Ernest Rice

Ernest Rice (born August 31, 1872 in Orysa , Lauderdale County , Tennessee , † 1950 ) was an American politician . Between 1905 and 1907 he was the de facto lieutenant governor of the state of Tennessee as President of the State Senate , although this office was not formally introduced until 1951.

Career

Ernest Rice was the son of a planter . He attended the Hatchie Academy until 1889 . After a subsequent law degree at Cumberland University and his 1892 admission as a lawyer, he began to work in this profession. At the same time he embarked on a political career as a member of the Democratic Party . He was elected to the Tennessee Senate twice in a row. In 1905 he succeeded Senate President John I. Cox , who, after the resignation of Governor James B. Frazier, rose to the highest office in accordance with the state constitution.

Thus, Rice was between 1905 and 1907 as President of the Senate, Deputy Governor and de facto lieutenant governor of his state. This office was or is constitutionally anchored in most other states; in Tennessee this has only been the case since 1951. In 1908, Ernest Rice was involved in the successful fight against the Reelfoot Night Riders . He was also President of Lake Co. Manufacturing Co. He died in 1950.

Web links

• The Political Graveyard
• Ernest Rice on the list of Tennessee Senate Presidents
• Short biography