Capt. William A. Collings was born in 1814 in Saltwood Parish, England. His father died when William was just 3 years old. At the age of 14 William began the life of a sailor in England. He advanced from seaman to mate and then to Captain. He came to America about 1850 and began sailing the Great Lakes. He retired from sailing in 1874 after having been afflicted with a severe rupture (hernia) for 13 years, and he set about experimenting with a cure. In the fall of 1876 he compounded a medicine (Collings Medical Compound) and developed an Improved Elastic Supporter Truss. He applied the compound and truss and in January 1877 he found that he was cured. Keep in mind that there was no surgery available at this time for hernias. Capt. Collings soon began the Collings Truss Co. in a small shop in a shed at his home in Smithville. An article in the 10/11/1887 issue of the Jefferson County Journal describes his truss as follows: his truss consists of one strong rubber elastic web-band that passes around the body and attaches by convenient fastenings to the ventilated supporter front piece, which forms a perfect support to the abdomen at all times. Under this the pads are fastened, which vary in size and shape according to the rupture or ruptures size, weight and occupation of the wearer. A soft webbing understrap passes from each pad and attaches to the band in the back. These give additional pressure to the pads and maintain the truss in the same position at all times and in all positions of the body. If there is only one rupture a small, thin and soft pad is placed over abdominal ring on opposite side; this prevents the second rupture, which is sure to appear if no support is worn. He also makes a medical compound to be used in connection with the truss. There are two kinds. One is to soften and prepare the skin so the other may penetrate. It is a purely vegetable compound, ad when applied externally over the seat of rupture, by an action peculiar to itself, contracts and produces a cohensive inflammation in the rings, and at the same time exerts a tonic influence upon the muscular and tendinous tissues forming the rings and adjacent parts, while the truss retains the rupture perfectly and comfortably in place during the process of cure. It stops all pain and distressed spells, the bad feeling in the stomach ad the severe pain in the back will cease.

In 1882 William Seward Rice went to work for Capt. Collings. He was instructed in all aspects of the business. Capt. Collings died 1/9/1886 in Smithville and at the age of 18 years William S. Rice purchased the company from Mrs. Collings. He had saved $60. from his earnings and borrowed a small sum from his father to complete the purchase.

William Rice conducted the Collings company for a short time, but later in 1886 he established the W.S. Rice Company in Smithville. He ran the business in the same building that the Collings Co. was in. He soon found that many of his customers were anxious to buy the trusses of Capt. Collings, so he re-established the Captain W.A. Collings Company in Watertown as a subsidiary of the W.S. Rice Co. From 1886 until 1898 Mr. Rice conducted his manufacture of trusses and other appliances in Smithville. At first he employed less than 6 men and he himself worked long hours. In the late 1880’s and 1890’s the mail order business was becoming popular. At this time Mr. Rice had a virtual monopoly on the truss and abdominal support business and he was a great believer in advertising. He advertised in weekly and daily papers in all parts of the country. Gradually the firm grew and in 1898 he decided to move to Adams, a more populous village with a railroad. Mr. Rice purchased a house on North Main Street in Adams which became his residence. He established his factory two houses up the hill on North Main Street from his home. He changed the house into a small two story factory.

On 1/8/1894 Dr. Rice applied for a patent on a truss improved from that of Capt. Collings. The truss was patented (# 523-844) on 7/31/1894. On 4/17/1903 Dr. Rice applied for a patent on his improvements on the hernial truss. The truss was patented (#741,929) on 10/20/1903. Other patents included: Lymphol (medicine for rupture) 11/1/1897, Medicated Pads on 3/1/1906. Lymphol, when applied to the rupture area made it feel warm. It helped to circulate blood to the area of the rupture. It sold for $2.00 a bottle. With time the ingredients became expensive and eventually had to be taken off the market.

On 5/19/1900 an attempt was made to burn down the factory on North Main Street. The 5/22/1900 issue of the Journal gives the following account of the incident: A cowardly attempt was made Sunday night to burn Dr. W.S. Rice’s Truss Factory on North Main Street and to murder the night watchman, Frank Thomas. About 12 o’clock as Mr. Thomas, who had just completed his round of inspection was sitting by a table in the rear of one of the front offices of the old building, reading a newspaper, he heard the report of a rifle or revolver and felt the twinge of a bullet through the lower part of the palm of his left hand. The shot was fired from the front lawn, the ball passing through a window, lodging in the window casing near where he was sitting. Running to the front door Mr. Thomas peered into the darkness but could see no one. Firing his revolver into the air he started for the residence of Edward Babcock, an employee of the factory who lives near by. Returning he discovered that the factory was on fire in the rear. Seizing a fire extinguisher, with which the factory is well supplied, he turned it on the fire and with the assistance of Dr. W.K. Walrath, who had arrived on the scene, the flames were extinguished. The fire was set by placing a lot of paper or other flammable material in a box and after setting fire to it placing it by the side of the building. The clapboards were blackened to the eaves, and in a few moments more the building would have been well on fire and possibly burned with all its valuable contents. The next morning the blood from Mr. Thomas’s hand could be seen freely sprinkled about the premises, and gave evidence of his faithfulness and courage in doing what he could to preserve the building and its contents.

The company was incorporated under the name of Dr. W.S. Rice in 12/1900. The incorporators were Dr. W.S. Rice, Henry G. Hubbard, Demas W. Young, Alberto B. Rice, Parley H. Johnson, all of Adams, and Harry Mather of Chicago. The corporation had $20,000 capital stock, 4,000 shares at $5. a share. Dr. Rice held 2,000 shares of the stock and each of the other directors four each.

In 1903 Mr. Rice purchased the old grade school on Wardwell Street and renovated it and built an addition on the south side of the former school building. In the 3/10/1903 issue of the Journal the following notice appeared:

In June 1905 the Capt. W.A. Collings Co. of Watertown was incorporated with a capital stock of $125,000., to manufacture and deal in trusses and patent medicines. The directors were: W.S. Rice, Ransom H. Snyder and Dewey H. Hurd, all of Adams. In 1909 the Collings Co. had to move to larger quarters in Watertown (Stone Street) due to the increase in business. The company moved again in 1951 to (State Street). The Collings Company was moved to Adams in 1959.

In 1912 the Rice Company was chartered by the secretary of state, to make and sell drugs, surgical appliances, etc. The capital stock was placed at $110,000. Consisting of shares of $100. Each, and the directors were: William S. Rice, Gertrude A. Rice and Arthur L. Rice.

On 6/24/1920 the Rice factory on Wardwell Street burned to the ground. The 6/30/1920 issue of the journal relates the details: Thursday night about 10:30 o’clock the W.S. Rice Rupture Cure plant was discovered to be on fire by Earl Bettinger, who was returning to his home on Park Street. He ran to J.J. Chapman’s home nearby, and with Mr. Chapman, Will Underwood and his nephew, Albert Hunt, who lives next door, they gave the alarm and breaking into the factory and attempted to use the fire extinguishers and hose, but which failed to work. By this time the place was full of smoke and several explosions added to the intense heat. The men found themselves shut in the cellar as the door had closed behind them; at last, however, Chapman made his way out and calling to the others was able to get them to safety. None were burned seriously with the exception of Albert Hunt, whose face, arms, shoulders and chest were painfully burned, but fortunately is recovering satisfactorily.

On November 26, 1920 the new Rice Factory was opened for the public to see. The 12/1/1920 issue of the journal gives the follow account:

The building as completed presented a brilliant appearance Wednesday evening, being lighted from basement to roof. A lighting system of the most modern type installed by Geeson Bros. of this village, made the entire plant as light as day. On the upper floor, the guests were shown the various products of the company. This floor will be used as the manufacturing department. In the basement is located the printing department, one of the most complete private plants in the country.

The 4/7/1937 issue of the Journal reported the death of William S. Rice:

William S. Rice’s son, Charles Kent Rice, ran the company after his father’s death in 1937 until his own death in 1953 at the age of 58 years. During World War 2 the companies expansion to foreign countries was cut down, but in 1953 the company employed 80 people. C. Kent Rice was succeeded as president of the company by his son, William Kent Rice.

In December 1962 the W.S. Rice Co. acquired the Compo Seal Company from its parent company, Stanford Rubber Supply Co. The firm made truss pads from vegetable compound and latex for nearly all truss manufacturers in the United States and Canada. The manufacture of these pads was moved to Adams. The 12/26/1962 issue of the Journal reported the following regarding the manufacture of these truss pads: Each truss manufacturing firm generally requires different sizes and shapes for pads used in their particular product. In all, the Rice company will have about 500 different wooden pad molds filed according to company name. When an order is received the particular mold is brought out and used as a master copy being pressed in large trays of cornstarch. The resulting print is then used to receive the vegetable oil compound which when mixed with an acid cooks it to the proper degree of hardness. The amount of acid used determines the degree of resiliency ordered by a company for their pads. Order range from 100 pads to 2,000. One was received recently for 6,900. Not all orders for pads however, come from the usual sources. An order was received recently from a music supply house for 5,000 soft pads for use as violin chin rests.

Also in December 1962 the Soft-Ease Company rented the top floor of the Rice building. The company was established in Watertown in January 1960 with Roger L. Hyde, president; William K. Rice, vice president; Robert Diefendorf, Treasurer and George C. Hyde, treasurer. The company employed 4 people and manufactured a vinyl film hospital bed draw sheet with an insert of soft, cushiony polyether padding. They also made crib and bassinet mattresses for hospitals.

By 1966, due to labor saving devices and other reasons, the Rice Co. only employed about 35 people. They began to manufacture, in addition to the trusses and pads, golf cart covers, sea anchors, lure bags, and swimming pool covers. Also in 1966 the Crescent Corset Company of Cortland opened a branch manufacturing operation in Adams and rented the top floor of the Rice building. The company manufactured girdles, which were sold almost entirely through the J.C. Penney Co. When production began in May 1966 the company employed 22. The starting wage for the sewing machine operators was $50. per week. The crescent Corset Company closed in 1973.

In 1974 the Lally Manufacturing Co. began leasing the top two floors of the Rice building and the Rice Company operations were moved to the basement. In September 1974 the building was sold to the Lally Company and the Rice Company leased the basement.

In 1983 the Rice Company moved from the large brick building on the east side of Wardwell Street to the former Adams Bowling club building on the west side of Wardwell Street. The company continued to make latex pads, trusses, bed wedges. At this time they had 13 employees. The W.S. Rice Company closed on June 28, 1991.

The W.S. Rice Co. was not the only business the Rice family was involved in here in Adams. In 1898 Arthur Leffingwell Rice, brother of William S. Rice, discovered the use of a new type of cement binder for water colors. He received a patent in 1900 for Powdrpaint water colors which he called ‘paint without oil’. He established the A.L. Rice Company. Powdrpaint was a dry powder, which mixed with cold water, made a paint. It was advertised as weatherproof, fireproof, sunproof and sanitary. Powdrpaint water colors could be used in combination with other ingredients for various painting purposes: he added turpentine to the paint formula to cover grease spots on floors and walls, raw or boiled linseed oil was added for painting in rainy climates, kerosene was added for painting iron work, a little varnish was added to make a thin glaze finish, castor oil & turpentine were added to make a window shade or roll-scenery paint, and to keep walls germ free and washable (such as in schools and hospitals) formaldehyde added to wash water hardened to powdrpaint colors and killed germs. The powdrpaint sold for 90 cents for 5 lb. carton; $4.37 for 25 lb. box; $8.50 for 50 lb. box; $16.50 for 100 lb. keg and $54.25 for 350 lb. barrel.

The company was incorporated as A.L. Rice, Inc. in January 1906 for the sale of oil and water paints, walls coatings, general merchandise and mail orders. The capital stock was $25,000. and the directors were: Arthur L. Rice, William S. Rice, and R.H. Snyder.

Twice the Powdrpaint warehouse burned down, first on 11/4/1901 and again on 4/8/1907. The 4/9/1907 issue of the journal gives the following account of the fire:

The following week the company was using a barn on Wardwell Street for its warehouse and in June 1907 the warehouse was moved to the old Waite malthouse on Spring Street. By 1914 the warehouse and shipping department was located on Railroad Street (W. Church St.) and the office was in the W.S. Rice building on Wardwell Street and there were branches in Chicago and New York City. He employed from 12 to 20 people. In April 1920 Mr. Rice built an addition 30x72 feet that was connected with the building on Railroad Street, located below the depot.

Mr. Rice also developed and maketed ‘Disinfecto’ - a germ killing disinfectant, cleansing and healing agent. Brochures from the company advertised several uses for Disinfecto, such as:

For cuts, sores, bruises, sprains, mosquito bites and bee stings - use 1 teaspoonful diluted with 1 pint of water and bathe the affected part frequently. In the Bath - to cleanse the pores of the skin, also relieves perspiration - use 1 tablespoon in an ordinary bath. For scrubbing Floors, woodwork, slate and tile - use 1 tablespoon in a pail of water. For washing stationary laundry tubs - use 2 tablespoons to a pail of water. For garbage cans, prevents odors and rids them of flies - use 1 tablespoon to 3 pints of water. As an insecticide to get rid of roaches, bed bugs, ants - wash the infected places occasionally with 1 tablespoon to a pint of water. In the Stable to prevent foul odors and germs spray the floors and walls with a solution of 4 tablespoons to a pail of water. For washing and cleaning horses and cattle - use 2 tablespoons to a pail of water. In the hen house - spray roosts and walls weekly and the floor occasionally after cleaning, to kill foul odors and to ride the place of fleas and lice - use 2 tablespoons to a gallon of water. As a Sheep Dip - use 1 gallon to not more than 70 gallons of water. The cost of ‘Disinfecto’ - 1 quart - 40 cents; 1/2 gallon - 80 cents; 1 gallon can - $1.30; 5 gallon can - $6. and 50 gallon barrel - $55.

Arthur Rice died suddenly on 10/11/1920 in Washington, DC while on a business trip. He was 59 years old. The company was run by Karl W. Rice from 1920 to 12/1/1934 when he sold it to Herbert E. Woodward. The company failed to secure a major promoter and succumbed to the competition.

DEW, one of the first Water Softeners on the market, was invented in 1924 by ADams native, Karl B. Norton. He was a chemist at the Solvay Process Co. His idea for the water softener was a combination of a by-product crystal at the Solvay plant. He became partner with Charles E. Brownell and began making ‘DEW’ in Syracuse. Two years later they brought the packaging department to Adams. The crystal water-softener was shipped i large wooden barrels by train and delivered to a building on West Church Street near the Snyder Machinery business. The company also produced and marketed ‘Sparkle’ - used for cleaning bar and fountain glasses, silverware and dishes; ‘Bonderma’ - a foot powder; and ‘HTH-15’ - a water purifier. After a time the products were packaged in the Brownell garage on East Church Street. When Mr. Brownell died in 1934 the company passed to Mr. & Mrs. Karl Rice (Mrs. Rice was a daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Brownell). Mr. Rice devised a contraption to fill the DEW containers. DEW was taken upstairs in the barn, and via a chute, came downstairs at the pull of a lever, to fill each box with the right amount. The company failed to secure a major promoter and about 1947 it succumbed to competition from Proctor & Gamble, Colgate and others.