WI BIO - Dane Co - LOPER, John C.
Biographical Review of Dane County, WI. Chicago: Biographical Review Pub. Co. 
1893, Vol I, pp 198-199

John C. LOPER, a farmer of Dane County, WI, was born in Mecklenburg, Germany, 
in 1846, a son of Fred LOPER, a native of the same place, and a weaver by 
trade. Fred LOPER came with his wife and three sons to America in 1852, and 
on account of a severe storm, was sixty days on the ocean, having been in 
great danger of being lost. They located at Rochester [Monroe County], NY, 
where the father found employment at $13 per month during the summer months, 
and engaged in cutting cord wood for 36 cents per cord during the winters. 
In 1855 the family came to Dane County, WI, and their cash capital then 
consisted of $10. Fred LOPER worked by the day for the first year, and then 
bought 68 acres of wild land, for which he paid $110, having borrowed the 
money. Their dugout, covered [p 199] with king grass from the marsh, was 
burned one year later, with no insurance, and in which they lost good 
clothing brought from Germany.

In the winter of 1857, with the assistance of his neighbors, Fred LOPER 
erected a log cabin, 14x18 feet. John C. LOPER, our subject, was then eleven 
years of age, and was working at farm labor for $3 per month, and his father 
was receiving 50 cents per day. Fred LOPER added to his original purchase 
until at the time of his death, in 1862, at the age of sixty-five years, he 
owned 160 acres. He left four sons and four daughters, seven of whom still 
survive: (1) Charles, our subject [John Charles]; (2) Fred, a farmer of 
Lodi [Columbia County, WI]; (3) William, a farmer of West Point; (4) 
Carrie, wife of Frank THOMPSON, a farmer of Roxbury Township, Dane County, 
WI; (5) Louise, the wife of Fred LORCH, a cigar manufacturer of Madison 
[Dane County, WI]; (6) August, a farmer on the old homestead in Roxbury 
Township, who is also running a large creamery; and (7) Minnie, wife of 
Hamilton PADLEY, a farmer of West Point. Amelia, deceased, was formerly the 
wife of Hamilton PADLEY, and they had one son and a daughter.

John C. LOPER received but few educational advantages, and at the age of 
fifteen years enlisted in the 2nd WI Infantry. He received a gunshot wound 
in the arm at Gainesville in Aug 1862, which cut the nerve passing through 
the arm, from which he was disabled about nine months. He was also again 
accidentally wounded in the left hand. After marriage John C. LOPER 
purchased 80 acres of land from his father in Roxbury Township, where they 
remained ten years, and during this time he erected a good log house and 
cleared about 56 acres. He sold this land to his mother for $1,200, then 
bought 105 acres of his present farm, and four years afterward 120 more, 
making his present farm of 226 acres, and for which he paid $6,000. He has 
175 acres of his place under a fine state of cultivation, is engaged in 
general farming and stock raising, and makes a specialty of the raising of 
hogs, of which he keeps from 40 to 60 head. Mr. LOPER has always taken an 
active interest in the growth of his county, and has served as school clerk.

John C. LOPER was married at the age of twenty-four years to Catherine 
LOEFFLER, a daughter of Henry and Catherine (LUMBARTEY) LOEFFLER, the former 
a native of Heilbronn [Baden Wurttemberg], Germany, and the latter of 
Pittsburgh, PA. Henry LOEFFLER was a weaver of laces in Germany, and came 
with his brother to this country when a young man, with no capital. Mr. and 
Mrs. LOEFFLER came to WI in a very early day, where they were afterward 
married. Henry LOEFFLER is still living in WI, in his 80th year, and his 
wife died in Waukesha [Waukesha County], WI, 24 Sep 1848, in the prime of 
life. She left seven children: (1) Charles, a farmer of MT; (2) Henry, an 
engineer of NV; (3) Harriet, deceased; (4) Louisa, deceased; (5) 
Catherine, wife of our subject; (6) Mary, deceased; and (7) Clara, deceased.

John C. and Catherine (LOEFFLER) LOPER have buried one son, Irvin H., aged 
five years. They have seven living children: (1) Orren E., twenty years; 
(2) Abbey, who was educated at the State Normal, will soon teach the 
district school near her home; (3) Ernest R., aged seventeen, is engaged in 
farming on the home place; (4) Viola, aged fifteen years; (5) Earl, aged 
twelve years; (6) Walter, six years of age; and (7) Amy, aged two years. 
John C. LOPER is a Republican in his political views, and religiously the 
family are members of the Methodist Church.

Submitted by Cathy Kubly