M. R. Stipe, a Civil war veteran and prominent Fairmount township farmer and stock raiser, has been a resident of Butler county for forty-three years. Mr. Stipe was born in Knox county, Indiana, in November, 1838, and is a son of William and Isabelle (Nicholson) Stipe, the former a native of Kentucky and the latter of Indiana. William Stipe was a son of George Stipe, a native of Maryland, and very early settler in Kentncky.[sic] George Stipe was a millwright and miller, and built the first mill of the locality in Kentucky where he settled

M. R. Stipe was reared four miles east of Vincennes, Ind. His opportunities for an early education were limited. He was the oldest of a large family, and his father's health was poor, and thus more than ordinary responsibilities fell to the young man at an early age. He re-

mained at home until President Lincoln issued the second call for volunteers to defend the Union, when he enlisted in Company B, Thirty-third regiment, Indiana infantry, and served under Colonel Coburn in the Army of the West. His command joined Sherman's army at Buzzard's Roost, Tenn., and was at the seige of Atlanta and took part in an engagement at Wildcat, Ky., and also participated in the battles of Lookout Mountain, Chickmauga, Big Shanty, Burnt Hickory and Peach Tree. They were also on a campaign against Morgan in Kentucky. During all his years of military experience, he had some very narrow escapes, but fortunately was never wounded, nor taken prisoner. After three years of service he was honorably discharged and returned to Knox county, Indiana, where he worked as a farm hand about a year.

In the fall of 1865, Mr. Stipe was married to Miss Mary Jane Donaldson. She died about a year later, and in 1870 Mr. Stipe was united in marriage to Miss Mary Jane Mackey, a native of Daviess county, Indiana, and a daughter of Bedford and Sarah Mackey, natives of Indiana. Mrs. Stipe died August 1, 1896, and Mr. Stipe married Clara Isabelle Van Tuyl, a native of Illinois. To Mr. Stipe's first marriage was born one child, to the second, nine children were born, and to the third, five.

In 1873 Mr. Stipe came to Kansas, locating in Fairmount township, Butler county, where he homesteaded 80 acres of government land, which has since been his home. He has added more land to his original holdings and now owns three eighties, which is one of the best farms in Butler county. When he came to Butler county, he was not a capitalist by any means, but was better off than the average pioneer settler. He had about seven hundred dollars in cash and a good team. Two hundred and ten dollars went for his relinquishment, and the following year, 1874, was grasshopper year, and the balance of his little capital melted away in the devastation wrought by the army of hungry hoppers. He practically had to begin over again, and for a few years had a hard struggle. It was even a difficult matter for him to obtain seed, but he possessed the spirit of the true Kansas pioneer and was not to be discouraged. He worked hard and economized and soon the lean years passed, and he began to prosper, and became one of the substantial and well to do citizens of Fairmount township; and in his undertakings in recent years he has met with well merited success. He has won the reputation of never having shirked from a task that fell to his lot, and is one of the substantial citizens of Butler county.

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