Rice & Hutchins
Encyclopedia
Rice & Hutchins, Inc. was a shoe manufacturing and wholesaling company based in Boston, Massachusetts begun as a partnership in 1866, and later incorporated in 1892. By 1916 the company was considered to be among the largest shoe manufacturers in America, with sales that were nationwide and in several countries in Europe, Asia and South America. The corporation was dissolved in 1929.
as president and Horatio H. Hutchins as vice president, both of whom had experience in shoe making and sales. The company first began by selling shoes manufactured by Felton & Chipman in Marlborough, Massachusetts
and other factories around New England. The company faced an early setback by the Boston Fire of 1872 in which much of its stock of shoes at their offices and warehouse at 125 Summer St. in Boston were completely destroyed. Three years later in 1875, Rice & Hutchins purchased their first factory in Marlborough, (the Felton & Chipman factory) to support their steadily increasing sales. Between 1875 and 1885, several factories were established in several New England towns and cities, including Warren, Maine
; Rockland, Massachusetts
; Marlborough, Massachusetts
and Boston
. In 1884, they established their first subsidiary distributing house outside of Boston, the Joseph I. Meaney & Company of Philadelphia.
In 1885, Horatio H. Hutchins retired from the company and Rice's sons Harry Lee Rice and Fred Ball Rice assumed executive positions as vice president and secretary-treasurer of the company. The years between 1885 and 1909 were a period of great growth of the company. In addition to several new and expanded factories in Massachusetts, Maine and Yonkers, New York
, several subsidiary distribution houses were established in New York City
, Baltimore
, Chicago
, Cincinnati, St. Louis, and began international sales in 1893 with a distributorship agreement with a London
wholesaler. International sales were expanded in 1903 by establishing the Rice and Hutchins subsidiary of Vera American Shoe Company in Berlin
and establishing a distributorship in Manila
, in the Philippines
.
In 1892, the company was first reorganized as a corporation under the laws of New Jersey. Later in 1905, they reorganized again as a Maine corporation. Through all the reorganizations, William B. Rice remained as president of the company and corporations until his death in 1909, when his son Harry L. Rice assumed the presidency of the company.
Under the leadership of Harry Rice, the company further expanded international sales in 1914 by establishing subsidiary distributors in Copenhagen, Denmark
and in Buenos Aires, Argentina
. The company's exhibit at the Panama–Pacific International Exposition
(1915 World's Fair) covering the history of shoes, including advertising and ephemera, complete with over 800 pairs of shoes and a notable display of "Educator shoes" for the "whole family", was awarded the medal of honor. By the time of the 50th anniversary of the company in October, 1916 they were among the largest manufacturers and distributors of shoes in America.
Employees of the Rice & Hutchins factory on Pearl Street in South Braintree, Massachusetts became witnesses in the murder and robbery of Frederick Parmenter, a paymaster, and Alessandro Berardelli, a security guard, coming from the adjacent Slater & Morrill factory on April 15, 1920. The murder occurred on the street directly in front of the Rice & Hutchins factory. Italian immigrants Sacco and Vanzetti
were arrested for the crime and convicted based in part by the employees' testimony in the highly publicized trial.
The company continued in operation through most of the 1920s, but it was sold and the corporation was eventually dissolved by the Rice brothers (Harry & Fred) in 1929, as both were looking to retire from the business. A major dispute over the disposition of company assets and corporate succession led to the often cited Delaware Supreme Court
case of Triplex Shoe Company v. Rice & Hutchins, Inc.
Company history
The Rice and Hutchins Shoe Company was established in October 1866 by business partners William B. RiceWilliam B. Rice
William Ball Rice was an American industrialist who co-founded Rice & Hutchins, a shoe manufacturing company with main offices in Boston, Massachusetts...
as president and Horatio H. Hutchins as vice president, both of whom had experience in shoe making and sales. The company first began by selling shoes manufactured by Felton & Chipman in Marlborough, Massachusetts
Marlborough, Massachusetts
Marlborough is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 38,499 at the 2010 census. Marlborough became a prosperous industrial town in the 19th century and made the transition to high technology industry in the late 20th century after the construction of the...
and other factories around New England. The company faced an early setback by the Boston Fire of 1872 in which much of its stock of shoes at their offices and warehouse at 125 Summer St. in Boston were completely destroyed. Three years later in 1875, Rice & Hutchins purchased their first factory in Marlborough, (the Felton & Chipman factory) to support their steadily increasing sales. Between 1875 and 1885, several factories were established in several New England towns and cities, including Warren, Maine
Warren, Maine
Warren is a town in Knox County, Maine, United States. The population was 3,794 at the 2000 census. It includes the villages of East Warren, Warren and South Warren, the latter home to the Maine State Prison and minimum security Bolduc Correctional Facility....
; Rockland, Massachusetts
Rockland, Massachusetts
Rockland is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The 2010 census records its population at 17,489. As of December 31, 2009, there are 11,809 registered voters in the community.-History:...
; Marlborough, Massachusetts
Marlborough, Massachusetts
Marlborough is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 38,499 at the 2010 census. Marlborough became a prosperous industrial town in the 19th century and made the transition to high technology industry in the late 20th century after the construction of the...
and Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
. In 1884, they established their first subsidiary distributing house outside of Boston, the Joseph I. Meaney & Company of Philadelphia.
In 1885, Horatio H. Hutchins retired from the company and Rice's sons Harry Lee Rice and Fred Ball Rice assumed executive positions as vice president and secretary-treasurer of the company. The years between 1885 and 1909 were a period of great growth of the company. In addition to several new and expanded factories in Massachusetts, Maine and Yonkers, New York
Yonkers, New York
Yonkers is the fourth most populous city in the state of New York , and the most populous city in Westchester County, with a population of 195,976...
, several subsidiary distribution houses were established in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
, Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Cincinnati, St. Louis, and began international sales in 1893 with a distributorship agreement with a London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
wholesaler. International sales were expanded in 1903 by establishing the Rice and Hutchins subsidiary of Vera American Shoe Company in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
and establishing a distributorship in Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
, in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
.
In 1892, the company was first reorganized as a corporation under the laws of New Jersey. Later in 1905, they reorganized again as a Maine corporation. Through all the reorganizations, William B. Rice remained as president of the company and corporations until his death in 1909, when his son Harry L. Rice assumed the presidency of the company.
Under the leadership of Harry Rice, the company further expanded international sales in 1914 by establishing subsidiary distributors in Copenhagen, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
and in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
. The company's exhibit at the Panama–Pacific International Exposition
Panama–Pacific International Exposition
The Panama-Pacific International Exposition was a world's fair held in San Francisco, California between February 20 and December 4 in 1915. Its ostensible purpose was to celebrate the completion of the Panama Canal, but it was widely seen in the city as an opportunity to showcase its recovery...
(1915 World's Fair) covering the history of shoes, including advertising and ephemera, complete with over 800 pairs of shoes and a notable display of "Educator shoes" for the "whole family", was awarded the medal of honor. By the time of the 50th anniversary of the company in October, 1916 they were among the largest manufacturers and distributors of shoes in America.
Employees of the Rice & Hutchins factory on Pearl Street in South Braintree, Massachusetts became witnesses in the murder and robbery of Frederick Parmenter, a paymaster, and Alessandro Berardelli, a security guard, coming from the adjacent Slater & Morrill factory on April 15, 1920. The murder occurred on the street directly in front of the Rice & Hutchins factory. Italian immigrants Sacco and Vanzetti
Sacco and Vanzetti
Ferdinando Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti were anarchists who were convicted of murdering two men during a 1920 armed robbery in South Braintree, Massachusetts, United States...
were arrested for the crime and convicted based in part by the employees' testimony in the highly publicized trial.
The company continued in operation through most of the 1920s, but it was sold and the corporation was eventually dissolved by the Rice brothers (Harry & Fred) in 1929, as both were looking to retire from the business. A major dispute over the disposition of company assets and corporate succession led to the often cited Delaware Supreme Court
Delaware Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of Delaware is the sole appellate court in the United States' state of Delaware. Because Delaware is a popular haven for corporations, the Court has developed a worldwide reputation as a respected source of corporate law decisions, particularly in the area of mergers and...
case of Triplex Shoe Company v. Rice & Hutchins, Inc.