Jacob J. Bupp was born in York, Pennsylvania on 27 December 1823 to John Bupp and Susan Bentz. His father was from Lancaster, and his mother was the daughter of an Elizabeth King of York. He had two siblings, a brother named William and a sister named Elenora. Jacob moved to the Allegheny County at age 24 and married Caroline Huey, an immigrant from France, around 1849 or 1850. The couple had five children that lived to adulthood; William Henry, Emma, Elizabeth, Catherine, and Mary Ann.

Like many men of his generation, Jacob enlisted or was drafted into the Grand Army of the Republic. He fought in the Civil War with the 6th Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery unit, which was also known as the 212th Pennsylvania regiment, in Company G.

Jacob was famous for his rope making in the area of Pittsburgh, though it was either in York or Lancaster that he learned his trade. He was particularly noted for making hangman's nooses. One family story credits him with making the noose that hung Charles Guiteau, the man who assassinated President James A Garfield in 1881.

Jacob was also an alderman and a Constable for the city and county of Allegheny, signing many documents as a notary public.

He died at his daughter Emma's home in Homewood, Beaver County, Pennsylvania on 23 February 1899 and was buried in Highwood Cemetery, Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. His wife would survive him by six years, and would be buried next to him at Highwood.

Sources
1. Ancestry.com, Ancestry.com Civil War Database, (Found online at www.ancestry.com)
2. Bupp, Elizabeth Huether and May Irene Bupp. Personal Notes of Elizabeth Huether Bupp. (No publication facts - Started Jan 1874 in Allegheny City, PA - completed in 1980).
3. Christ Lutheran Church, Records of Christ Lutheran Church, (York, Pennsylvania).
4. Jordan, John Woolf. Vol. 3 Genealogical and personal history of western Pennsylvania. (New York : Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1915. online at Historic Pittsburgh.), 1660-1661.
5. McFarland, K. T. H. Inscriptions from Highwood Cemetery, Allegheny, PA, (Vol 1. Apollo, PA; Closson Press. 1988. 41).
6. NARA, Ancestry.com, HeritageQuest, 1860 Federal Census.
7. NARA, Ancestry.com, HeritageQuest, 1870 Federal Census.
8. NARA, Ancestry.com, HeritageQuest, Familiysearch.org, 1880 Federal Census.
9. Pittsburgh Gazette, "Jacob J. Bupp's obituary," 24 Feb 1899.
10. Pittsburgh Gazette, "Death Notice for Jacob Bupp," 24 Feb 1899.
11. Wood, Elizabeth J. P. Notes of Elizabeth Pfeiffer Wood. Interviewed by Kelley Wood 1999-present.

Written by Kelley Wood-Davis, 2004, Updated February 2013