Transcribed from "An Illustrated History of The
Big Bend Country, embracing Lincoln, Douglas, Adams and Franklin counties,
State of Washington", published by Western Historical Publishing
Co., 1904.
LEWIS T. LUPER is one of the
leading farmers of Lincoln county and resides three miles northeast from
Harrington. He was born on July 19, 1848, in Fulton county, Illinois.
His parents were Martin and Frances Luper, natives of Pennsylvania, and
early pioneers to Illinois. Our subject was the oldest child of the
family and his brothers and sisters are named as follows, James, in Heppner,
Oregon; George, who died on March 13, 1904, at Pendleton, Oregon; Mrs.
Harriett Spidell in Los Angeles, California; and Mrs. Jennie Spangler of
Corvallis, Oregon. The father brought his family across the plains
in 1853, using ox teams to make the trip, and settled in Linn county, Oregon,
taking a donation claim. Soon after this the mother died. The
father remained on the old donation claim until 1877, then went to Los
Angeles, California. After that, he spent six years in San Diego,
California and there died in June, 1903, being aged eighty-seven.
Our subject had taken a journey to visit his father on the December previous
to his death.
Lewis T. was educated
and reared in Linn county and when twenty-one moved to Lane county and
bought a farm. He cultivated this until 1883, when he came to Lincoln
county. He soon selected the pre-emption where he now lives and began
to open up a farm. Owing to the fact that he had very limited means,
Mr. Luper had a hard time to get started but his labors were finally prospered
and he soon added more to his farm by purchase and now has over eighteen
hundred acres, two thirds of which are producing first class crops of wheat.
In addition to doing general farming he has paid considerable attention
to raising cattle and horses and now has some fine animals. When
Mr. Luper first came here the country was wild and almost an unbroken prairie
and he has seen it transformed from that to one of the most fertile wheat
sections in the United States. The estate is provided with a fine
residence, good barns and all improvements and implements needed to carry
on a first class farm.
On May 20, 1873, in
Lane county, Oregon, Mr. Luper married Miss Elizabeth Horn, a native of
Iowa. She came with her parents across the plains in the early days
and settled in California. Later, they moved to Lane county, Oregon.
Her father was James Horn. He lived in Lane county, Oregon until
his death in the spring of 1904, being aged seventy-seven. To our
subject and his wife one child, Berry, has been born. He married
Miss Minnie Moore and is now farming in the vicinity of Harrington.
On April 2, 1902, Mr. Luper was called to mourn the death of his beloved
wife. He is a man of excellent standing in the community and is a
member of the pioneer association.