Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1870-12-29

This NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS., VINO KNOWS
more practically about Bees and their
proper culture than any other person
in our country, is in the city and the
guest Of Gen. Wilson, Of the Home
s;ead. Mrs. Upper is well known
to the reading portion of the Iowa
world as its queen bee Of all bee
keepers, and her fame as an Apiarist
is known and acknowledged in every
State, and by the Department Of Ag-
riculture at Washington. A woman,
who, by dint of her own brai ms and
hard work, has achieved SO enviable
q reputation, is worthy Of the hom-
sge OF men who admire that which
is so good in woman-strong knowl-
edge Of and practical application to
all that may come up in busy life.
Mrs. Topper was born in Providence,
Rhode Island, in April, 1882, and
removed from there with the family
to Calais, Maine, at about the age of
fifteen years. Her education was
sich a one as the schools Of that day
furnished, limited but thorough.
Outside of her school studies she
found time to thoroughly master
both the German and French lam
cuages. In December, 1853, she was
married to her most worthy hus-
bond, Allen Upper, Esq, and
removed from Maine to a home near
Boston. Seventeen years ago, they
came west and at once pitched their
home at Brighton, in Washington
County, openingup farm, and upon
which they have lived continuously
10 date. In the trials attending life
in new country Mrs. Upper proved
herself to be such rs a man would
desire; in word, she was true wife
and devoted mother. At the age Of
sixteen, she entered the lists opened
by the old Methodist magazine, The
Mother's assistant and Young Lady's
Friend, and competed with one hun
dred others for the prize Of 500 for
the best story suitable for that publ
cation. Though decomposition was
30 great, and many old writers count
ed therein, her production was Sc
lected as the best, and was extensively
republished throughout the New
England States. She, Of course, Sc
cured the prize, and with it the
congratulations Of many scholars Of
note. Other contributions from her
pen appeared in other publications,
but she had no thought of making
the quill the means Of making her
Tread, butter and honey. Eleven
years ago she took up the study Of
Bee culture, and Immediately made
it practical by engaging in the work
in manner as extensive as their
means would allow. At this time
her pen earned her the first money
as wages, and it was in this wise:
They wanted the Semi-Weekly
Uamkeyc at their house, but were
not able to subscribe without drain
ing from q source which was in such
condition that nothing could be
spared. Clark Durham was mt that
time the editor Of that paper, and
arrangements were made whereby
the household received the paper,
and Mrs. Upper m additional 80
for her contributions. After this she
successfully competed for several pre-
miums offered on essays on bee-cult-
IRE by Agricultural Societies, and
one in particular was the one which
was adopted by the Department of
Agriculture and published in the
Report for 1865, This essay has been
re.published by all the leading agri-
cultural papers in America, and has
the stamp OF an article that will live.
The Government paid her $500 for
the work. aud -gaNe her sas s eeff,ftifttess
amount Of official praise. Seven or
eight years ago Mrs. Upper COM
menced writing for the Homestead,
and Of her writings in that paper our
Iowa people are thoroughly nc
quainted. Later her wares found a
good demand in the columns of the
Prairie Farmer Of Chicago, the R,ual
World Of st. Louis, the Hearth and
Home and Bee Keepers Journal of
New York, and other journals. She
has made the care aud culture of
pure Italian Queen Bees q speciality,
and there is no one in the country
who ia taken rs better or as good
authority on the subject. Her stock
10 all imported from the region
round about Lake Como, Italy, and
her enterprise has done very much
toward elevating agriculture in the
West. On their farm they keep al