The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1918-05-16
Life Sketch of
Mrs. Lucy Ripley


sketch of the late Mrs Lucy NJ Rip
ley has been handed TO The Da ly
Record for publication. by her son
Winfield Ripley. OF Lincoln Park In
consideration of the fact that the de
ceased was widely known this com
munity. vas a pioneer OF Colorado
and was widely konwn in this com
mun;ty, il will be found 10 be very
Interesting to our readers.
"Mrs. Lucy NJ. Ripley was born at
Pittsfield, Ohio. February %. 1Sf1. and
died at Canon City. April 2s. 1915.
She is survived by -FOUR brothers and
two sisters, in addition to her immed-
med ate family, consisting Of five sons
and one daughter.
Mrs. Ripley was converted TO the
Christian faith and Joined the Congre-
eationai church when a young girl. in
Ohio. After coming to Colorado. she
united with the Presbyterian church
and lived in accordance with its
teach ngs. She was married to Aaron
Ripley in Canca City. in 1862
In order 10 maintain Sunday
school while her children were small.
she acted in the capacity OF superin-
tendent and teacher for number of
years at the old home on Garden
Park She lived consecrated. unset
fish life and was highly esteemed by
all txho know her
Her death was unexpected and none
OF her absent children were able to
come TO her before she passd away
Her son. Winfield. and wife and her
sister. Miss Nettie Lucas, were with
her at the last All OF her children
were present at the funeral. exeeut,
Alfred Ripley. of TaIlingham. Wash.
who was prevented from attendance
by illness in his family.
All Of the children OF the deceased
are married. Her only daughter lives
at Bishop. California Her son Jos
eph. lives at Pueblo: Wilbur. at Kan
sas City; David. at Unity. Oregon;
Winfield. on Lincoln Park and Alfred
at Bellineham, Washington.
Mrs. Lucy NJ. Ripley left her home
in Ohio in the suring of 1865 for the
west. She went by railroad to Chey-
enne. Wyoming. and came from Chey-
enne to Canon City by stage coach
For time after her arrival here. she
stayed at the Helm hotel; the only
place of public entertainment here at
that time. During the summer OF
1865 she kept house for her brothers.
Amasa and Ira Lucas. on Wilson
creek. some six or eight miles north
of Canon City. Frequently she would
be disturbed from her slnmber at
night by wild animals; particularly
by mountain lions. which were very
abundant in that neishborhood. The
next winter she kept house for her
brother. Amasa. who had taken UP a
Homestead on Garden Park. In the
summer of 1869. she went with a
friends to Fairplay to hep in hotel
and It was while there that she first
met Mr.. Ripley. TO whom she was mar
RED in Canon City during the Christ
mas holidays. After their wedding.
Mr.. and Mrs Ripley returned to Fair
play where they made their home un
til they removed TO Garden Park in
1870 10 take NJ homestead. This.
they sold short time afterwards and
purchased the place whore they re
sided for IS years. Again they
sold out and bo; a home on Lincoln
Park. where they. both passed away.
Garden Park was at the time they
first went there. what its name implies
an ideal place TO live. with hunting
and fishing. The Eeiehbors were fed
and Indians were frequent visitors,
sitho generally kindly disposed. At
many times during Mrs. Ripley's resi-
! dence on GARDEN Park. there was sick
ness in the family and she was both
physician and nurse Her disposition
was 10 extend helping hand TO all in
need and II was not an uncommon oc-
currence Tor the Indian squaws to
bring their sick babies 10 her for as
I sistance
Mr.. Ripley was the second farmer
to try apple raising in Fremont coun-
ty and he planted ten acres of orch
ard on Garden Park in 1855 and
proved the success OF that industry
there. Before that time Mr.. Fetch
had set out few apple trees in that
/ locality. Mr.. and Mrs. Ripley reared