BIO: JOHN D. HIPPLE, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania
   
  Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Joe Patterson
  OCRed by Judy Banja

  Copyright 2004.  All rights reserved.
  http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
  http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cumberland/
  _____________________________________________________________

  >From Biographical Annals of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania,
  Chicago: The Genealogical Publishing Co., 1905, pages 329-330
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  NOTE: Use this web address to access other bios:
  http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cumberland/zeamer/

  
    JOHN D. HIPPLE, one of the substantial and highly respected business men of
  Lower Allen township, Cumberland county, and one of the self-taught and
  self-made men of this locality, was born Sept. 12, 1859, at West Fairview,
  East Pennsboro township.

    Jacob Hipple, father of our subject, was a nailer by occupation, but
  intending to settle down to farming, he purchased a farm in Dauphin county.
  One day, while assisting a river man with his flat boat, he was accidentally
  killed. He married twice, the two children of his first marriage being: Noah,
  a boat builder of West Fairview; and Susan, Mrs. Dennis Mushaw, of
  Hollidaysburg. His tragic death left his second wife with three children, the
  eldest, our subject, being but five years old, and the others: Jacob, of West
  Fairview township, who married Lottie Wagner; and Lizzie, Mrs. Daniel Knabe,
  of Williamsport, Pa. Later Mrs. Hipple contracted a second marriage, with
  Alexander De Vall, by whom she had two children: George, who married a Miss
  Hess; and Mary, who married George Robeson. Mrs. De Vall died in 1901. She
  was a devoted mother and possessed all the virtues of a good, Christian
  woman. For many years she was a member of the U. B. Church.

    The early death of his father brought many hardships to our subject, and
  one of these was the deprivation of school privileges. Just as soon as he
  could command any wages, he went to work in the nail works at West Fairview,
  at six years old, being placed to watch the "self-feeders," and later he
  learned to feed the nails, at this job getting sixty-five cents a day. Later
  he went on the river, boating sand to McCormick's plate mill, and also got
  out sand for other parties. During the winter seasons he worked as puddler at
  West Fairview and at Harrisburg; as nail feeder at Pittsburg and
  Northumberland, in all some seven years.

    In 1889 Mr. Hipple came to his present location, and married Miss Fanny
  Eichelberger, of East Pennsboro township, daughter of Jacob and Susan
  Eichelberger. In 1893 he removed to Wormleysburg, renting a home and engaging
  in the hauling business. His beginning was with a $35 horse and a $15 wagon,
  and wherever he could get an order, he hauled sand or other commodities. As
  trade increased he and his most capable wife went into the woods and cut a
  sapling from which they fashioned a tongue for their old wagon, bought
  another old horse, and thus had a team. Such thrift brought its own re-

    330  CUMBERLAND COUNTY.

  ward, and the business continued to increase. Sometime afterward Mr. Hippie
  bought an old flat boat from Thomas Nolan and brother, builders who
  constructed the great railway bridge across the Susquehanna river, and who
  formerly were his employers. Considering his present many convenient
  appliances and improved machinery, it is interesting to recall those early
  days when he had to depend alone upon his physical strength. He would push
  the old flat boat into the river, and there load it up where the water was
  low. Business had prospered indeed with him, when he was able to build not
  only one new flat boat, but more, until now he owns eight flat boats, a
  steamboat and a dredge pump to take the place of the old work with a shovel.
  This modern dredge is worked by steam. It is seven years since Mr. Hippie
  began to take out coal from the bottom of the river and he now has appliances
  by which he can dredge the coal and dump it on the flat boats, managing it
  just as he does his operations in sand. He has thus built up a large coal
  trade. Mr. Hipple owns and uses ten head of horses and carts and wagons of
  all kinds, and has a business which is one of the flourishing ones of this
  locality. It gives him considerable solid satisfaction to know that his
  success has come entirely through his own efforts, he having had no
  assistance from any one, with the exception of his most estimable wife. Mrs.
  Hipple has been a helpmate indeed, and deserves much credit.

    In politics Mr. Hipple is a Republican. Fraternally he belongs to the 
  Jr. O. U. A. M. and the Heptasophs.