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Biography - RALPH O. DUPEE

The Dupee family, so well known and highly esteemed in Earlville and LaSalle county, is one of the honored early families of New England, it having been established in Boston in 1685 by Jean Dupuy (as the name was originally spelled), who fled from La Rochelle, France, his own loved country, to America, on account of the persecution of the Huguenots. His descendants continued to dwell in the land which had been such a kind foster mother to him, and in the opening year of this century Jacob Dupee was born in Boston. He learned the tailor's trade and during the last years of his life dwelt in Earlville and Chicago with his children, four of his sons having lived to maturity. He died in this town in 1879, when nearly four-score years of age. His wife was of Scotch-English extraction, one branch of her family dating back to the historic Mayflower.

One of the sons just mentioned was Ralph Oscar Dupee, who was born in West Brookfield, Massachusetts, April 23, 1846, and was reared with his three elder brothers, — Charles A., for years one of the prominent lawyers of Chicago; Jacob A., of Earlville, with whom he was engaged in business for more than twenty years; and Henry H., for the past ten years a resident of Paola, Florida. The great civil war claimed the anxious attention of Ralph O. Dupee as he was approaching maturity, and though he was young he enlisted in the Forty-second Massachusetts Infantry and served for four months, in the Army of the Potomac, when the terrible conflict was finished.

As early as 1854 one of the Dupee brothers came to the west, and as the years rolled away his example was followed by the other members of the family. After his army service, R. O. Dupee came to Illinois and for a period dwelt at Augusta. In 1867 he came to Earlville and entered into business with his brothers Jacob and Henry, the latter of whom withdrew from the firm in 1871, on account of poor health. The other brothers continued successfully engaged in the same enterprise until the death of Ralph O. Dupee, in the spring of 1895. He was the vice-president of the Earlville Bank for several years, and was the president of the board of education two terms. The patriotic spirit which led to his enlistment in the defense of the Union always governed him, and few are more sincere in desiring the welfare of the public and the land of freedom. He was an active member of the Grand Army of the Republic, and in his religious belief he adhered to the staunch old Congregational creed of his forefathers. During a period of years he served as the church clerk, treasurer, trustee and superintendent, and his place in the congregation has indeed been hard to fill. The entire community felt that it had suffered an irreparable loss when he was so suddenly stricken, but his example and the ennobling influence of his manly life endures and will endure for many years to come. In all of his relations, in the business world, in the church and the Grand Army of the Republic, in the social and home circles, he was loved and admired for his truly superior qualities of mind and heart. His uniform courtesy and kindness, his generosity and considerateness, won the respect of the most casual acquaintance and endeared him forever to those who knew him intimately. His widow, whose maiden name was Sarah Cone, is still a resident of Earlville. She was born in Rhode Island and is of Scotch-English descent. Her father, Rev. William Cone, was a native of New Hampshire, and was a minister of the Methodist denomination. At a very early day he came to Illinois, where he preached the gospel until he was well advanced in years. He died in Earlville and left three children to mourn his loss.

Mrs. Dupee, soon after her marriage, joined the Congregational church, and in church matters has ever taken an active interest. She is the mother of one daughter and three sons, namely: Ella, Walter R., Frank W. and John.

Extracted 17 Jul 2017 by Norma Hass from Biographical and Genealogical Record of LaSalle County, Illinois, published in 1900, volume 2, pages 474-476.


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