The National tribune., 1909-12-02
BEST BELOVED MAN IN sCRAN-
TON"
Death of Col. Ezra II. Ripple, Veteran
and PiiiIanthrOpiSt.

| The Scranton papers give up many
columns of space to the death and fu-
neral of Comrade Ezra II. Ripple, whom
they pronounce "ScrantOns beSt-be-
loved citizen" Comrade Ripples death
resulted from stroke of paralysis sus-
tanned while sitting at his desk in the
post office. Comrade Ripple came from
an old Hesse Darmstadt family, which
| had migrated TO this country before
the Revolution. and many members of
the family fought in the War for Inde-
pendence. He was born at Manch
Chunk in 1912, but when he was Is
years of age his father moved to Scran-
ton, and young Ripple graduated from
the Wyoming Seminary. He was en-
gagged in the drug business when the
war broke out, and not only promptly
enlisted himself but aided in raising
Co. II, 18th Pa. with which he fought
galantly at Antietam. Subsequently he
was in an emergency regiment then
enlisted in the 57th Pa, and was cap
tured in 1864 when the Confederates
made a night attack on the works in
front of Charleston. He was in Ander-
sonville, Charleston and Florence Prfs-
ons, and from the latter place made
sensational attempt to escape being
DllltH ana IDII ny litc uOEo
upon his recapture. After his muster
out he completed his education, and
later entered business with William
Connell, the great coal magnate, as his
associate. He took a deep interest in
the National Guard, was Captain of Co.
d. 18th Pa. National Guard, and rose
thru all the grades to the rank of Col
onel commanding the regiment Gov.
Hastings appointed him Commissary-
General on his staff, in which position
ne was continued by Gov. Stone. He
also served on the staffs of other Gov
ernors, giving 30 years Of service in the
militia. He served three years as Treas
urer OF Lackawanna County, and was
then, for four years Mayor of Scranton.
During his term of Office he greatly i'm
proved the city's financial position, and
helped inaugurate the electric-light and
electrician systems and start asphalt
pavcments. He was a fine business
man, and did more than any other
Mayor of Scranton to place the city's
finances upon sound business founda-
ton. He was high degree Mason, but
the Grand Army of the Republic was
dearest to his heart. Next to this was
his desire to encourage patriotic educa-
ton. He was Past Commander Of Lieut..
Ezra S. Griffin Post, and devoted a
great deal of his time to the Posts up
building and efficiency. As member
O1 lIG oiptltIS soCilOUi SOII-
mission COmrade Ripple gave much Of
his time to the school and to the or
phans of his dead dfcomrades. His busi-
ness ability gained him much wealth,
which he dispensed with a free hand
to his comrades and their dependent
ones. No movement for the public
benefit failed to- receive his earnest
sympathy and substantial financial help,
and his charities we're almost limitless.
The body lay in state at Scranton,
with an endless stream of people pay
ing their respects to the man whom
everybody regarded as his friend. Gov.
Edwin S. Stuart was present with his
staff, and leading men from all over
the State came to pay their last re-
SpectS. The National Guard was strongly
represented in the funeral procession,
as well as several hundred veterans in
Grand Army uniform. His own Post
sent Guard of Honor. composed of ].
C. De Graw, Commander of the Post:
Conrad Schenaninger, John w. Brown
and G. w. Gerry, who were in full G..
A. r. uniform and carried the muskets
they had used so effectively more than
40 years ago. A wealth of flowers was
sent TO decorate the coffin, with all the
various orders and organizations with
which Comrade Ripple officiated send
ing magnificent pieces. Among the more
touching of these was a contribution
from the Sunday school class which
Comrade Ripple had taught for MANY
years.