Born in Hope, Rhode Island, Pirce attended the common schools and Smithville Seminary (now Lapham Institute).

For ten years, he was a manager of his father's cotton mills, store and counting room in Simmons Upper Village, a part of Johnston.

Then from 1862 to 1873, Pirce was the assessor of internal revenue for the second district of Rhode Island and, in 1863, he was appointed paymaster with rank of major in the State militia.

The 1884 results were successfully contested by Charles H. Page, and the seat was declared vacant because of election irregularities.

This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress