William Marsh Rice (March 14, 1816 - September 23, 1900) was born in Springfield, Massachusetts. He made his fortune in Texas by trading cotton, and investing in land and railroads. He left the bulk of his estate to the founding of a free institute of higher learning in Houston, Texas. Opening 1912 as "William Marsh Rice Institute for the Advancement of Literature, Art, and Science", it is known today as Rice University. Wikipedia
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