James Clark Whipple
James Clark Whipple, a successful farmer of Brown Township, was bom in Peru Township, Morrow County. Ohio, January 28, 1850. and is a son of Noah and Margaret (Elliott) Whipple.
The paternal grandparents of Mr. Whipple were Reuben and Sarah (Cooper) Whipple and they settled in Morrow County in 1818. The land they selected was covered with a natural growth of timber and they made the first improvement. The second log cabin which they erected is still standing on the place. They had five sons, namely: Barton, Jason, Noah, Lewis and James, all of whom have passed away. Noah Whipple was born in 1811, at Providence, Rhode Island, and he accompanied his parents to Ohio and was reared in Morrow County. After his marriage to Margaret Elliott, he began farming on the home place. She was born in 1813, in Virginia, and she accompanied her parents to Brown Township, Delaware County, when they made the overland trip in her childhood. They were the first settlers on Mr. Whipple's present farm, where they made the first improvements. Noah Whipple remained on the home farm for a time and then purchased a small place near the present home of James Clark Whipple, in Brown Township, but later returned to Morrow County, and in 1885 he retired and moved to Ashley, where he died in 1900, aged 88 years. His wife died in 1895. They had eight children, namely: Edwin, who died in 1906, at Ashley, married Mary Chadwick; Rachel, deceased, who married George W. White, of Kingston Township, Delaware County; Phebe, who married Charles Kohler, residing at Ashley; Mary Ellen, residing at Ashley, is the widow of John B. Wallace; Albert, who died in childhood; James Clark; Frank E., who is engaged in a banking business at Ashley, married Nettie Slack; and Josephine, who married Wilbur Benedict, residing at Massillon, Stark County, Ohio.
James Clark Whipple secured his education in the district schools of Morrow County and was reared to agricultural pursuits on Ins father's farm. In the fall of 1872, he was married to Mary Dodge, who is a daughter of George W. and Janette (Mickle) Dodge, George W. Dodge accompanied his parents from New York to Holmes County, Ohio, when quite young, where they died. The mother of Mrs. Whipple was born in Scotland and was five years old when her father, Alexander Mickle, brought the family to America, settling for a time in Canada, but subsequently coming to Delaware County. At this time there was but one building on the east side of the river, and that was a cabin. Mr. Mickle died in Delaware County and his widow in Nebraska.
Mr. and Mrs. Whipple have had four children: Ernest, Bertha, Winifred and Grace. Ernest is a resident of Oak Park, Illinois. He married Hattie Green, a resident of Chicago, and they have two children, Francis and Grace. He was formerly in the employ of the late Marshall Field. Bertha married Orrin Reed and they reside in Brown Township. Winifred died April 11, 1904. She was the wife of Jacob Raines and left one child, Winifred, who resides with her grandparents. Grace married Jacob Raines and they reside in Brown Township.
Mr. Whipple purchased his farm of 197½ acres on which he resides, in April, 1874, renting a house until he could erect the present commodious residence. He has made all the improvements here and engages in profitable farming and stock feeding. He is a Republican and has occasionally consented to serve in township offices. He is one of the representative men of his community.
From 20th Century History of Delaware County, Ohio, and Representative Citizens, Edited and compiled by James R. Lytle, Delaware, Ohio, Biographical Publishing Co., Chicago, 1908