My Genealogy Hound

GEORGE W. GIPE, one of the very earliest settlers in Harlan county and one of the most prosperous farmers in the Prairie Dog Creek valley, was born in Dark county, Ohio, February 18, 1848, and is the fifth child in a family of thirteen children born to William and Mariah (Miller) Gipe. Both the parents are natives of Pennsylvania, the former being born in the year 1816 and the latter in 1812. The parents of our subject moved from Ohio to Black Hawk county, Iowa, then the Western frontier, when he was but four years old, and he, in consequence thereof, has little or no recollection of his native birthplace. He spent his boyhood days attending school and laboring on his father’s farm until eighteen years of age, when his parents moved again, settling in Buchanan county, in the same state. Our subject, having accompanied his parents, engaged in farming in that county and remained there until 1871, when, in June, he emigrated West and settled in Prairie Dog township, Harlan county, Nebr., pre-empting a quarter section in section 32, which he homesteaded two and a half years afterwards. The country was thronged with buffalo, and herds numbering up in the thousands were commonly seen during the summer months. Deer, antelope and elk, while not as plentiful as buffalo, were quite numerous. Wild game furnished the principal food for the first few years, and many are the buffalo that fell a victim to his deadly aim. He came to Harlan county with a Mr. Parish, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this work, and they lived together the first year. When he left Iowa his worldly effects consisted of the clothes on his back and $1.50 in his pocket. When he reached his destination he had 75 cents capital on which to start business on the wild Western frontier. The first year he broke out six acres, but on account of the drought and molestations by the Indians, who flocked through the country on hunting expeditions, was unable to raise much. In 1874, he had twenty-two acres of crops totally destroyed by the grasshoppers, which were so numerous that year that they swarmed over the country like a thunder cloud, destroying all vegetation that lay in their way. So numerous were they in the valley, that they would settle in the tops of the trees so thick that the limbs would bend over and sometimes break entirely off. Although the hardships of pioneer life were discouraging to Mr. Gipe, he has, through his indomitable courage and invincible determination, worked steadily on until he is to-day in comfortable circumstances and enjoying that prosperity which comes only to the industrious worker. He now owns two hundred and forty acres of as fine land as lays in the valley and has a good portion of it in a high state of cultivation. Mr. Gipe was married March 30, 1877, to Ella Moore, a most estimable lady, who was born in Schuyler county, Ill., January 10, 1859. Their union has resulted in the birth of six children, namely — Victor, born January 20, 1878; Harry, born April 5, 1880; Essie M., born November 22, 1882; Ray, born March 20, 1884; Leonard, born September 10, 1885; Louisa, born February 27, 1889. Politically, Mr. Gipe is a republican. He has filled the office of constable of his township two terms, that of road supervisor five terms, and that of treasurer four terms, which last named office he now holds. He is also secretary of the Farmers’ Alliance.