In my home town of De Pere, WI, on the west side of the river, the building a 500 Grant St. used to have the name Rupiper prominently painted on its side. This was the site of the Rupiper Tavern run by Henry Rupiper, a cousin of mine, who was the great grandson of Joannes Georgius Rupiper. He eventually passed down the saloon to his son Leland (Curley) Rupiper, who retired in 1976. When I was a kid the tavern was called Wishart’s, but it still bore the name Rupiper on its side. Since then the Rupiper name has either been sandblasted off the brick or painted over, and the tavern is now called The Sports Corner.
Settling in Racine County
My great (x3) grandfather Johann Henrich Wenceslaus Rupiper was born 28 Dec 1801 in Recklinghausen, Prussia. He married Johanna Maria Nieman. They came to America in 1846, settling first in Cincinnati, then Milwaukee, and then on a farm four miles from the village of Waterford, Racine County, WI. I have found one mention of a Wenzel Rupiper, who is probably the same man. He was born in Recklinghausen in 1801 and worked as a cap maker in Germany, He emigrated to Racine County in 1846 with a family of six. Johann and Johanna Maria show up on the 1860 census in Waterford as John W. and Mary A. Rupiper. His occupation is listed as “gentleman”. I assume this means gentleman farmer. The 1870 census shows him working as a tailor, which would be more in keeping with my theory about the cap maker.
John and Mary had six children, though I only have detailed knowledge of what became of three of those children. Wilhelmina Rupiper married Balthasar Wind, and they had two children, Alois and Frances. Joseph A. Rupiper was a carpenter and a Civil War veteran. In 1879 he moved to Clay County, NE where he opened a furniture and undertaking business. He married Fidelia Mary Foat, and they had a daughter Josie who married Thomas Bennett. The third sibling, Julius W. Rupiper, was my great-great-grandfather. Like his brother, Julius worked as a carpenter, and also a cooper. Julius married Henrietta Alby, whose official birth name was Maria Gertrude Alby.
From the Alps to America
The name Alby originated in Alsace (now a part of France, but historically a German province), and comes from “Alb,” the German word for the Alps. Franz Alby, my great (x 6) grandfather, was born around 1710 in the region known as the Schwäbische Alb, or the Swabian Alps in English (neither a state nor a district, but a mountain range). At some point during his life he moved to Recklinghausen, where he died about 1770. His son Franciscus Alby was also born in the Schwäbische Alb, around 1740, and moved to Recklinghausen as well.
These two families from Recklinghausen, the Rupipers and the Albys, had settled in western Racine County, which in the days of horse and buggy was somewhat removed from the big city of Racine, which lies on the east side of the county, along Lake Michigan. Western Racine county has two cities, Waterford, to the north, and Burlington, to the south, that lie within five miles of each other. Norway Township, where the Alby farm was located, was just to the east of Waterford. The two cities were close enough to each other that there was plenty of travel back and forth between the two, and families relocating from one city to the other.
The Rupipers and Albys were already acquainted with one another in Germany. Julius Rupiper and Henrietta Alby were born a few townships apart, and were playmates as children. After both families ended up in the Waterford area, the two became reacquainted, and their childhood friendship turned into love. The two families were brought together in matrimony on 8 Apr 1856 in Burlington, WI when Julius and Henrietta married in St. Mary’s Catholic Church.
The Children of Julius and Henrietta
Julius Rupiper and Henrietta Alby had 10 children: Louisa, Julius, Augusta, Wilhelmina (Amena), Ida, William, Sophia Elizabeth, Charles Gerard, Mary, and Rudolph. The Burlington Standard newspaper of 13 Jan 1883 reported that the family moved to my hometown of De Pere, Brown County, WI, but I do not know the specific reason for the move. Julius Sr. died in October 1911, and Henrietta died 18 Aug 1916.
 |
| The Julius Rupiper family: Back row (left to right): Louisa Rupiper Sanders, Wilhelmina Rupiper Robertson, Julius Rupiper Jr., William Rupiper, Rudolph Rupiper, Augusta Rupiper Grover. Front row: Mary “Mate” Rupiper Janssen, Henrietta Alby Rupiper, Julius Rupiper Sr., Ida Rupiper Janssen, Sophie Rupiper Barth |
Julius Rupiper Jr. was born 15 Nov 1858. Julius was a saloon keeper. He was also involved in local politics and served on the Brown County Board. He married Mary Rooney about 1880. She immigrated from French Canada, though her parents were born in Ireland. Julius died in July 1912 from injuries suffered in an accident with a runaway horse. His horse took fright and ran down a hill toward the river. Julius and Mary were thrown from their carriage onto the railroad tracks. Julius suffered a fractured skull, and Mary’s arm was broken in two places. Two of their sons, John Leo Rudolph Rupiper and Ward A. Rupiper, moved to Moline, Illinois, establishing a branch of the Rupipers there.
Augusta Rupiper, born 4 Mar 1861, married George Grover. He was a carpenter born in Iowa. They had nine children: Clare, Harland J., Bessie, Theresa, Ruth A., Alma, Florence A., Wilbur J., and Raymond. Two of the daughters, Clare and Florence, moved to Los Angeles County, CA, and married Norman Jackson and Grover Loggins, respectively. Harland J. Grover moved to Stevens Point, WI. He had three wives, but no children. Ruth married Joseph Patterson and moved to Kaukauna, WI. Alma married Ferris Nelson, Wilbur married Philomene Kaye, and Raymond married Clarissa Duaime.
Wilhelmina Rupiper, born 2 Apr 1863, married James Robertson. They had seven children: William, Myrtle, Augusta, Henrietta, Julius, John, and James.
Maria Sophia Elizabeth Rupiper, born 1 Feb 1870, married George Barth. They lived in Green Bay, WI, where he worked as a cigar manufacturer. They had three daughters: Alta, Oda, and Erma.
Charles Gerard Rupiper, born 23 Sep 1872, died at the age of 19, unmarried.
Joseph Friedrich Rudolph Rupiper was born 16 Sep 1878. He married Wilhelmina (Minnie) Vander Zanden. Sometime around 1919, Rudolph was mayor of De Pere. He also served as city councilman and on the school board. He died 6 Jan 1955. Minnie died in 1967.
Ida Johanna Maria Rupiper, born 2 Aug 1865, married Henry J. Janssen. They had a daughter named Viola. William Rupiper, born 18 Oct 1867, married Annie Janssen. William was a machinist and mechanic. Mary M. Rupiper, born 24 Apr 1875, married Jacob Janssen. These three Janssens were siblings, the children of William Janssen and Wilhelmina Geenen.
Mary M. Rupiper and Jacob Janssen were my great grandparents. Mary’s nickname was “Mate”, which appears in her obituary and on her funeral prayer cards. Mary was a lifelong member of St. Boniface Church in West De Pere. She sang in the church choir for over 50 years, and was a member of the Christian Mothers. Mary and Jacob Janssen were married 24 Oct 1899. They had two children, Carl and Marion. Carl was my grandfather and namesake.
Learn More
For a more extensive and detailed history of the Iowa Rupipers, download this pdf file: The Descendants of Julius W. Rupiper and Henrietta Alby
 |
| 50th wedding anniversary of Julius Rupiper and Henrietta Alby. Top row (left to right): Oda Barth, Henrietta “Ret” Robertson, [Unknown] Rupiper, [Unknown Rupiper], Julia Sanders Gabriel, Alta Barth, Josephine “Josie” Sanders, Myrtle “Mertie” Robertson, Bessie Grover (Tessie’s twin), Augusta “Gussie” Robertson (Mrs. Joseph Moudry), Clara Grover, Therea “Tessie” Grover (Mrs. Herman Grover), Minnie Vander Zanden (Mrs. Rudolph Rupiper), Julius “Jules” Robertson. 2nd row from top: Ward Rupiper, Sophie Rupiper Barth, George Barth (Sophie’s husband), Mary Rooney Rupiper (Julius Rupiper Jr.’s wife), George Grover, Leo Rupiper (son of Julius Jr. and Mary Rooney Rupiper), William Robertson, Ann Janssen (Mrs. Will Rupiper), Will Rupiper, Ben Sanders, Louis Sanders, Harlan Grover, Henry “Duke” Janssen (Ida Rupiper’s husband), Rudolph Rupiper, Jake Janssen (“Oatmeal Jake”). 3rd row from top: Louise Rupiper Sanders, Joseph Sanders (husband of Louise), Julius Rupiper Jr., Augusta “Gustie” Rupiper Grover with Raymond Grover on her lap, Fanie “Windy” Rupiper Janssen (sister of Julius), Julius Rupiper Sr., Henrietta Alby Rupiper, Wilhelmina Rupiper Robertson, Ida Rupiper Janssen with Vida Janssen Burkart on her lap, Mary “Mate” Rupiper Janssen (wife of Jake) with Marion Janssen “Auntie Mick” Quick on her lap. Bottom row: John Robertson, William Sanders, James Robertson, Wilbur Grover, Florence Grover, Anna Sanders (youngest daughter of Joseph and Louise Sanders), Carl Janssen, Alma Grover, Frances Sanders Muldoon, Ruth Grover Patterson, Irma Barth Sante, Joseph Sanders |
I have not included any footnotes within these historical essays. For information on my sources look up the names of individuals in my genealogical database. All source information is listed there.
No comments:
Post a Comment