Ripley, Eugene W.

RIPLEY, LOVELAND, TEETER

Posted By: Roseanna Zehner
Date: 7/25/2006 at 12:11:41

RIPLEY, EUGENE W.

Eugene W. Ripley, whose farm home is in section 28, Grant township, is one of the few original homesteaders of Lyon county, who are still living on the land secured by them in their first entry. He was born in Cooperstown, New York, March 31, 1842, and was the second child and oldest son born to Noah W. and Julia (Loveland) Ripley. The father was a shoemaker, while the son, Eugene W., was mostly employed as a farm help until the breaking out of the Civil war. In May, 1861, the son enlisted in Company F, Thirty-fourth New York Volunteer Infantry, for two years' service. The first engagement in which he participated was that known as Balll's Bluff, and then he passed through the Peninsular campaign, having a hand in such battles as the first and second battles of Bull Run, Antietam, Fredericksburg, and other fierce and bloody struggles. When the term of two years had expired, Mr. Ripley returned, but soon reenlisted, becoming a member of Company C, Second Regiment New York Veteran Cavalry. Here he first engaged in struggle with the enemy at the capture of Mobile, being under command of General Steele. Throughout he had a record of fourteen set battles and many skirmishes that in other wars would be "battles," and happily to say, returned uninjured.

After the war Mr. Ripley started on the overland route for California, going as far as Missouri, where he stopped for two years, and engaged in farming, going back in the interim for a wife in his native state. At the end of this time her health failed, and they returned to New York. In March, 1871, Mr. Ripley came to Lyon county and he ks known as the first permanent settler of Grant township. He built a sod house, and wrote his wife he was building a house of Iowa brick. Imagine her feelings when she was driven up to a sod house 12 by 13 feet in dimensions, with a dirt floor and a sod fireplace. These were gloomy days for the wives, many tears of homesickness watered the fertile plains of Iowa.

A yoke of steers and a wagon were his stock in trade. He raised corn and vegetables on the sod for the first winter. The grasshopper period was a dark time for the inmates of the little sod house, for they became very destitute despite Mr. Ripley's best efforts at teaming and other work as it could be found. The little shanty was almost a hotel, so popular a stopping place did it become.

In the winter of 1872, while gone with a yoke of oxen for provisions at Beloit, forty miles away, Mr. Ripley was caught in a blizzard,, and came near losing his life. For five hours he fought against the storm, and finally reached the Sanderson farm, where he was taken in and cared for. Mr. Ripley had a friend with him, and as they found the mistress of the house alone and out of fuel, despite their exhausted condition they made haste to furnish a new supply. Two days passed before it was possible for them to proceed home.

Mr. Ripley is a member of the Methodist church, and a staunch Republican. He was married in 1867 to Miss Julia Teeter, and to their union were born eight children: Grant E., Charles R., Mattie J. (deceased), Arthur W., Edward and Fred, twins (Edward deceased), Minnie J. and Gracie.

Mrs. Ripley, who has a most entertaining store of reminiscences of the old times, relates the following blizzard story of a lost Irishman:

During the winter of 1872 and 1873 she and her brother were alone in the little shanty, which was all but buried in the deep snows of that winter. It was almost bed time when they were startled by a noise as of some animal scratching and thumping near the door. The door was thrown open, but little could be seen except a huge bank of snow almost filling the doorway. Sounds of deep breathing, grunts and a few strange noises were heard. Then a most grotesque apparition was thrust into the doorway by his companion, sliding in feet foremost and bringing with him a great quantity of snow, came a son of the Emerald Isle. Hatless, with his long red hair sticking straight up, his clothes filled with snow, he lay on the floor, wholly helpless, a pitiful object yet comical in his sad plight. His companion followed and then it was learned that the two had been wandering for hours. The Irishman, who was not warmly clothed, had given up, and been dragged along by his companion. By chance they had come across the little prairie home where they received hospitable treatment. This was the welcome given to all strangers in those good old neighborly times.

Source: Compendium of History Reminiscence and Biography of Lyon County, Iowa. Published under the Auspices of the Pioneer Association of Lyon County. Geo. Monlun, Pres.; Hon. E. C. Roach Sec’y; and Col. F. M. Thompson, Historian. Geo. A. Ogle & CO., Published, Engravers and Book Manufacturers. Chicago, 1904-1905

Transcribed by Roseanna Zehner, Darlene Jacoby and Diane Johnson