Son of Michael R. Cupp and Mary Weaver McClellan. Married to Mariam Franetta (Hattie) Evans on 17 Apr 1880 in Lyon County, Kansas.
***********************************
The Emporia Gazette, 15 Mar 1926, Monday
Old-Timers' Column
A PIONEER THRASHERMAN
James F. Cupp, who lives at 9 Exchange street, is the oldest living thrasherman in Lyon county, perhaps the oldest in a much wider section in the state, and the only man living who helped make up the crew of what, so far as he knows, was the first thrashing machine brought to Lyon county.
Mr. Cupp followed thrashing machines for 28 (?) years. He started in 1867, at the age of 17, with David and Mike Myers, who owned a 8-horsepower machine and who for several years thrashed most of the grain in this community. Mr. Cupp worked with the Myers machine two years, then for two or three years he didn't follow the thrasher. But the lure of the thrashing machine is strong in a young man who likes constant change and the excitement that is a part of the life of the thrasherman, even though the hours are long and the work hard. The Myerses lived a few miles west of Hartford.
Jim Cupp next worked five years with Ben Parker, who is partnership with Ruffin Fowler, owned and operated a 10-horsepower machine. Later Ben Parker sold his interest in the machine to Charlie Wilhite, and Cupp worked with him for a few seasons. "I got big money right from the start," says Mr. Cupp. "I drew down my dollar a day, with board and bed, when I was nothing but a kid. That was high wages, even though my bed often was the hay in the barn loft. Thrashermen were used to that, and it didn't bother us to sleep in the haymow." Jim Cupp's first job on a thrasher was driving the eight horses, but from time to time he was put on every job on the machine, and at different times did everything but run the engine after steam thrashers replaced horse power.
Jim Cupp, along in the eighties in partnership with his brother John, bought a steam thrasher, after having run a horse power machine together several years. John Cupp and Reamer Humphrey owned the first steam thrasher in Lyon county, says Jim Cupp, a premium machine it was called and Mr. Cupp has a picture of it taken when it was set for a thrashing job. Prices for thrashing were lower then than now, wheat running not often above 5 cents a bushel, rye 4 and oats 2 cents. Wheat growers now pay from 12 to 14 cents for thrashing and the price for other grain has increased proportionally. Wheat sold from 75 cents to $2 a bushel, during the years Mr. Cupp followed the thrashing machine. Much wheat in the early days was hauled to Lawrence, where often it brought $3 a bushel, and the freighter would load up with merchandise for the return trip making "good money" both ways.
In partnership with his brother Jerry, Jim Cupp owned a steam thrasher which they operated nine years. They thrashed as far as south Eagle creek, went over north across the Neosho, and several miles west of Emporia. One year many of the Eagle creek farmers raised flax, which the Cupps thrashed, and some time afterword Jim Cupp developed serious throat trouble. Doctors told him the trouble was caused by the lint from the flax he had helped to thrash. He was several years getting rid of the effects of those thrashing jobs.
Jim Cupp also was a farmer and the old Cupp farm settled by his father and mother lies on the west side of Coal creek, west of the Chicago Mound school house. He was married in 1880 to Miss Marian T. Evans, of Dry creek, and they lived on a farm adjoining the home farm on the west. In the earlier days, before the railroads "spoiled" wagon freighting business, he did a lot of freighting to help out the lean years of the Kansas farmer in the sixties. He hauled loads of merchandise from Leavenworth to Emporia, and from Emporia to Cottonwood Falls and Eureka. [He] helped haul grocery stocks for stores which were being started in those towns. Also, he did carpenter work, never had to hire any building done on his own place, and turned many a dollar by carpenter work for his neighbors. The thrashing season being short, there is ample time between seasons for other occupations.
Mr. and Mrs. Cupp lived on Coal creek for 17 years after their marriage, and moved to Emporia in 1890. Mrs. Cupp died in 1913. Their children are: Mrs. Nellie Hall, Kansas City; Mrs. Mary Maroney, Fort Wayne, Ind.; Wallace Cupp, Kansas City, and Miss Alice Cupp who lives at home and cares for her father, who has been a cripple for many years, and who walks on crutches. Of the family who came to Kansas in 1866, two of Mr. Cupp's brothers survive--W. C. Cupp, Gait, Calif., and Jerry Cupp, Topeka.
James F. Cupp was born August 2, 1850, on the line between Pennsylvania and Virginia, and is not positive as to which state was his birthplace. His parents moved to McDonough county, Ill., when he was five years old.
The Cupps are a long-lived family. James Cupp has a picture of his grandfather and his grandmother, Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Cupp, who came from Holland to America and settled in Pennsylvania. They lived to be 92 and 90, respectively, were the parents of 22 children, all of whom grew to maturity, and the family never had a doctor in the house. They lived in their later years in Corning, Iowa, where Mr. Cupp was in an accident in which both of his legs were broken. Later, he was elected register of deeds for his county, and was active and busy until his death.--L. M. F. (Laura M. French)
********************************
The Emporia Gazette, 30 Jul 1926, Friday
James F. Cupp, 9 Exchange, is a new patient in the hospital.
***********************************
The Emporia Gazette, 15 Mar 1926, Monday
Old-Timers' Column
A PIONEER THRASHERMAN
James F. Cupp, who lives at 9 Exchange street, is the oldest living thrasherman in Lyon county, perhaps the oldest in a much wider section in the state, and the only man living who helped make up the crew of what, so far as he knows, was the first thrashing machine brought to Lyon county.
Mr. Cupp followed thrashing machines for 28 (?) years. He started in 1867, at the age of 17, with David and Mike Myers, who owned a 8-horsepower machine and who for several years thrashed most of the grain in this community. Mr. Cupp worked with the Myers machine two years, then for two or three years he didn't follow the thrasher. But the lure of the thrashing machine is strong in a young man who likes constant change and the excitement that is a part of the life of the thrasherman, even though the hours are long and the work hard. The Myerses lived a few miles west of Hartford.
Jim Cupp next worked five years with Ben Parker, who is partnership with Ruffin Fowler, owned and operated a 10-horsepower machine. Later Ben Parker sold his interest in the machine to Charlie Wilhite, and Cupp worked with him for a few seasons. "I got big money right from the start," says Mr. Cupp. "I drew down my dollar a day, with board and bed, when I was nothing but a kid. That was high wages, even though my bed often was the hay in the barn loft. Thrashermen were used to that, and it didn't bother us to sleep in the haymow." Jim Cupp's first job on a thrasher was driving the eight horses, but from time to time he was put on every job on the machine, and at different times did everything but run the engine after steam thrashers replaced horse power.
Jim Cupp, along in the eighties in partnership with his brother John, bought a steam thrasher, after having run a horse power machine together several years. John Cupp and Reamer Humphrey owned the first steam thrasher in Lyon county, says Jim Cupp, a premium machine it was called and Mr. Cupp has a picture of it taken when it was set for a thrashing job. Prices for thrashing were lower then than now, wheat running not often above 5 cents a bushel, rye 4 and oats 2 cents. Wheat growers now pay from 12 to 14 cents for thrashing and the price for other grain has increased proportionally. Wheat sold from 75 cents to $2 a bushel, during the years Mr. Cupp followed the thrashing machine. Much wheat in the early days was hauled to Lawrence, where often it brought $3 a bushel, and the freighter would load up with merchandise for the return trip making "good money" both ways.
In partnership with his brother Jerry, Jim Cupp owned a steam thrasher which they operated nine years. They thrashed as far as south Eagle creek, went over north across the Neosho, and several miles west of Emporia. One year many of the Eagle creek farmers raised flax, which the Cupps thrashed, and some time afterword Jim Cupp developed serious throat trouble. Doctors told him the trouble was caused by the lint from the flax he had helped to thrash. He was several years getting rid of the effects of those thrashing jobs.
Jim Cupp also was a farmer and the old Cupp farm settled by his father and mother lies on the west side of Coal creek, west of the Chicago Mound school house. He was married in 1880 to Miss Marian T. Evans, of Dry creek, and they lived on a farm adjoining the home farm on the west. In the earlier days, before the railroads "spoiled" wagon freighting business, he did a lot of freighting to help out the lean years of the Kansas farmer in the sixties. He hauled loads of merchandise from Leavenworth to Emporia, and from Emporia to Cottonwood Falls and Eureka. [He] helped haul grocery stocks for stores which were being started in those towns. Also, he did carpenter work, never had to hire any building done on his own place, and turned many a dollar by carpenter work for his neighbors. The thrashing season being short, there is ample time between seasons for other occupations.
Mr. and Mrs. Cupp lived on Coal creek for 17 years after their marriage, and moved to Emporia in 1890. Mrs. Cupp died in 1913. Their children are: Mrs. Nellie Hall, Kansas City; Mrs. Mary Maroney, Fort Wayne, Ind.; Wallace Cupp, Kansas City, and Miss Alice Cupp who lives at home and cares for her father, who has been a cripple for many years, and who walks on crutches. Of the family who came to Kansas in 1866, two of Mr. Cupp's brothers survive--W. C. Cupp, Gait, Calif., and Jerry Cupp, Topeka.
James F. Cupp was born August 2, 1850, on the line between Pennsylvania and Virginia, and is not positive as to which state was his birthplace. His parents moved to McDonough county, Ill., when he was five years old.
The Cupps are a long-lived family. James Cupp has a picture of his grandfather and his grandmother, Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Cupp, who came from Holland to America and settled in Pennsylvania. They lived to be 92 and 90, respectively, were the parents of 22 children, all of whom grew to maturity, and the family never had a doctor in the house. They lived in their later years in Corning, Iowa, where Mr. Cupp was in an accident in which both of his legs were broken. Later, he was elected register of deeds for his county, and was active and busy until his death.--L. M. F. (Laura M. French)
********************************
The Emporia Gazette, 30 Jul 1926, Friday
James F. Cupp, 9 Exchange, is a new patient in the hospital.
Son of Michael R. Cupp and Mary Weaver McClellan. Married to Mariam Franetta (Hattie) Evans on 17 Apr 1880 in Lyon County, Kansas.
***********************************
The Emporia Gazette, 15 Mar 1926, Monday
Old-Timers' Column
A PIONEER THRASHERMAN
James F. Cupp, who lives at 9 Exchange street, is the oldest living thrasherman in Lyon county, perhaps the oldest in a much wider section in the state, and the only man living who helped make up the crew of what, so far as he knows, was the first thrashing machine brought to Lyon county.
Mr. Cupp followed thrashing machines for 28 (?) years. He started in 1867, at the age of 17, with David and Mike Myers, who owned a 8-horsepower machine and who for several years thrashed most of the grain in this community. Mr. Cupp worked with the Myers machine two years, then for two or three years he didn't follow the thrasher. But the lure of the thrashing machine is strong in a young man who likes constant change and the excitement that is a part of the life of the thrasherman, even though the hours are long and the work hard. The Myerses lived a few miles west of Hartford.
Jim Cupp next worked five years with Ben Parker, who is partnership with Ruffin Fowler, owned and operated a 10-horsepower machine. Later Ben Parker sold his interest in the machine to Charlie Wilhite, and Cupp worked with him for a few seasons. "I got big money right from the start," says Mr. Cupp. "I drew down my dollar a day, with board and bed, when I was nothing but a kid. That was high wages, even though my bed often was the hay in the barn loft. Thrashermen were used to that, and it didn't bother us to sleep in the haymow." Jim Cupp's first job on a thrasher was driving the eight horses, but from time to time he was put on every job on the machine, and at different times did everything but run the engine after steam thrashers replaced horse power.
Jim Cupp, along in the eighties in partnership with his brother John, bought a steam thrasher, after having run a horse power machine together several years. John Cupp and Reamer Humphrey owned the first steam thrasher in Lyon county, says Jim Cupp, a premium machine it was called and Mr. Cupp has a picture of it taken when it was set for a thrashing job. Prices for thrashing were lower then than now, wheat running not often above 5 cents a bushel, rye 4 and oats 2 cents. Wheat growers now pay from 12 to 14 cents for thrashing and the price for other grain has increased proportionally. Wheat sold from 75 cents to $2 a bushel, during the years Mr. Cupp followed the thrashing machine. Much wheat in the early days was hauled to Lawrence, where often it brought $3 a bushel, and the freighter would load up with merchandise for the return trip making "good money" both ways.
In partnership with his brother Jerry, Jim Cupp owned a steam thrasher which they operated nine years. They thrashed as far as south Eagle creek, went over north across the Neosho, and several miles west of Emporia. One year many of the Eagle creek farmers raised flax, which the Cupps thrashed, and some time afterword Jim Cupp developed serious throat trouble. Doctors told him the trouble was caused by the lint from the flax he had helped to thrash. He was several years getting rid of the effects of those thrashing jobs.
Jim Cupp also was a farmer and the old Cupp farm settled by his father and mother lies on the west side of Coal creek, west of the Chicago Mound school house. He was married in 1880 to Miss Marian T. Evans, of Dry creek, and they lived on a farm adjoining the home farm on the west. In the earlier days, before the railroads "spoiled" wagon freighting business, he did a lot of freighting to help out the lean years of the Kansas farmer in the sixties. He hauled loads of merchandise from Leavenworth to Emporia, and from Emporia to Cottonwood Falls and Eureka. [He] helped haul grocery stocks for stores which were being started in those towns. Also, he did carpenter work, never had to hire any building done on his own place, and turned many a dollar by carpenter work for his neighbors. The thrashing season being short, there is ample time between seasons for other occupations.
Mr. and Mrs. Cupp lived on Coal creek for 17 years after their marriage, and moved to Emporia in 1890. Mrs. Cupp died in 1913. Their children are: Mrs. Nellie Hall, Kansas City; Mrs. Mary Maroney, Fort Wayne, Ind.; Wallace Cupp, Kansas City, and Miss Alice Cupp who lives at home and cares for her father, who has been a cripple for many years, and who walks on crutches. Of the family who came to Kansas in 1866, two of Mr. Cupp's brothers survive--W. C. Cupp, Gait, Calif., and Jerry Cupp, Topeka.
James F. Cupp was born August 2, 1850, on the line between Pennsylvania and Virginia, and is not positive as to which state was his birthplace. His parents moved to McDonough county, Ill., when he was five years old.
The Cupps are a long-lived family. James Cupp has a picture of his grandfather and his grandmother, Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Cupp, who came from Holland to America and settled in Pennsylvania. They lived to be 92 and 90, respectively, were the parents of 22 children, all of whom grew to maturity, and the family never had a doctor in the house. They lived in their later years in Corning, Iowa, where Mr. Cupp was in an accident in which both of his legs were broken. Later, he was elected register of deeds for his county, and was active and busy until his death.--L. M. F. (Laura M. French)
********************************
The Emporia Gazette, 30 Jul 1926, Friday
James F. Cupp, 9 Exchange, is a new patient in the hospital.
***********************************
The Emporia Gazette, 15 Mar 1926, Monday
Old-Timers' Column
A PIONEER THRASHERMAN
James F. Cupp, who lives at 9 Exchange street, is the oldest living thrasherman in Lyon county, perhaps the oldest in a much wider section in the state, and the only man living who helped make up the crew of what, so far as he knows, was the first thrashing machine brought to Lyon county.
Mr. Cupp followed thrashing machines for 28 (?) years. He started in 1867, at the age of 17, with David and Mike Myers, who owned a 8-horsepower machine and who for several years thrashed most of the grain in this community. Mr. Cupp worked with the Myers machine two years, then for two or three years he didn't follow the thrasher. But the lure of the thrashing machine is strong in a young man who likes constant change and the excitement that is a part of the life of the thrasherman, even though the hours are long and the work hard. The Myerses lived a few miles west of Hartford.
Jim Cupp next worked five years with Ben Parker, who is partnership with Ruffin Fowler, owned and operated a 10-horsepower machine. Later Ben Parker sold his interest in the machine to Charlie Wilhite, and Cupp worked with him for a few seasons. "I got big money right from the start," says Mr. Cupp. "I drew down my dollar a day, with board and bed, when I was nothing but a kid. That was high wages, even though my bed often was the hay in the barn loft. Thrashermen were used to that, and it didn't bother us to sleep in the haymow." Jim Cupp's first job on a thrasher was driving the eight horses, but from time to time he was put on every job on the machine, and at different times did everything but run the engine after steam thrashers replaced horse power.
Jim Cupp, along in the eighties in partnership with his brother John, bought a steam thrasher, after having run a horse power machine together several years. John Cupp and Reamer Humphrey owned the first steam thrasher in Lyon county, says Jim Cupp, a premium machine it was called and Mr. Cupp has a picture of it taken when it was set for a thrashing job. Prices for thrashing were lower then than now, wheat running not often above 5 cents a bushel, rye 4 and oats 2 cents. Wheat growers now pay from 12 to 14 cents for thrashing and the price for other grain has increased proportionally. Wheat sold from 75 cents to $2 a bushel, during the years Mr. Cupp followed the thrashing machine. Much wheat in the early days was hauled to Lawrence, where often it brought $3 a bushel, and the freighter would load up with merchandise for the return trip making "good money" both ways.
In partnership with his brother Jerry, Jim Cupp owned a steam thrasher which they operated nine years. They thrashed as far as south Eagle creek, went over north across the Neosho, and several miles west of Emporia. One year many of the Eagle creek farmers raised flax, which the Cupps thrashed, and some time afterword Jim Cupp developed serious throat trouble. Doctors told him the trouble was caused by the lint from the flax he had helped to thrash. He was several years getting rid of the effects of those thrashing jobs.
Jim Cupp also was a farmer and the old Cupp farm settled by his father and mother lies on the west side of Coal creek, west of the Chicago Mound school house. He was married in 1880 to Miss Marian T. Evans, of Dry creek, and they lived on a farm adjoining the home farm on the west. In the earlier days, before the railroads "spoiled" wagon freighting business, he did a lot of freighting to help out the lean years of the Kansas farmer in the sixties. He hauled loads of merchandise from Leavenworth to Emporia, and from Emporia to Cottonwood Falls and Eureka. [He] helped haul grocery stocks for stores which were being started in those towns. Also, he did carpenter work, never had to hire any building done on his own place, and turned many a dollar by carpenter work for his neighbors. The thrashing season being short, there is ample time between seasons for other occupations.
Mr. and Mrs. Cupp lived on Coal creek for 17 years after their marriage, and moved to Emporia in 1890. Mrs. Cupp died in 1913. Their children are: Mrs. Nellie Hall, Kansas City; Mrs. Mary Maroney, Fort Wayne, Ind.; Wallace Cupp, Kansas City, and Miss Alice Cupp who lives at home and cares for her father, who has been a cripple for many years, and who walks on crutches. Of the family who came to Kansas in 1866, two of Mr. Cupp's brothers survive--W. C. Cupp, Gait, Calif., and Jerry Cupp, Topeka.
James F. Cupp was born August 2, 1850, on the line between Pennsylvania and Virginia, and is not positive as to which state was his birthplace. His parents moved to McDonough county, Ill., when he was five years old.
The Cupps are a long-lived family. James Cupp has a picture of his grandfather and his grandmother, Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Cupp, who came from Holland to America and settled in Pennsylvania. They lived to be 92 and 90, respectively, were the parents of 22 children, all of whom grew to maturity, and the family never had a doctor in the house. They lived in their later years in Corning, Iowa, where Mr. Cupp was in an accident in which both of his legs were broken. Later, he was elected register of deeds for his county, and was active and busy until his death.--L. M. F. (Laura M. French)
********************************
The Emporia Gazette, 30 Jul 1926, Friday
James F. Cupp, 9 Exchange, is a new patient in the hospital.
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
