E. Richard Shipp
OUR CASPER.
Lady of the High Hills, I salute thee!
I make obeisance to thy beauty, thy loveliness, thy youthful progressiveness.
Nestled in the bend of the sweeping river, with thy head pillowed on the breast
of the mountain, as an infant is cuddled in its mother's arms, none are
like thee, nor ever will be.
Thy glory has been borne on the wings of the wind to the four corners of the earth.
Thy wealth of minerals and oil is become the envy of all others.
Legion upon legion of true lovers, bringing gifts of gold and silver and precious
stones, are coming to woo and wed thee, oh, fair lady of the high hills.
Spurn them not. whether of low or high degree.
Be gracious; be kindly: hold forth thy hands in welcome; enfold them in your
arms with tenderness that they may see and know thee in all thy goodness
and charm, and thy wealth and glory will become ever greater and greater
in the land.
Lady of the High Hills, I salute thee!
It was in such words that E. Richard Shipp, widely known as the Wyoming poet, apostrophized Casper. Born in Petersburg, Illinois, May 1, 1864, he is a son of Columbus and F. Jennie (Goff) Shipp. In the public schools of his native city he acquired his early education and afterward became a student in Illinois College at Jacksonville. Later he matriculated in the Georgetown University, where he pursued a course in law and was graduated from the Washington institution with the class of 1895. Before pursuing his law course, however, and after leaving the public schools he learned the printer's trade and became a member of the Typographical Union. In this organization he has carried a member's card for the past thirty-five years, still continues as an active member and is one of the charter members of the Casper Union. He worked at the printer's trade in various cities throughout the United States, being employed on a number of the large daily papers. Following his graduation from Georgetown University at Washington, D. C, he located for practice in the capital, there remaining from 1895 until 1905, and in 1896 he was made a member of the faculty of the law school of Georgetown University and so continued until 1903. During that period he also published a number of books on legal subjects, of which he was the author. Since 1905 he has been identified with the Casper bar and has engaged in the general practice of law here. He has served as county and prosecuting attorney of Natrona county, filling the office from 1907 until 1909, and in 1912 he was the candidate of the progressive party for member of the state supreme court of Wyoming and received the largest vote cast for any candidate on the ticket.
Fraternally Mr. Shipp is connected with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Knights of Pythias, the Woodmen of the World, the Improved Order of Red Men and the Loyal Order of Moose. It was through his instrumentality that the permanent education fund of the State Federation of Labor and the United Mine Workers of District 22 was created. Of this fund he is the secretary. Its object is the maintenance of a permanent loan fund to assist the daughters of workingmen and women to secure a higher education by advancing them without interest a sufficient amount to meet their expenses through the school course, this money to be returned at such time as the beneficiary is able to do so. The fund is thus continued as a constantly rotating fund for higher education. At the close of the year 1917 Mr. Shipp sent greetings to his friends in the following words:
I make obeisance to thy beauty, thy loveliness, thy youthful progressiveness.
Nestled in the bend of the sweeping river, with thy head pillowed on the breast
of the mountain, as an infant is cuddled in its mother's arms, none are
like thee, nor ever will be.
Thy glory has been borne on the wings of the wind to the four corners of the earth.
Thy wealth of minerals and oil is become the envy of all others.
Legion upon legion of true lovers, bringing gifts of gold and silver and precious
stones, are coming to woo and wed thee, oh, fair lady of the high hills.
Spurn them not. whether of low or high degree.
Be gracious; be kindly: hold forth thy hands in welcome; enfold them in your
arms with tenderness that they may see and know thee in all thy goodness
and charm, and thy wealth and glory will become ever greater and greater
in the land.
Lady of the High Hills, I salute thee!
It was in such words that E. Richard Shipp, widely known as the Wyoming poet, apostrophized Casper. Born in Petersburg, Illinois, May 1, 1864, he is a son of Columbus and F. Jennie (Goff) Shipp. In the public schools of his native city he acquired his early education and afterward became a student in Illinois College at Jacksonville. Later he matriculated in the Georgetown University, where he pursued a course in law and was graduated from the Washington institution with the class of 1895. Before pursuing his law course, however, and after leaving the public schools he learned the printer's trade and became a member of the Typographical Union. In this organization he has carried a member's card for the past thirty-five years, still continues as an active member and is one of the charter members of the Casper Union. He worked at the printer's trade in various cities throughout the United States, being employed on a number of the large daily papers. Following his graduation from Georgetown University at Washington, D. C, he located for practice in the capital, there remaining from 1895 until 1905, and in 1896 he was made a member of the faculty of the law school of Georgetown University and so continued until 1903. During that period he also published a number of books on legal subjects, of which he was the author. Since 1905 he has been identified with the Casper bar and has engaged in the general practice of law here. He has served as county and prosecuting attorney of Natrona county, filling the office from 1907 until 1909, and in 1912 he was the candidate of the progressive party for member of the state supreme court of Wyoming and received the largest vote cast for any candidate on the ticket.
Fraternally Mr. Shipp is connected with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Knights of Pythias, the Woodmen of the World, the Improved Order of Red Men and the Loyal Order of Moose. It was through his instrumentality that the permanent education fund of the State Federation of Labor and the United Mine Workers of District 22 was created. Of this fund he is the secretary. Its object is the maintenance of a permanent loan fund to assist the daughters of workingmen and women to secure a higher education by advancing them without interest a sufficient amount to meet their expenses through the school course, this money to be returned at such time as the beneficiary is able to do so. The fund is thus continued as a constantly rotating fund for higher education. At the close of the year 1917 Mr. Shipp sent greetings to his friends in the following words:
THEE AND ME.
NINETEEN Seventeen, Good Bye.
Only yesterday thee and me were at the christening of Nineteen Seventeen.
Now the tolling bells are calling thee and me to stand beside his war-torn,
painracked and aged form as he goes away.
Father Time, swinging his scythe with ceaseless, untiring energy, draws nearer
and nearer to thee and me.
Yesterday thee and me were christened and those who were at the christening
have gone. Tomorrow the tolling bells will call others to stand beside thee and me as we go.
For the time gone thee and me have much to regret.
To the time yet to come thee and me can look with joyful anticipation, firm in
the belief that health, and happiness, and honor, and wealth will be thine
and mine if God wills it so.
Hold the door of thy heart, as the door of thy house, ever open to a friend, and
increasing years will bring enduring happiness.
Nineteen Eighteen, Good Morning.
Only yesterday thee and me were at the christening of Nineteen Seventeen.
Now the tolling bells are calling thee and me to stand beside his war-torn,
painracked and aged form as he goes away.
Father Time, swinging his scythe with ceaseless, untiring energy, draws nearer
and nearer to thee and me.
Yesterday thee and me were christened and those who were at the christening
have gone. Tomorrow the tolling bells will call others to stand beside thee and me as we go.
For the time gone thee and me have much to regret.
To the time yet to come thee and me can look with joyful anticipation, firm in
the belief that health, and happiness, and honor, and wealth will be thine
and mine if God wills it so.
Hold the door of thy heart, as the door of thy house, ever open to a friend, and
increasing years will bring enduring happiness.
Nineteen Eighteen, Good Morning.
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