Washburn County WIGenWeb Project

People Histories

Cyrus S. Tripp
(10 Feb 1847 - ? ¹)

-As transcribed from the "COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF THE UPPER LAKES REGION"

by J. H. Beers & Co., Chicago, IL, 1905

pages 107 - 108

Cyrus S. Tripp, of Shell Lake, is the second oldest settler of Washburn county, the only one antedating him being L. E. Thomas, who still lives in the locality. Mr. Tripp made his homestead claim in 1878, although he came to Bashaw Valley as early as 1875. At that time, as he recalls it, there was but one white woman in what is now Washburn county - Mrs. Rebecca Mullin, since deceased. Mr. Tripp began work as a logger, and in 1878 homesteaded eighty acres in Burnett county, on the Washburn county line. He lived on this claim for five years, then disposed of it and pre-empted the forty acres on which he now lives, and which is well improved and all under excellent cultivation. Mr. Tripp has been an active and progressive farmer, and has proved the productiveness of the soil of the Bashaw Valley.

Mr. Tripp was born in the town of Hanover, Jackson Co., Mich., Feb. 10, 1847. He was brought up on a farm and received a common school education. His parents were Job and Eliza (Sargeant) Tripp, the former a native of New York State, the latter of Vermont. Grandfather Abial Tripp was a pioneer of Hanover, Mich., where he built one of the first houses - a building 30 x 40 feet in dimensions. This house was used for the preaching services int he community for some years, there being no church or other public building.

On April 6, 1884, Mr. Tripp married Catherine McCallum, and they have three sons, vix.: George E., Malin W. and Frederick. Mrs. Tripp was born in Hamilton, Ont., and her parents, Peter and Margaret McCallum, were natives of Glasgow, Scotland. In 1863, while living in Michigan, Mr. Tripp wished to enlist, but was rejected as under size. In February, 1865, however, he was enrolled in Company C, 9th Michigan Volunteer Infantry. He was transferred to the front, to the Army of the Cumberland, where he served until discharged, in the summer of 1865, in Detroit. Mr. Tripp is a member of Nat. Greene Post, No. 243, G. A. R., at Shell Lake. He is a Republican and is more or less interested in local politics.

1 - Editorial Note - No further information could be found pertaining to Cyrus Tripp's death or burial.