PHIPPS, LUTHER AND MATILDA

by Elva Phipps

Entry F342 from the History of Hooker County Nebraska
with permission of the Hooker County Historical Society

The three Russell Phipps boys, Bob, Leonard and Doug about 1938, with both
sets of Grandparents, L-R-Luther and Matilea Phipps-Frank ane Ella LeLaCheur.

Luther Phipps was born in Macon County,
Missouri on August 8, 1870. Matilda Freele
was born in Toronto, Canada on March 3,
1871. They were married on December 26,
1894 and lived in Macon City, Missouri until
they decided to head west in 1899. They sold
their 60 acre farm and headed for Lakeside,
Nebraska where they lived for four years. At
this time they decided to move by wagon to
about four miles northeast of Whitman. The
two older boys helped drive cattle.

By this time they had five children;
Raymond L., October 6, 1895; Russell I., May
12, 1897; Lyle E. June 25, 1899; Leila May,
May 1, 1901; Charles L., February 10, 1903.
Four more children were born after the move:
Esther I., March 23, 1905; Alice L., Septem-
ber 22, 1906; Hansel, May 26, 1909; and Mary
D., March 19, 1915.

The Phipps land spread north into Cherry
County as they bought up other land around
them as it was available.

In 1917, Luther and Tubby Craig bought
the west store in Whitman and were partners
for three years until Craig disappeared with
$6,000. Luther turned it over to Otis King and
Vern McCubbin and notes for $200 were
given Luther in exchange for like amount of
groceries until the store was paid for.

As the sons married, Luther and Matilda
set them up with ranches of their own. Luther
and Matilda moved to Lincoln in 1921 where
the five youngest children attended college
and only returned to the north ranch during
the summer.

Matilda was bedfast with cancer for several
years and died on July 23, 1946. Luther
continued ranching until his death Septem-
ber 6, 1958. Both were buried in the Cedar-
view Cemetery in Mullen.