Isaac J. Rice

Isaac J. Rice (1808–February 20, 1880) was a minister and missionary for fugitive slaves from the United States. He operated a mission for arriving black people and a large school for black children at Fort Malden at Amherstburg, Ontario. It was a major landing point for African Americans and the main station of the American Missionary Association. as did Hiram Wilson, who also became a missionary in Ontario. Rice was a pastor of the Presbyterian Church from Ohio.

Missionary Underground Railroad routes. Amherstburg is south of Detroit on the Detroit River About 1848 or 1849, Rice went to Amherstburg as a missionary. He ran a mission for former slaves and a large school for negro children at Fort Malden in Amherstburg (often the name of the town and the fort were switched). The fugitives arrived impoverished, illiterate, and neglected from years of slavery. Rice kept a supply of goods that fugitives might need, including clothing. Entire families arrived, all needing care. It appears from all this that the recognition of the deplorable destitution of arriving fugitives was general among the aid societies and their representatives, and that prompt action was taken to meet wants that could brook no delay.|Wilbur Siebert, The Underground Railroad: From Slavery to Freedom

Pastor Around 1866, Elder Isaac John Rice was pastor for one year at Westover Baptist Church in Westover, Ontario. In 1871, he was the interim preacher and after three years, he accepted the position of pastor. Rice held revival meetings five to seven times a week in April and May, 1877. This led to 90 baptisms in one two-week period and 122 new members over the year. Due to ill health, he resigned in 1877. He died of inflammation of the lungs on February 20, 1880. He was buried in Westover Cemetery, with a gravestone inscription of: "For 14 years pastor of the Baptist Church, Westover."