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Jasper County, Iowa
Historical and Genealogical Data Exchange
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W. F. Loupee Mr. Loupee was born on August 27, 1853, in Cass
County, Michigan, the son of George and Julia (Philo) Loupee, the father a
native of Germany, born on March 15, 1826.
When a babe, two and one-half years old, he was brought to America by his
parents, in an old-style sailing vessel, which, during the voyage, was driven on
a rock upon which it stuck fast for thirty-six hours. The family soon came on to
Massillon, Ohio, but a few years later moved to Michigan, where the elder Loupee
died. His son, George, father of
the subject, learned the cooper's trade, which he followed during the winter
months, engaging in farming in the summer time, following this for about four
years, then he traded his farm of eighty acres for ninety-six acres in Jasper
County and for three years he farmed in Kellogg Township, then took his family
back to Michigan, but retained his farm here, returning to it five years later,
in 1869, and there he lived until 1905, successfully engaged in general
agricultural pursuits, then retired and moved to Newton, where his death
occurred on Christmas day, 1908, at the age of eighty-two years.
His wife preceded him to the grave in 1875.
After her death he married Henrietta Rhuark. Louis, brother of George
Loupee, uncle of the subject, served in the Civil War, and was promoted from
private to the rank of captain for meritorious service.
Eight children were born to George Loupee and his first wife, namely: W.
F., of this sketch; Henry is farming in Newton Township; two children died in
infancy; Estella married Angelo Smith and they live on a farm in South Dakota;
Sarah married W. A. Walker and lives in New Sharon; Minnie married E. M. McBroom
and they live on a farm at Laurel, Iowa; Addie married E. E. Broughton, who is
in a furniture store in Belmont, Iowa. Six
children were born to George Loupee and his second wife, named as follows:
John, who is living in Malaka Township, this County; Cyrus also lives
there; Ida married D. R. Munn and they live on a farm in South Dakota; Alva, who
has remained unmarried, lives in Malaka Township; Josie married Herman Oartwig
and they live near Baxter; George, who is still single, lives in Malaka
Township. The mother of the above
named children passed to her rest on September 30, 1910. W. F. Loupee received
his schooling in the district schools in Michigan and Jasper County. When he
reached his majority he was united in marriage with Mary Smith Wing, on March 3,
1874. She is descended from a
distinguished ancestry, being a direct descendant on her father's side of Edward
Fuller, who was one of the famous band of Pilgrims who landed at Plymouth Reckon
the Mayflower. Her father, Elijah Wing, was the son of Mary (Smith) Wing, who
was the only daughter of Josiah Smith, one of the signers of the Declaration of
Independence and who subsequently became a United States senator from
Massachusetts, and a monument erected at his grave in that state bears the
following inscription: Hon. Josiah Smith, U. S. Senator for Massachusetts, died
April 4, 1802, aged 65 years. Elijah Wing was
born in Massachusetts and in that state he was married to Katheryne Barge, which
union resulted in the birth of five children, as follows:
Mary Smith Wing, who married W. F. Loupee, of this sketch, her birth
occurring on December 10, 1857, at Geneseo, Illinois.
It will be noticed that she bears the name of her illustrious ancestor,
Smith; she was the youngest of the family.
The others are: Jane E. married Joseph Lodge, formerly a farmer of
Kellogg Township, but they now live in Cedar Rapids; Roxana, wife of Judge Cook,
lives in Cedar Rapids; he was formerly judge of the district court, and lived in
Newton; he was twice elected to Congress from this district.
He is now attorney for the Chicago & Milwaukee railroad and is one of
the distinguished men of the state. Melissa
Wing married William Renshaw, formerly a farmer in Kellogg Township, and her
death occurred at Stewart, Iowa. Melancthon, formerly a farmer in Mariposa
Township, is now living in Omaha. Mr. Wing was
accidentally killed in a runaway in Newton when he was seventy-five years of
age. His wife died in Algona, Iowa,
in 1884, at the age of seventy-two years. They came to Jasper County in 1867, and became well
established and well known here, honored by all for their integrity and
hospitality. W. F. Loupee has always been
an agriculturist. His first purchase of land was eighty acres, with his
earnings, in Mariposa Township, which he sold two years later, but soon
afterwards bought one hundred and forty acres in Kellogg Township, and after
four years he sold that and later bought one hundred and eighty-five acres in
the same Township. He cultivated
that place with his usual success for ten years, then sold it and bought one
hundred and fifty-eight acres in Newton Township, for which he paid seventy-five
dollars per acre in 1891. This fine
farm he sold five years later for one hundred and fifteen dollars per acre.
In the meantime he had bought two hundred acres in Kellogg Township,
which he retained three years before selling. At the present time he has an
interest in two farms in Kellogg Township, besides his handsome home in the
suburbs of Newton, which is modernly furnished and in the midst of attractive
surroundings, his holdings here comprising twenty-five acres of valuable land.
This place he purchased five years ago and has since erected the splendid
residence there, and this has been his place of abode ever since, leading a
retired life, merely overseeing his farms.
He has been very successful in a business way, considering the fact that
he started in life for himself with nothing and has fought his own way to the
front, having long been regarded as one of the leading general farmers and stock
raisers in the County. Fraternally,
he is a member of the blue lodge, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, also the
Knights Templar and the Royal Arch degrees have been conferred on him.
He is a dimitted member of the Order of the Eastern Star chapter at
Kellogg. Mrs. Loupee is a faithful
member of the Congregational Church in Newton, and they both stand high in
social circles in this vicinity, enjoying the good will and esteem of a vast
number of friends and acquaintances. To Mr. and Mrs. Loupee have been born the following children: Anna married Marion Williams; they live in Kellogg Township and have four children; Gertrude is a teacher of much ability, having taught several of the rural schools, and in Lynnville, Sully and Sac City; Fanny married Fred Whitaker; they own a farm in Kellogg Township, but are now living in Newton, and they have two children; Jay T., who lives in Kellogg Township, married Hannah Anderson, daughter of H. P. Anderson, and they have three children; Floy, who recently completed the four years' course in the Newton high school, is an accomplished musician. These children have all been educated in the Newton schools and the daughters have all taught school, except the youngest. The Past and Present
of Jasper County, Iowa, Gen. James B. Weaver, Editor-in-Chief, 1912, B. F.
Bowden & Co., Indianapolis, IN, p. |
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