Nobles County MN Archives Biographies.....Tripp, Edgar A. 1850 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/mn/mnfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com October 21, 2006, 9:20 pm Author: Arthur P. Rose (1908) EDGAR A. TRIPP, ex-mayor of Worthington, and proprietor of the Worthington flouring mills, has lived in Nobles county twenty-five years, and during all of that time has taken a prominent part in the affairs of the community in which he lived, as well as the county as a whole, and has held many offices of trust within the gift of the people. He was born near the little inland postoffice of Lee Center, in Lee county, Ill., December 29, 1850, the eldest of fourteen children. His father, David Tripp, was born in New York state in 1828 and died Aug. 14, 1889. His mother, Emily (Mayo) Tripp, was also a native of New York state, having been born there in May, 1831. She is still living in Round Lake village. The Tripp family is an old one in America, and came originally from the north of England. The first American settlement was made in Connecticut, but later the branch from which our subject is descended became residents of Onandago county, New York, and there they lived for several generations. Edgar A. lived in Lee county, Ill., until eighteen years of age, receiving his education in a little red country school house, and when not engaged with his studies worked on the farm. In February, 1869, he drove to Marshall county, Iowa, preceding his parents several months, and there he was destined to pass many years of his life. His father erected a dwelling there, which proved to be the. first building erected in the town of Liscomb. For two years after coming to Iowa our subject attended a graded school; then for two years more he engaged in farming. He began teaching school in 1874, and for several years was thus employed, teaching in country and town schools, and finishing his teaching as principal of the Liscomb school. In the meantime Mr. Tripp had learned the telegrapher's trade and in the spring of 1881 he gave tip teaching and took a position with the Iowa Central Railroad company as a telegraph operator. For several months he was on the extra list, and was assigned temporarily to the stations at Mason City, Ackley, and other places. In the' fall of 1881 he began working for the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern Railroad company, and secured a regular station at Holland, Grundy county, Iowa, as telegraph operator, station agent, express messenger, etc. He held this position until March, 1883. During the summer of 1883, in company with a partner, he engaged in farming near Holland. He sold out his farming interests to his partner and accepted a position as station agent and telegraph operator at the new station of Round Lake, Nobles county, arriving there on October 15, 1883. He had charge of that station for eight and one-half years. During this period he was also engaged in the hay, lumber and other businesses, for several years being practically the only resident of the village. In the early spring of 1892 Mr. Tripp engaged in farming and stock raising, having purchased a tract of land within the limits of the village, and his home was in Round Lake until December, 1896. Then he moved to Worthington, having been elected that fall to the office of county auditor, and the county seat town was his home until the present year. Mr. Tripp has held many official positions since coming to Nobles county. The first of these was in 1886, when he was elected chairman of the board of supervisors of Indian Lake township, which office he held many years. He also served as town clerk several terms. He helped to organize school district No. 77 (Round Lake) and was the first clerk, holding the office six years. He was appointed county commissioner in January, 1894, to succeed C. L. Peterson, who moved from the county. In the fall of that year he was elected to succeed himself, making the race as the nominee of the republican party, of which party he has always been a member. In 1896 he was elected county auditor, was reelected in 1898 and again in 1900. At the expiration of his last term, in the beginning of the year 1903, he retired without suffering defeat. In 1892 he was elected a member of the school board of Independent district No. 5 (Worthington) for a three year term, and was reelected in 1905 for a term of the same length. In the village of Worthington Mr. Tripp has also held office a number of times. He was elected a member of the council in 1902 on the citizens' ticket and served one year. In 1903 he was elected president of the. council, or mayor, on the against license ticket, and served one term. He was elected to the same office in the spring of 1907, and served one year. After leaving the auditor's office in 1903 Mr. Tripp made his home in Worthington, and occupied himself looking after his farming interests. In June, 1906, he purchased a one-half interest in the Worthington flouring mill, M. J. Barber being the owner of the other half interest. In the spring of 1907 Mr. Tripp bought out his partner, and since that time has been the sole owner. In the spring of 1908 he again took up agricultural pursuits, and now resides on his farm in Jackson county. Edgar A. Tripp was married at Liscomb, Iowa, July 18, 1878, to Miss Jennie Elliott, daughter of George and Abi Elliott. To them have been bom the following children, all living at Worthington: Ferderick A., David O., Oakley R., Mildred, Grace, H. Edgar, Leslie E. Mr. Tripp is affiliated with many lodges, holding membership in Fraternity Lodge No. 101, A. F. & A. M., Living Arch Chapter No. 28, R. A. M., Independent Order Odd Fellows No. 219, Ancient Order United Workmen No. 165, and Degree of Honor, Okabena Lodge No. 18. He is also a member of the Worthington Presbyterian church. Additional Comments: Extracted from: AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF NOBLES COUNTY MINNESOTA BY ARTHUR P. ROSE NORTHERN HISTORY PUBLISHING COMPANY WORTHINGTON, MINNESOTA PUBLISHERS 1908 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mn/nobles/bios/tripp89gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/mnfiles/ File size: 6.4 Kb