improvement Association. She has membership in the
League of Women Voters and is especially active in club work. The society that
reflects more clearly than any other the character of Mrs. Rice is the Widows
Benevolent Society, of which she is one of the organizers. This association is
made up of fairly well-to-do widows and the purpose of the society is to help
widows who are needy by advancing money for vocational training for themselves
or their daughters, so as to make them self-supporting. This noble work is done
without publicity and really helps without ostentation those who are not seeking
public charity. These good women are an honor to the community and the
organization is the only one of the kind in the country. It certainly sets an
example that might well be followed in every city and state. Born in Arkansas, a
daughter of a native of the state and a granddaughter of pioneers in both the
paternal and maternal lines, Mrs. Rice is a splendid type of the noble women who
make up the citizenship of Arkansas.


Additional Comments:
Citation:
Centennial History of Arkansas
Volume II
Chicago-Little Rock: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company
1922


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