Ira Crippen, one of the ample landowners of Florence Township, whose 300 acres lie in section 2, is the subject of this sketch. His parents were Stephen and Lucy (Chandler) Crippen, who emigrated from Pennsylvania to Michigan, and from there to Carroll County, IL, where the father died. The mother died in Michigan. The family of those sturdy Pennsylvanians consisted of nine boys and one girl. Ira was born in Pennsylvania, on the 6th of August, 1838. When his parents emigrated to Michigan, he was but a small boy, and his recollections of the surroundings of his Pennsylvania home are very dim. With his parents he went to Carroll County, Ill., in 1852. After living in various places, and making a trip to Colorado, where he remained for five years, liviing in various parts of that State, he returned to Illinois, and located in Florence township Stephenson County, in 1865. He has resided in thiis county ever since. His farm consists of 300 acres, a large portion of which is cultivated and highly productive. The buildings which he has erected attract the attention of the passer-by on account of their unusual excellence.

On the 14th of April, 1865, Mr. Crippen was married, in Stephenson County, to Eleanor Hitchcock, who was born in Indiana. Their union has been an unusually happy one. It has blessed by two children—Walter I. and Cora I.

In the spring of 1885, Mr. Crippen was elected to the office of Supervisor of Florence Township, and during his term of office gave such satisfaction that the people re-elected him in the spring of 1886, and he served until the spring of 1887, when he declined further official honors. Some years ago, when the grievances of the farmers had become so burdensome that some steps had to he taken to alleviate them, Mr. Crippen was one of the first to assist in crystalizing the prevailing sentiment among the farmers out of which grew the organization of the Patrons of Husbandry, or Grangers. He has always taken a lively interest in whatever concerned the welfare and prosperity of the farmers. Only once has Mr. Crippen deviated from his vocation as a farmer, and that was while he engaged for a time in the grocery business in Freeport, being associated with James A. Grimes. His tastes are for agricultural pursuits, and in that direction lies his success.

In politics, Mr. Crippen is a Republican, and he believes that every man should pay attention to political matters sufficiently to maintain an honest Government, both in the State and Nation, and particularly to secure honest management of local affairs. He and his estimable wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

Transcribed by Christine Walters
History of Stephenson County 1888 Portrait & Biographical Pg 383