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The Chronicles of Oklahoma
JASPER SIPES
Volume XX
December, 1942
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JASPER SIPES
1860-1941
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By Robert L. Williams
Jasper Sipes, son of Lawson J. Sipes and his wife, Lucinda Sipes.
nee Wright, was born in Batavia, Jefferson County, Iowa on June 30.
1860. When he was a little more than a year old, the father with his
family moved from this point to Virginia City, Montana, traveling
overland in a covered wagon, a part of the way being in company with
Jim Bridger, the noted guide and Indian fighter. The father engaged
in mining.and later in ranching; the son, whilst not attending the
local schools, worked with the father, except during the Nez Perce
Indian uprising when he joined volunteers in defense of the settlers.
From Montana Jasper Sipes came to Western Kansas and be-
cam-g/interested in farm lands and wheat raising in McPherson and
Pratt Counties, and used a timber claim right in Stanton County.
Kansas. He then came to Oklahoma Territory, and in the run on
April 22, 1889 exercised a homestead right, selecting same in Oklahoma County about five miles east of Oklahoma City, now a part
/.'Q|_f what is known as the "Crutcho Farm" and owned by him at the
time of his death. With the opening he maintained his residence
on said homestead during the period necessary to secure title thereto. At the same time he carried oh an established business in Oklahoma City, traveling thereto practically daily from his residence.
In Kansas for some time he had been engaged in school and
church equipment and furniture business, which he reestablished
and expanded in Oklahoma City. In 1915 he organized a wholesale
outlet for distribution of state textbooks, which he continued until
1937 when he retired, which was thereafter continued under the
same corporate name though he had neither connection therewith
nor interest therein.
With no school houses in which to place furniture, no school
boards to purchase same, and no pupils, for a time he carried his
samples for display over the territory, aiding in the organization of
school boards and planning to finance school buildings and equip
them with everything from desks and wall maps to heating plants.
He published copies of the first school laws enacted by the Oklahoma
Territorial Legislature and distributed them at his own expense and
equipped the first school building erected in Oklahoma City (Emerson). His equipment was installed not only in the laboratories of
the University of Oklahoma at its beginning but also in most of the
other state school buildings.
Long Collection
