Philip Hoop

          Philip Hoop, one of the most successful agriculturalists of Shelby County , was born in Highland County, Ohio, March 19, 1816.  He was the tenth of twelve children, eight sons and four daughters, born to Peter and  Motilena Hoop, both natives of Virginia, of German descent. He was but five years old when his father died, and but fifteen years old when his mother died. After his father died he remained with his widowed mother upon the farm until her death, and for about two years thereafter he remained in Highland County, working upon a farm. He attended school a part of the time. In the seventeenth year of his age, he started out into the world for himself. He walked to Cincinnati where he purchased an ox, and with this, he again started out on foot, and sometime during the month of March, 1832, he arrived in Shelby County. After spending a short time with his brother, who had previously come to this county, on the 6th day of August, 1840, he was married to Mary J. Francis, who was born in Bath County, Kentucky, January 19, 1822.  She was the daughter of  William and  Sarah (Hardesty) Francis.  Immediately after their marriage, Mr. And Mrs. Hoop located on a farm of eighty acres, which the former had purchased in Sugar Creek Township. Some eight or ten years later they removed to the farm Mr. Hoop presently occupies, where they continued to live happily together until their union was broken by the death of his wife, May 27, 1876. On the18th day of May, 1879, he was married to Susan Baker, who was born in Madison County, Kentucky, October 1, 1856. She was the daughter of  Reason and Elizabeth Baker, both natives of Madison County, Kentucky. Mr. And Mrs. Hoop are the parents of two children:  Philip E., born February 18, 1864, and Peter, born April 6, 1886, both living. Mr. Hoop is a member of the F. & A. M. Lodge, and a staunch Democrat in politics. He began life as a poor boy, but through industry, perseverance and economy he is now one of the wealthiest men in Shelby County. He owns a farm of 600 acres, most of which is in a high state of cultivation. His farm is fitted up with good fences and buildings, and a handsome brick residence erected at a cost of $7,000.
History of Shelby County, Indiana, Chicago: Brant & Fuller, 1887, page 749-750.
Copied by James R. Baker, Jr.

Biography Index     Main Page