Dr. Ray C. Ripple, a well known veterinary surgeon successfully practicing at Hopkinton and throughout the surrounding country, was born in Jackson county, Iowa, January 8, 1891. The family comes of German lineage. The great-great-grandfather, Louis Ripple, was born in Germany and became the founder of the family in the new world. He emigrated with his wife to the United States and they spent their last years in Pennsylvania. Their son James Ripple, was born in Lawrence county, Pennsylvania, and in the spring of 1855 removed westward with his family to Iowa, reaching Bellevue, this state, on the 8th of April and thence making his way to Farmers Creek township, Jackson county, where Mr. Ripple purchased two hundred acres of land. He died in 1885, at the age of seventy eight years, and thus a life of worth and usefulness was closed. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Elizabeth Farrell, was the youngest daughter in a family of twelve children born unto Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Farrell, of Lawrence county, Pennsylvania. By her marriage she became the mother of twelve children, four of whom are yet living: Mrs. Adaline Matthews, a widow, now residing in Maquoketa; Mrs. Margaret McKlosky, a widow living in Woodbury county, Iowa; James, of Maquoketa; and William, of Sioux City, Iowa; Calvin L, Chauncey and Mrs. Hannah Trumbull have all passed away within the past five years.

      Calvin L. Ripple was born near Newcastle, Lawrence county, Pennsylvania, November 16, 1837, and on the 15th of December, 1859, wedded Margaret Ann Meyberry. They became the parents of George Walker, of Maquoketa; John L., of Andrew, Iowa; Joseph H. of Maquoketa; Horace C., of Oneida, South Dakota; and Esther A., the wife of C. S. Hamilton, of Perry township, Delaware county. Marcellus, James, Alexander, an infant, and Elizabeth J. are all now deceased. Elizabeth J. was married in 1889 to Sylvester Walker and they became the parents of four children: Clara A., the wife of Fred Giesel; Lura O., now married and living in Pennsylvania; Amy L., who is engaged in teaching school; and Jannie, who at her mother's death, August 3, 1901, became the adopted daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George B. Walker.

       Mrs. Ripple was born in Mercer county, Pennsylvania, a daughter of A. J. and Jane (Black) Mayberry, natives of Mercer county, Pennsylvania. Her father was a blacksmith by trade but also farmed while a resident of the Keystone state. He afterward became an early settler of Farmers Creek township, Jackson  county, where he spent his remaining days.

       In August, 1862, Mr. Ripple became a member of Company I, Thirty first Iowa Infantry, and was honorably discharged and mustered out at Davenport, June 28, 1865. He died February 18, 1911.

      John L. Ripple was born in Richland township, Jackson county, Iowa, August 17, 1866, a son of Calvin L. and Margaret Ann (Mayberry) Ripple. The latter was called to her final rest January 18, 1901. John L. Ripple remained at home until twenty one years of age, and the purchased the old Sweezy farm, on which he lived for five years. He then sold that property and bought his present farm of two hundred and eighty acres in Perry township. He has been married twice. On the 20th of February, 1889, he wedded Miss Amy Fenton, a native of Jackson county, and to them was born a son, Ray C., whose name introduces this review. Mrs. Ripple was the only daughter of W. C. and Malinda (Casteel) Fenton. She had, however, several brothers, namely: Frank, who is engaged in farming  near Manchester, Iowa; Charley, living on the old homestead in Farmers Creek township; James, county recorder of Maquoketa, Iowa; Clyde, of Minnesota; and Budd, of Stanwood. Their sister, Mrs. Ripple, was called from this life January 27, 1891, and after her death Mr. Ripple was married on the 13th of April, 1896, to Miss Eva Von Sarah (Snyder) Von Nieda. Her father was born in Mercer county, Pennsylvania, April 3, 1825, and her mother in Butler county, that state, January 18, 1833. After their marriage they resided in Mercer county, on the farm of his father Jacob Von Nieda, until 1857, when they came to Iowa, settling in Jackson county. In 1869 they moved to Hamilton county, where Mr. Nieda passed away in 1888. His wife then returned to Andrew and made her home with her children until her death in 1898.

        Dr. Ray C. Ripple, whose name introduces this review, acquired his early education in the public schools and was graduated from the Andrew high school with the class of 1908. In the fall of the same year he entered the Chicago Veterinary College, in which he pursued the full three years' course, being graduated in 1911 with the degree of Doctor of Comparative Medicine. He then returned home and practiced there until March 20, 1912, when he went to Springfield, Iowa, where he continued until the 9th of July of the same year. He then came to Hopkinton, where he is still located, and is now enjoying a lucrative practice.

        On the 10th of December, 1913, Dr. Ripple was joined in wedlock to Miss Emma B. Wilhelm, who was born October 27, 1890, a daughter of Harry R. and Julia D. (Bauch) Wilhelm, the former born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, April 9, 1859, and the latter at Dubuque, Iowa, August 22, 1860. The grandfather, Jacob Wilhelm, came to America from Hessen, Germany, and in his family were two sons and two daughter: Edwin B., who married Miss Mary Calder and died about twenty years ago, leaving two children; the father of Mrs. Ripple, Laura, the widow of Frank Willis, a contractor of Newark, Delaware county, Iowa, who died in 1912, leaving one child; and Mazie, now deceased. In the Bauch family, to which Mrs. Ripple is related in the maternal line, there are seven children, of whom one died at the age of twenty six years; William, who served in the Civil war and who has not been heard from in a number of years; Louisa, the widow of August Hoffman and the mother of two children; Louis, deceased; Henry, a bricklayer of Dubuque, who married Maggie Bieger and has four children; Julia D., who became Mrs. Wilhelm; Otto, a resident of Minneapolis, who is married and has two children; and Emma, the wife of Wincel Dostal, a plumber of Maquoketa. On the maternal side Mrs. Ripple's grandparents were Henry and Julia (Rebesky) Bauch, both natives of Mecklenburg, Germany, where they were reared and married. They emigrated to the United States about 1852, settling in Dubuque, Iowa, where Henry Bauch followed his business of shoemaker. Both are now deceased. 

        In the family of Mr. and Mrs. Harry R. Wilhelm were three daughters and a son; Bertha V., the wife of Asahel Wing, a farmer of Maquoketa, by whom she has three children: Mortimer R., a farmer of Andrew, Jackson county, who married Ida Tebbins and has one child; Mrs. Ripple; and Laura A., who is a schoolteacher in Jackson county, this state. Dr. and Mrs. Ripple are now the proud parents of a little daughter, who was born September 11, 1914, and who is called Julia Catherine. In addition to his veterinary practice Dr. Ripple owns a livery stable at Hopkinton. He is a member of the Chicago Veterinary College Association, the Missouri Valley Veterinary Association, and the Iowa State Veterinary Association. He is skilled in his profession, is constantly studying along that line and is therefore worthy of the liberal patronage accorded him. Moreover, he is cordial and genial in his relations with his fellowmen and his many sterling qualities have gained him the good will of all.