Kentucky: A History of the State, Battle, Perrin, & Kniffin, 5th ed., 1887,
Anderson Co.

THE RIPY FAMILY.  James Ripy, a native of Tyrone, Ireland, on coming to
America first located in Philadelphia, Penn.  He came to Kentucky in 1830,
and settled in Lawrenceburg, first engaging in the dry goods business and
afterward in the wholesale liquor business, purchasing the products of the
distilleries of the county, finding through himself a market for their
products, he being the first to engage in the trade in Lawrenceburg.  In
1869 he established the distillery now owned and operated by his son,
Thomas B. Ripy.  From a small beginning it has, under the management of
T. B. Ripy, assumed its present magnitude. The works are located in Tyrone,
on the Kentucky River, about two miles from Lawrenceburg, and consist of
two distinct distilleries, one known as the Cliff Spring Distillery, the
daily product being about sixty barrels.  The Anderson Sour Mash is
located about a quarter of a mile south of Cliff Spring, and has the same
capacity.  The ground covered by these buildings is about forty acres.
The bonded warehouse connected with them has a storage capacity of some
80,000 barrels.  The storage house has a capacity of 25,000; cattle sheds
for the accommodation of 340 head of cattle and hogs also form a part of
these works.  Sheds for the storage of corn, etc., in connection with the
other buildings, cover about 200 acres.  The two distilleries, which are
operated by Bailey's Run, are connected by a bridge 400 feet in length.
This industry gives employment to forty men.  James Ripy married Artemesia
Walker, daughter of Randolph Walker.  He died in July, 1873, leaving two
children: James P. and Thomas B.  His widow still survives him.  James P.
Ripy was born April 2, 1844, in Anderson County, received his early
education in the common schools, and then entered the Kentucky Military
Institute of Franklin County.  At the age of eighteen he entered Company
H., Capt. E. S. Dawson, Fifth Kentucky Cavalry, which formed a part of
Morgan's command, and served until the close of the war.  He then engaged
in farming.  From 1868 to 1875 he engaged in the wholesale whisky [sic]
business in Louisville.  In 1876 he returned to Lawrenceburg, and since
continued to operate in the same line.  He married Miss Helen Lillard,
daughter of C. Marion and Frances (McGuire) Lillard, and by this marriage
he has five children: James B., Marion W., Hardy B., Francis L. and Helen.

Ripy Walker McGuire Lillard
=
Franklin-KY PA Ireland

http://www.rootsweb.com/~kygenweb/kybiog/anderson/ripy.txt