WILLIAM LUPTON, SON OF JOHN AND MARTHA (WILKINSON) LUPTON

Born: April 11, 1824 at Borrowby near Leake, Yorkshire, England

Date of Baptism: April 13, 1824 at St. Mary’s Church, Leake, Yorkshire, England

Married: Margaret Redfearn September 9, 1852 at Council Hill Township, Jo Daviess County, Illinois

Died: July 28, 1900 at Galena, Jo Daviess County, Illinois

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Galena Gazette: Thursday Morning, August 2, 1900

The Death of William Lupton

Sketch of the Life of One of

Jo Daviess County’s Hardy Citizens

Passes Away Very Suddenly Saturday Morning (July 28, 1900)

After a Long Life of Useful Toil and Prosperity

Brief mention was made in these columns Saturday Evening of the sudden and unexpected death of William Lupton at the family residence on Dewey Avenue. In his demise this county has lost one of its oldest citizens. His death is sincerely mourned not only by this community, but still more pronouncedly by that of Council Hill, where the greater part of his long and useful life was spent. A good husband, father, and citizen is gone forever and his loss is keenly felt.

William Lupton was a native of Yorkshire, England, where he first saw the light of day, April 11, 1827. There his earlier life was spent at the family home until he had grown to be an active and intelligent youth, when he secured a position in a leading hotel in Barnsley, which in those days was considered to be a piece of very good fortune.

In the year 1846, his parents decided to move to America, with the hope of bettering their fortunes, and as a member of that family came the subject of this sketch. They had heard of Galena through friends who had preceded them, and on leaving their native shores it was in a ship bound for New Orleans. On reaching that fair southern city they made their way up the Mississippi River by steamer until they finally landed on the levee along lower Main Street. The total finances of the family at that time consisted of just one English Sovereign. After spending about two months with a friend in Galena, they located on some land in Council Hill Township. The few old settlers yet living will quickly appreciate the hardships and difficulties which necessarily attended the first few years of their lives on American soil. The elder Lupton was a determined and energetic man, and his sons partook of his spirit, hence it was not long before their prospects in life began to brighten materially.

In the year 1849 William Lupton, the subject of this sketch, became imbued with the gold fever which had drifted over the country from California, and at once determined to try his fortune in the newly discovered Eldorado. Along with a few others from this locality, he took his departure for the Pacific Coast, and such men as John Fiddick, perhaps the only living man in this city who crossed the plains in that year, can form an adequate idea of the difficulties and dangers encountered during the trip. However, it was safely made and eighteen months later, Mr. Lupton returned to the old homestead in Council Hill with a quantity of shining gold that in those days was considered. He invested his money in land and made comfortable his aged parents until death called them hence.

(On September 9, 1852) he was united in marriage with Miss Margaret Redfearn, a young lady of many noble qualities, who has accompanied her husband through a happy and prosperous matrimonial life for nearly half a century, and was alone with him when death snatched him so suddenly and cruelly from her. After their marriage, they spent the intervening years on their large farm in Council Hill until about four years ago when they moved into a pleasant home on Dewey Avenue, where Mr. Lupton’s death occurred last Saturday morning.

The decedent was a man of sterling worth and one who will be greatly missed by his family and the community. He was an honest, Christian gentleman, having a friend in everyone with whom he became associated. He is survived by his deeply sorrowing wife and the following children: Mrs. William Atkinson of Scales Mound, John T. Lupton, Mrs. (William H.) Trevarthen of Council Hill, Mrs. Thomas Napper of Norfolk, Nebraska, and George S. Lupton of Council Hill. Two children, William and Mrs. James Knuckey are dead. He is also survived by two brothers, Samuel Lupton of Toledo, Iowa and Joseph Lupton of Council Hill and one sister, Mrs. Simeon Spencer, also of Council Hill.

The funeral obsequies to the memory of the late William Lupton were begun at the family residence on Dewey Avenue at noon, Tuesday (July 31) with brief but impressive services being conducted by Rev. J.T. Le Gear of the First Methodist E. Church of this city. The assemblages of friends and relatives from Scales Mound, Council Hill, and this city was large, attesting to the high esteem and regard in which the deceased was held throughout the northwestern part of the county.

At the conclusion of the services here, the immensely large funeral cortege took its departure for Council Hill, where more extensive services were observed in the M.E. church of that place, conducted by Rev. O.J. Simmons, assisted by Rev. Le Gear. The edifice of worship was filled to its utmost capacity with sorrowing friends and neighbors. From there the remains were conveyed to the little cemetery near by where interment was made. The following old time friends of the deceased acted as pallbearers: John Williams, John Eckstine, R.M. Spensley, James Hicks, R.H. Bachelor, and John Bastian.

Mrs. Thomas Napper, a daughter of the deceased, arrived here on Monday from her home in Norfolk, Nebraska. She had been here some weeks ago, and had seen her father in the best of health, apparently, and when the yellow telegraph envelope was placed in her hand containing the news of her father’s demise, she supposed it was from her husband, who has been spending a week here. When her eyes fell upon the contents of the envelope the shock was so terrible that she was almost prostrated. Mr. Lupton is greatly beloved by members of his family and their grief is very profound. They have the heartfelt sympathy and commiseration of a multitude of friends in their dark hours of bereavement.