# 1 - - - published in Pilot-Tribune, March 28, 1948

COUNTY PIONEER IS DEAD

E.C. LIPPINCOTT, 87, SPENT ENTIRE LIFE ON SAME FARM NORTH OF BLAIR

LAST OF FAMILY WHICH CAME HERE 91 YEARS AGO

(picture of E. C. Lippincot, caption: From ox cart to airplane)

Last of the pioneer Lippincott family which came here 91 years ago, and the oldest resident of Washington County in point of continuous residence, 87-year-old Ephraim C. Lippincott died Sudnay evening after an illness of two years.

His death came as he had wanted it - - at his home north of Blair, on the farm where he was born in 1860 and where he had spent his entire life.

Behind him the aged Cuming City farmer left one of the most pretentious rural homes in the county a spacious showplace adjacent to Highway 73 which he built in 1920. It was a far cry from the log cabin on the same farm where he was born before the Civil War.

In their home the Lippincotts had carried on the family tradition for hospitality which were established more than 90 years ago when Indians and occasional immigrants found a welcome at the Lippincott home and where after the second home was built in 1868, stage coach travelers customarily stayed overnight on the arduous journey between Omaha and Decatur.

Funeral services for Mr. Lippincott, in keeping with his desires, were simple. There were brief rites at the Bendorf Funeral Home at 2 p.m. Tuesday. The Rev. Sidney L. McCaig, pastor of First Methodist Church, officiated and interment was in Blair Cemetery. Pallbearers were descendants of other pioneer neighbors, Fred Peck, Harry Smith, George Badgerow, John Sutton, Norman Warrick and John M. Compton.

PARENTS HERE IN ‘57

Mr. Lippincott’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Joshua C. Lippincott, came originally from the east, Mr. Lippincott from New Jersey, his wife from Virginia. The family paused in Indiana for a time then came westward toward Nebraska.

The Lippincotts came up the Missouri River by boat as far as St. Joseph, Mo., and made the rest of the trip here by ox team, arriving at old Cuming City north of Blair on Aprl 7, 1857. It was just after the hard winter of 1856-57, when there had been six feet of snow on the ground. The Lippincotts’ first view of Nebraska was hardly encouraging. The mud was so deep that the oxen had all they could do to pull the family’s belongings, and Mr. and Mrs. Lippincott had to walk most of the way.

Between 1857 and 1859, a panic developed. The spirit of speculation disappeared, and many who had come here to make fortunes lost heart and returned to their homes. Only those remained who were determined to make homes for themselves. During this period, J. C. Lippincott bought 160 acres of land north of Cuming City from P. C. Cooper, an early-day speculator and built a house from logs and cottonwood lumber.

It was in this pioneer house that Elphraim Coles Lippincott was born Dec. 23, 1860, the youngest of eight children. The other children, all of them now dead, were four girls, Somerville, Mary (Mrs. Leigh Fletcher), Dovey (Mrs. S. R. Fletcher), and Mrs. Lucretia Cantlin, and three boys, Thomas P. Lippincott, an early Blair implement dealer, William J. Lippincott, who later lived at Red Cloud, and James W. Lippincott, a carpenter in Blair.

FARM LONG IMPROVED

J. C. Lippincott early began the improvements which were to make the place one of the most desirable in Washington County. In 1868, a larger house was built and it soon became a popular stopping-off place for the night among stagecoach travelers. Requests for shelter became so numerous that the elder Mr. Lippincott had to make a business of taking in guests, and the place became known as the “Halfway House,” halfway between Omaha and Decatur. Coach horses also were changed here.

It was in this atmosphere of hospitality and activity that E. C. Lippincott grew to manhood. His sisters were married and left home, and his brothers left the farm one by one to make their living at other trades. E. C. remained on the farm. After his father’s death in 1897, he bought the farm from the other heirs for $40 an acre. Improvements came rapidly now. He had most of the “firsts” in the neighborhood and he was interested in crop rotation - - long before others knew much about it. He fought for better roads and schools.

E.C. Lippincott was thrice married. His first wife was Alma Warrick. They had one son, Hugh. His wife died while young, and he married Anna Johns. A son, Glen, was born to them, but died when about a year old. The baby’s mother died soon after. On Sept. 25, 1899, he and Miss Emma Schmidt were married. She survives him, as do the five children by this marriage. The son, Hugh, preceded his father in death.

Besides his wife, Mr. Lippincott leaves two daughters, Mrs. H. Lyle Guyer (Viva) of Blair and Miss Ruth Lippincott, at home; and three sons, E. Clark, Richard and Donald Lippincott, all of Blair. There are 14 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

TRIBUTE BY GRANDDAUGHTER

Some time ago, one of Mr. Lippincott’s grandchildren, Miss Mildred Guyer, wrote a school essay concerning her grandfather. Its final paragraphs are reproduced here with her permission.

“Grandad never reached the age where he wanted to re-live the ‘good old days.’ He was the first to have modern home lighting, first gas and then electricity. He constructed the first power washing machine in the community after reading about one in a farm magazine. He owned the first car in the neighborhood (1910) and the first completely modern house. He was the first to farm with a tractor instead of horses and always owned the latest thing in farm machinery.

“At the age of 81, he expressed a desire to take a ride in a plane. When his wish was granted, he remarked, ‘Now I’ve ridden in everything from the ox team on.’

“Grandad always said that he would never retire and move to town. While the management of the farm has for several years been taken over by his son, Grandad continues to live on the farm where he was born, and is happiest when sitting by the dining room window watching the farming operations or looking at the cars speeding by on the paved highway, which he first knew as an Indian trail.”

# 2 - - from The Enterprise, April 1, 1948

(typed as printed in the newspaper. There are some variations in spellings and facts.)

PIONEER SETTLER, 87, SUCCOMBS LONG ILLNESS

E. C. LIPPINCOTT DIED ON MARCH 28th ON FARM WHERE HE WAS BORN

Funeral rites were held last Tuesday from the Bendorf Funeral Home for Ephiram C. Lippincott, pioneer and native of this county.

Ephriam Coles Lippincott was the youngest and last surviving of the eight children of Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Lippincott, pioneer residents of Washington County.

Only a few people have lived to witness the progress of the “Great West” from virgin prairie to imnumerable farms, rich and productive, which forms the background for hundreds of thriving cities. E. C. Lippincott was one of those few. At the time of his death he had lived in Washington County longer than any other person, having lived his entire life of 87 years on this farm where he was born.

He was a direct descendant of Richard and Abigail Lippincott who came to America from England in 1639. They settled in New Jersey and reared a large family and at their deaths were among the largest landholders in New Jersey.

An inherent love of the soil kept many of their descendants on the land and sent them to open up new frontiers.

In 1857, Joshua C. Lippincott brought his family to Nebraska territory from Indiana. The trip was made by boat as far as St. Joseph, Missouri and then the rest of the trip was made overland with ox teams until the family reached Cumming City, Nebraska, on the 7th day of April, 1857.

Between the years of 1857-59, owing to a general depression, a panic started. The spirit of speculation which had been running wild, died out, and nearly all who had come to the country to make a “stake” left. Only those remained who were determined to make homes for themselves.

During this period, J. C. Lippincott bought 100 acres of land north of Cuming City and built a home of logs and cottonwood lumber.

It was in this home that E. C. Lippincott was born December 23, 1860, and on this land that he died March 28, 1948 at the age of 87 years, 3 months and 5 days.

At the age of twelve, he became a member of the Church of God.

As he grew to manhood, his sisters and brothers married and left home but he remained on the farm.

He was married to Miss Alma Warrick and one son, Hugh, was born to them. His wife died while young and Hugh died at the age of 21 years.

He was married to Miss Anna Johns and a son, Glen, was born who died when about a year old and the baby’s mother died soon afterwards.

In 1899, he was married to Miss Emma Schmidt of Blair, and five children were born to them, all of whom, with the wife, survive him.

They are Viva (Mrs. H. Lyle) Guyer; Miss Ruth Lippincott; E. Clark Lippincott; Richard J. Lippincott; and Donald T. Lippincott, all of Blair. He is also survived by 14 grandchildren, 1 great—grandchild and many nieces and nephews.

E. C. Lippincott will always be remembered as a kind and generous father, a helpful neighbor, a community leader and a resourceful and progressive citizen.

Find A Grave Memorial# 79812257