JOSEPH KIPLEY

JOSEPH KIPLEY is Assistant Chief of Police of Chicago. He has reached this responsible and important position through meritorious conduct, which has won for him promotion from rank to rank, until he is now almost at the head of the police department of the second city of the Union. The record of his life is as follows: He was born in Paterson, N. J., in 1848, and is a son of Charles and Catherine (Waller) Kipley. The family is of German origin. The parents of our subject were both born in Baden-Baden, Germany, and there continued to reside until 1845, when they crossed the Atlantic to America, and located in New Jersey. The father is a carpenter by trade, and has made that pursuit his life work. Both parents are still living in Chicago, at the age of seventy-seven years.

No event of special importance occurred during the boyhood and youth of Joseph Kipley, who was reared in his parents’ home, and acquired his education in the public schools of his native State. He thus obtained a good knowledge of the English branches, and has since been a close student of the topics of the time and of current events. When his school life was ended, he came westward, locating in Chicago, and entered the employ of R. B. Appleby, a picture dealer of this city, with whom he continued until he entered upon the work which led to his present position. It was on the 22d of January, 1872, that he became a member of the police force, serving as a patrolman. From that position he has risen successively, step by step, to a position of prominence. When he joined the force it consisted of only two hundred and fifty men, and he has made his way without any political influence.

In 1872 Mr. Kipley was united in marriage with Miss Winnefred Wheeler.

— Submitted by Sherri Hessick on September 30, 2001

DISCLAIMER:  The submitter is not related to the subject of this biography nor is she related to anyone mentioned in the biography.