NATHANIEL ABLE RICE

Nathaniel was born in Farmington, Davis County, Utah. He was the second child of seven children born to William Hyrum and Olive Emily Smith. Nathaniel's father raised stock and did a lot of freighting in the Cache Valley area. They moved to Almo, Idaho where Nathaniel helped his father on his ranch until he acquired a ranch of his own. The Rice and Durfee families were close friends and Nathaniel and Alice Jane Durfee became friends and later husband and wife. A year after they were married, they traveled to Logan, Utah and were sealed in the Logan Temple. Nathaniel came from a rough frontier family but became a righteous man who always had family prayers. Eight children were born to this union with the last child being born a few weeks after Nathaniel died. Nathaniel worked hard all his life, clearing brush, plowed virgin land, built roads and logged timber. When contractors refused to pay their workers, Nathaniel paid them from his own earnings. He was always upright and honest in all his dealings.
Nathaniel loved horses, especially spirited ones and while leading one of his favorite horses through a gate, the horse reared and struck him in the head. It was a severe blow, and Nathaniel began to have frequent strokes. Several months later he was taken to the LDS Hospital in Salt Lake City,Utah where he died. He was only 35 years of age.
I never knew my Grandfather, nor did I hear many stories about him. My father William was only 13 years old when he died and had to grow up overnight. All I know about my Grandfather is he was an honorable man who was held in high esteem by his fellow man.