History of Clayton County, Iowa:...
edited by Realto E. Price. Chicago: Robert O. Law Co., 1916. 
LaCrosse, WI : Brookhaven Press, 2000. 2v [Reprint]

In June, 1854, the county was shocked by an attack upon Sheriff Drips, who was knocked senseless on the deck of the boat Henrietta when he attempted to serve papers on the officers at McGregor.  He was set adrift on a log raft near Clayton and might have died but for three passengers who left the boat and rescued him.

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The last days of the year [1868] were saddened by the sudden death of Captain T. G. Drips of Clayton.  He ate breakfast as usual with the family and went to the river for water for his team.  Being gone longer than usual, he was looked for, and found dead, reclining against a board pile along the river.  Mr. Drips was born in Pennsylvania, in 1820.  He served with distinguished bravery as an orderly sergeant in the Mexican war, and come to Garnavillo in 1849.  He served as deputy sheriff and was for four years sheriff of Clayton county.  He was the captain in the Twenty-seventh Iowa and made a good record, resigning after two years' service on account of ill-health.