Rose Hefty Rice - a brief biographical scetch

Anna Maria Heiz, an immigrant from Switzerland, gave birth to her youngest child on October 7, 1857 in the small thriving community of New Glarus, Wisconsin. The little dark haired infant girl, Rosalina, was born into a family of five. Along with her mother were Pappa Schneider Balthasar Heiz, brother Balthasar, and sisters Katharine and Maria. 

Schneider Balthasar Heiz and his first wife, Katharina Vogeli, were both born in 1826 in Ruti in the Canton of Glarus, Switzerland. Their one child, a son Balthasar, was born in 1847 however, Katharina Vogeli died one year later.  Schneider Balthasar married his second wife, Anna Maria Vogeli, two years later in 1849.  Anna Maria also born in Ruti, was a year younger than her husband, born in 1827. Judging from shared last names, the two wives,  Anna Maria and Katharina might have been sisters, however, the name Vogeli is quite common in Switzerland. 

Before immigrating to the USA in May of 1852, Schneider Balthasar and Anna Maria’s oldest child, Katharina, was born in 1850. Another child died as an infant, Mathias 1851 – 1852.

A year after their arrival in New Glarus, Wisconsin, a daughter Rosina was born on May 12, 1853. The infant lived but a few months, dying on August 22, 1853.  On July 15, 1855 Maria was born, and, as mentioned previously, the youngest child, Rosalina was born in 1857.

The Hefty family
When Rose was two years old her mother died and the young girl was taken in by the family Marcus and Magdalena Hefty. Balthasar, Katharina, and Maria remained with their father. The Heftys were devout followers of the Zwinglian form of Reformed Lutheran believers as were all of the Swiss Wisconsin immigrants.  Through the years the Heftys demonstrated numerous examples of charity and generosity, and as such, Rose was well cared for by her foster family.

Marcus Hefty and Magdalena [Legler] Hefty were born in Glarus, Switzerland, he on March 25, 1829 and she on November 26, 1837.  Magdalena Legler and the Legler family emigrated to New Glarus in 1845 with the first emigration group. Marcus Hefty came to America with his father, mother, and other family members in 1847 which was the second emigrant group.

This small family of three, moved in 1866 to Valley Falls, Kansas together with Magdalena’s brother Meli Legler. There they purchased a mill.

Due to poor health on the part of Marcus, the couple moved to San Diego County, California in 1888 (86?) after selling his interest in the mill to his brother-in-law. There Marcus died in November 24, 1902 at the age of 73 and Magdalena on June 26, 1907, age 69.  Both are buried at Mount Hope Cemetery in San Diego, Ca.

The federal census of 1880, the year of her marriage, shows Rose as living with her foster parents in the Delaware township, Jefferson county, Kansas. Her foster father, Marcus Hefty, was then 51 years old and a farmer, and her foster mother, Magdalene, was 41 years old, wife, and keeping house. Rose, 22 years old, is listed as an adopted daughter, although in actual fact she was never formally adopted. However, here as well as in other documents she uses the name of Hefty as opposed to Heiz, her birth surname.

Rose in the census is registered as school teacher.  Being registered as living in Delaware Township, as opposed to living in the community of Valley Falls, confirms that the actual home was a rural home as opposed to living within the community of Valley Falls, which was the name of the post office.  In the census of 1875 she is registered as Rosie, and in 1880 as Rose.  The census also confirms that the adults were born in Switzerland and Rose in Wisconsin.

Much in opposition to their parents due to reasons of religion, Rose and Francis Jay Rice were married on December 28, 1880 at Valley Falls. Francis was a Baptist minister and Rose once was a member of the Swiss Reformed congregation. Rose taught school before marriage at Valley Falls, Kansas. 

Francis and Rose had three children: Edna Julia, born  June 3, 1883 at Augusta, Kansas. Zelda Magdalina, born June 7, 1885 at August, Kansas.  Leslie Francis, born March 7, 1889 at Salem, Kansas.  In 1902 Francis retired from the ministry and in 1903 or 1904 he and Rose bought a small farm and moved the family to Gentry, Arkansas. It was while living in Gentry, that Leslie Rice met Grace Rich, his future wife and mother to the first generation Rice Kids.

Francis died on March 27, 1936. Rose died on March 6, 1942 at her home in Gentry several miles north of Siloam Springs, Arkansas and is buried at Oak Hill Cemetery at Siloam Springs, beside her husband of 55 years.