John RIPLEY

                      This was obtained from IGI files
                  

                   From a letter to Vera Hasting Miller, 5/10/60
Our original ancesters came from Germany in the mid 1760's Ludwig and Eliza Jane Crosby and three sons, Lewis, Jacob and John.  Tho no authentic record they were of German descent.  Some conjecture their ancestors were  originally English and were forced to leave England under persecution. Ludwig settled in Pennsylvania and were in sympathy with the colonists.  He served as gunsmith repairing the war weapons for gen. Wash.'s army at Valley Forge.  Early in the century they moved to Harrison Co., Ohio.  They had 12 children, seven bpys and five girls.  Among them was Stephen, w/black curly hair and blue eyes who married Eliza Jane Crosby, who had besen born on a slave plantation in Virginia.  Ons the deatgh of her mother was brought North by her mother's sister and lived on the farm adjoining the Ripley farm.  These two becameJames H. Ripley.  They were a fine couple and his death followed Eliza's death just from November 1896 to April 1897