J.C. Kiplinger
J.C. Kiplinger.
The wise man said, “A good name is better than precious oil.” The life of Father Kiplinger was a living illustration of the truthfulness of this fact. The good name he had among the members of his family was better, not only than precious oil, but was more precious than any earthly treasure. His name among his neighbors was prized more than many things men value very highly, and the little children looked upon him as a friend of youth. There is nothing more precious than the influence and name of a good man.
Father Kiplinger was a consistent Christian for sixty-one years, much longer than many of us have lived. When but a young man he decided the kind of life that he was going to live and nothing led him from that decision.
Joseph Conray Kiplinger, son of Philip and Mahala (Shockey) Kiplinger was born February 11, 1842 in German Township, Clark County, Ohio, on a farm three and one half miles north of Springfield, where he resided until 1891, with the exception of three years spent in Moorfield Township. At the age of twenty-six years he was married to Emily Jane Ernest, of New Moorfield, Ohio, who was his faithful companion for nearly fifty-three years and to whom were born three children, Mrs. Clyde E. Blose, of Springfield, O.; P. W. and J. A. Kiplinger both of Lake Charles all of whom were present at the funeral service.
At the age of forty-nine years he came to Louisiana, settling at Lake Arthur on the 15th day of March 1891, in which vicinity he was engaged in rice culture until the year 1899, when he and his family moved to Welsh, La., and there resided for seventeen years, moving from Welsh to Lake Charles in 1918. He passed away very peacefully in Lake Charles at the home of his son, P. W. Kiplinger, at 641 Cleveland St., on Saturday morning January 22, at 10:50 o’clock surrounded by members of his family.
One of the largest funeral services in the history of the city of Lake Charles, was held for Father Kiplinger. His old friends and neighbors from Welsh and other towns and communities came to pay a last tribute to his memory. Dr. Bruce B. Corbin, his pastor and Rev. G. B. Hines conducted the services in the home and at the cemetery. The pall bearers were selected from his old friends at Welsh, where for many years he had lived before coming to Lake Charles, and they were: E. C. Willard, J. J. Miller, A. R. McBurney, F. E. Hurlbut, G. M. Hammil and P. H. Goodreau.
A good man has gone from among us but the memory of his good name is more precious than any earthly treasure which he could have left us. Surely the words of the Heavenly messenger are true of this servant of God – “Blessed are the dead who died in the Lord, Yea from hence forth they shall rest from their labors.”
The Rice Belt Journal, Welsh, LA, February 05, 1921
