My last few blogs were historical postings of long dead Tiptons. Today I'm posting a blog of one of my peers. Her name is Jessie Stone Tipton (b. 3 Aug 1941.) She is the ex-wife of my first cousin Thomas Fieldon Tipton, Sr. (b. 5 Nov 1939.)
Until this week I had never met Jessie face to face before. I've talked to her on the phone to get information about her three sons and her grandchildren. Thus it was a pleasant surprise on Friday when I got a phone call from Jessie. She told me she was in Lewes with her niece Margaret Skeans and wanted to know if I would like to go to lunch them. Absolutely! I was in the middle of doing bank business but I put that to an end and met Jessie and her niece on Second Street in Lewes, in front of the Wilmington Trust Bank building.
When I got to Second Street I realized that I didn't know what she looked liked so I pulled my cell phone out to call her. Just as I put the cell phone up to my ear I saw this woman about my age motion towards me to a younger dark haired woman.
We both smiled when we realized we had made contact. Jessie told me she recognized me ("tall and thin") from the picture on my blog. We greeted each other with a warm embrace and then I asked Margaret to take a picture of me and Jessie for posterity. Anyone who knows me knows that I take a LOT of pictures for the record.
I took Jessie and Margaret on a quick tour of Lewes and to the hotel where I work at the front desk. We decided to eat in Rehoboth Beach at a restaurant where my friend is the host.
We jump into Margaret's SUV and head on down to Rehoboth Beach and the Dos Locos restaurant. Margaret has visited Rehoboth Beach many times but this was the first visit for Jessie. Margaret is contemplating about retiring from northern Delaware to the coasal area of southern Delaware.
During the ride to Rehoboth, I get acquainted with both Jessie and Margaret. We immediately establish an easy camaraderie. I tell them all the benefits of moving to Lower Slower (what we locals call Sussex County, Delaware because it operates at a much slower pace than the urban centers nearby our beach resort.)
We arrive at Dos Locos. I've never eaten at Dos Locos before but Margaret has and she loves it. As I mentioned earlier in this posting, a good friend of mine works there as a host and I was looking forward to trying out his restaurant. I wasn't disappointed. Our host was delightful, the service was superb, the food was delicious, and the company was wonderful. I will definitely be returning to Dos Locos for more meals with good friends.
We bade our goodbye's to our gracious host, Wayne and were on our way to my home north on Route. 1. I wanted to introduce both Jessie and Margaret to my partner Bill and show them my home as well as a neighbor's home that was for sale.
Upon arrival at my home, I introduced Jessie and Margaret to Bill. They hit it off right away. I took them on a tour of the manse. Then I took them to my neighbor's house. Alas, Margaret wasn't interested in my neighbor's home. I would love to have had her for a neighbor. However, we did have a good visit. What a delightful surprise on a weather perfect day in southern Delaware. Then it came time to part ways. We said our "goodbye's" as Margaret and Jessie pulled out of our driveway.
Jessie Stone Tipton holds a unique distinction in my immediate family line. She is the only Tipton wife of the third generation of Tiptons from the Fieldon Jacob Tipton (04 Jun 1884 - 8 May 1939) line to have three sons. This is ironic because Fieldon Tipton had 12 sons, 11 of whom survived childbirth. Of his eleven sons, some of them had sons but most of their offspring were female. The only exception was my parents. They had three boys of which I am the oldest.
I have 36 cousins that I know of (there may be a few unaccounted cousins lurking about.) I have no children. Both of my brothers have two daughters. My one brother has one son. I only have one cousin who has produce all male off spring that is Jessie's former husband, my cousin Thomas Fieldon Tipton.
Tom and Jessie have three sons:
Thomas Fieldon Tipton, Jr. (15 May 1960)
Bryan Keith Tipton (25 Mar 1963)
Paul Turner Tipton (14 Oct 1967)
Thomas Fieldon Tipton, Jr. has no sons ( I am also the oldest of three sons and I have no children)
Bryan Keith Tipton has two sons:
Bryan Thomas Tipton (24 Oct 1985)
Nicholas Santiago Tipton (8 Nov 1995)
Paul Turner Tipton also has two sons (twins):
Hunter Nicholas Tipton (26 Jun 2000)
Tanner Jesse Tipton (26 Jun 2000)
Thus, Jessie and Tom Tipton are the only Tiptons in my line who have produced all male offspring in both their children and grandchildren. Thank you Tom and Jessie for keeping the Fieldon Tipton line going strong! And thanks for the visit Jessie. Both you and your niece were a delight and I hope to see you again soon. Now I have to get pictures of all these new Tiptons!
