John Smith Dice

John S. Dice,  pastor of Bethel United Presbyterian Church, in North Beaver Township, is known from one end of the county to the other, having warm and appreciative friends in every section. He was born at Poland, in Mahoning County, Ohio, November 12, 1844, and is a son of George and Catherine Allen (Phillips) Dice.

In 1848, the parents of Mr. Dice moved to Crawford County, Pennsylvania, and there he was reared until 1862, when he accompanied his parents in their removal to New Wilmington, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania. From the district and graded schools he entered a select school at Meadville, and in the fall of 1863 he entered upon the full collegiate course at Westminster College, at New Wilmington. He was graduated from that noted institution in 1869, with the degree of A. B. Mr. Dice taught school for one year in Darlington, at three separate times, after which he entered the Allegheny United Presbyterian Seminary, where he was a student during 1870, 1871 and 1872, leaving in the spring of 1873. In the following January he took charge of his present church, of which he has been pastor continuously ever since. This is a somewhat remarkable instance, where people and pastor have been in such perfect accord for so long a period, When Mr. Dice came to this charge the membership was about eighty souls, while now the number is 140. He has spent the larger part of his life in the service of this congregation and he has many reasons to feel satisfied with what he has accomplished. Since locating in North Beaver Township he bought the farm adjoining the church and this is very capably managed by his son.

On June 29, 1875, Mr. Dice was married to Margaret M. McQuigg, who is a daughter of Charles and Margaret McQuigg. They have four children, namely: Charles L., who is engaged in farming one mile east of his father, married Rebecca J. Kyle, and they have two children, William Renfrew and Mary; Alice Bovard, residing at home, is a graduate of the Allegheny High School; James Renfrew, who graduated in June, 1908, from the Michigan Agricultural College; and Margaret M., who is a graduate of the Mt. Jackson High School and spent two terms as a student in the Slippery Rock Normal School. She is now teaching in the Westfield School.

20th Century History of New Castle and Lawrence County, 1908, pages 695-696