John Blake Rice

John Blake Rice (May 28, 1809 – December 17, 1874) was an American actor, theatrical producer and politician. He served as the mayor of Chicago, Illinois (1865–1869) as a member of the Republican Party.

Early life and career Rice was born in Easton, Maryland, and made his acting debut in Annapolis in 1829. His first professional role was as Uncle Barnwell in George Lillo's The London Merchant. He toured up and down the East Coast, as well as in the West Indies. While living in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he married into a local theatre family.

Rice returned to Chicago in 1851 and built a new theater, entirely of brick. He hired James McVicker to serve as manager, and was active in the theater until 1857.

Mayoralty In 1865, near the end of the Civil War, Rice ran for mayor of Chicago as a very conservative Republican. Aided by the end of the war and the subsequent assassination of Abraham Lincoln only days before the election, Rice won easily.

Rice was sworn in as mayor on May 3, 1865.

As mayor, Rice was anti-labor, and he vetoed a plan to enforce an eight-hour work day. This veto led to a spontaneous demonstration on May 1, 1867, by workers which led to the international May Day observance. The City Council eventually overrode his veto.

Rice and the City Council were connected with graft, prostitution and gambling.

Rice was reelected in 1867.

Rice was defeated in his bid for a third term by Roswell B. Mason in 1869. Rice's mayoralty ended on December 6, 1869, when he was succeeded Mason.

Congressional career

Rice was elected to represent Illinois's 1st congressional district in the United States House of Representatives in 1872. While serving in the House, he died from liver cancer on December 17, 1874, in Norfolk, Virginia. He died on December 17, 1874, in a home he constructed in Norfolk, Virginia. Rice had been in ill health for some time, even before his election to congress, but refused medical treatment. In the end, Bernard G. Caulfield won a special election to complete the term, after having already been elected to succeed Rice. Rice was buried in Chicago's Rosehill Cemetery.