Tipton Tales and Trails

John Tipton, Union Recruit

2012-02-11T10:30:00.000-05:00

My great-great grandfather was John Tipton (1830-1863). John died while recruiting for the Union forces during the civil war in the mountains that border western North Carolina (where he lived with his family) and eastern Tennessee where he was stationed.

The following is an accounting of his death when he was ambushed by a Confederate Calvary led by Confederate Colonel Wichter.

Colonel Vincent Addison Witcher
Commander 34th Virginia Cavalry
The man responsible for the death of my great-grandfather John Tipton in 1863

I have taken this information out of the book "Toe River Valley Heritage - North Carolina, Vol. X" which was compiled by Professor Lloyd Richard Bailey of Duke University. Professor Bailey is a relative of John Tipton's wife, my great-great grandmother Martha "Patty" Bailey Tipton. Professor Bailey has given me permission to put this information on my blog.

If anyone seeks more information about this subject or wishes to contact Professor Bailey his address follows:

Lloyd Bailey
4122 Deep Wood Circle
Durham, NC 27707
lloyd@duke.edu
www-toevrivervalley.com

John Tipton, Union Recruit

Death of a Union Soldier in the Appalachian Mountains

John Tipton, (ca. 1828/1830-11/18/1863) was the son of Joseph Tipton (whose wife may have been named Sarah) who lived in the vicinity of Bee Branch, near Relief in Yancey County, North Carolina.

Martha E. "Patty" Bailey Tipton Cooper - my great-great grandmother and widow of John Tipton, my great-great grandfather who died in the Civil War fighting for the Union Cause

He married Martha E. ("Patty") Bailey (9/22/1830-12/22/1915), daughter of John ("Yellow Jacket") Bailey. They were married on October 19, 1848, at the home of her brother, Ansel Bailey (who soon thereafter moved to Fannin County, Georgia). John and "Patty" lived in the vicinity of the village of Relief, North Carolina in the mountains bordering Tennessee.

Green Mountain Road, the area near Bee Branch Road where my great-grandparents lived in 1863
Photo taken last spring when Bill and I visited the area 2011

John joined the Union Army about September 15, 1863, by going across the mountains into Tennessee to the 8th Tennessee Regiment (Company M) that was then located near Greenville, Tennessee. Soon thereafter he was furloughed and sent back to his home area to see if he could recruit other volunteers to the Union Cause. Those who were willing to do so "hid out" (from the Confederate Home Guard?) until it was time to leave for the Regiment, some of them staying at John Tipton's house during the night before departure. His wife cooked "thin rations: for them and they set out on the morning of the 18th.

The North Carolina - Tennessee state line - where my great grandfather probably crossed in 1863 while recruiting for the Union forces - photo take last year 2011 during our annual visit south

They apparently traveled through the Hollow Poplar Settlement, then through Indian Grave Gap, and descended into Tennessee into the "Greasy Cove" by means of Rock Creek. There, they were spotted by a Confederate Cavalry command but Colonel Vincent Addison Witcher (34th Virginia Cavalry-CSA) who apparently was on the lookout for Union recruits that might take this well known route. Colonel Witcher's command brought a bout the so-called "Bell Massacre" in the nearby Limestone Cove about three days later.

One of the many trails still intact up in the mountains where my great-grandfather rode to recruit of the Union forces in 1863

In the following skirmish, John Tipton was shot twice in the left side and immediately died. Four others of the Union recruits were killed. Archibald Bennett was wounded in the head, recuperated at the home of John Tipton's widow (Martha "Patty" Bailey - my great-great grandmother), and later jinxed the Union Army (3rd NC Mounted Infantry). Curtis, Calvin and Dobson Bailey, along with their father Hiram, Sr., were also present at the skirmish. (Note: John Tipton's young son Hiram was my great grandfather.) Curtis (who had formerly served in the 39th KY Regiment, Union Army and deserted) was killed. Calvin, Dobson and Hiram escaped, and the sons later joined the Union Army ) Dobson in the 13th Tenn.; Calvin, formerly in the 39th KY and deserted, joined the 13th Tenn. Regiment, Co. B.

Confederate Cavalry in the mountains 1863

I was told (by elderly Charles Hughes, now deceased) that Jason and Jim Hughes (brothers of Confederate soldier Jeremain Hughes) were shot and left for dead by Witcher's Cavalry. Relatives came and carried them home. Jim, shot in the throat, survived. The cavalry commander had ordered that he be shot again but he response from one of this soldiers was "Ain't no use wasting shot on a dead man." The wound never healed, and Jim would remove the bandage eat morning to let the wound "drain." He is buried at the Hughes Cemetery "at the mouth of Big Creek." As for the fatally wounded Jason, he was buried at Huntdale Memorial Cemetery.

ONe other person, taken alive by Witcher's Cavalry, was made to ride with them to the gap between Rock Creek and Poplar (Indian Grave Gap). At that point, they decided to shoot him and ordered him to march ten paces ahead of them. At the count of nine, he dived into a laurel thicket, amidst a hail of bullets and escaped.

John Tipton's body was taken to the home of Dr. Perry, some 13-14 miles from Tipton's home. HIs wife was notified and the next day, she (along with Mrs. Eliza Presley and her son) went with a wagon to retrieve his body. He and his brother-in-law Curtis Bailey were buried in a double-grave. "about a half mile from his house." [The cemetery, nmow known as the "Yellow Jacket" John Bailey cemetery, is located just above the bridge over Toe River at Relief, North Carolina, on the Yancey County (now Mitchell County) side.

When widow Martha Bailey Tipton applied for a pension (see previous blog posting on this subject), she was initially denied on the grounds that John's name was not on the Company Muster Role. On appeal, it was pointed out that no muster-forms were available at the time and John was sent back to his home in the mountains of North Carolina to recruit before the forms arrived. AS the result of several sworn statements, including by his commanding officer, pension was finally approved in 1891 in the amount of $8.00 a month.

At the end of the War, the family apparently moved to Jonesboro Tennessee at which place Martha lists her address. Pension appellations were filed there in 1865 and1867. She is listed in Yancey County, North Carolina, in the 1870 census.

John left his widow with ten children, nine of whom were under sixteen years of age.

Baxter Stephen Tipton - born 7/26/1849
Sarah Ann Tipton - born 11/15/12850
Hiram Tipton - born 3/5/1852 - my great-great grandfather
Loucinda Tipton - born 3/24/1853
Elizabeth Tipton - born 11/5/1854
Temperance Ann "Tempe" Tipton - born 12/25/1855)
Willian Nelson Tipton - born 7/27/1857
Martha Tipton - born - 12/26/1858
Curtis Tipton - born 7/29/1860
Tricia Tipton - born 5/6/1862

Hiram Tipton, my great grandfather and son of John Tipton

Baxter Stephen Tipton, son of John Tipton - my great grand uncle

Curtis Tipton, son of John Tipton and my great grand uncle

There is much more to write about this interesting and fascinating period in the history of our county in which I am proud to say my great-great grandfather courageously played a part.

Tipton Family Reunion Part 1

2011-11-21T19:07:00.004-05:00

This is part one of a movie that I made of some of the photos that were taken at the annual Tipton Family Reunion held October 9th, 2011 at the East Brandywine Community Park near Downingtown, Pennsylvania.

The reunion is held each year in October. We are the descendants of Fieldon and Hester Tipton. All Tipton descendants and their family and friends are welcome!

A little narrative as to who is in this movie:

The movie open with me (in the green hat) and my "baby" brother Isaac, Jr. (in the orange pullover) arriving first at the pavilion to set up the tables and place the Tipton Reunion Banner.

First to arrive were our cousins Darlene Tipton Ford and Rita Tipton Buxbaum, daughters of my uncle Luther Raymond "Dude" Tipton. Darlene's son David Ford arrived with them.

They all signed the guest book.

Next to arrive was my cousin Bob Tipton and his wife Marie and daughter Sharon who traveled all the way from Marietta, Georgia. Cousin Bob brought along his chihuahua dog Brutus. Cousin Bob is the son of my uncle Erby Erwin Tipton.

Next in the picture is 11 year old Hunter Tipton, on crutches. Hunter has a twin brother named Tanner Tipton. Hunter and Tanner are the sons of Paul and Linda Tipton. Paul is the grandson of my uncle Erby Tipton. Hunter injured his leg playing football.

Next to arrive is my cousin Tom Tipton, Jr along with his wife Kathleen. Tom is also the grandson of Erby Tipton. Tom is also on crutches. He severely injured his leg in a motorcycle accident. Thank goodness he is healing nicely although he does have an ugly Frankenstein scar on his leg.

Next to arrive is cousin Louis Tipton White with her daughter Debbie Fincke and her son Aaron Fincke. Louis is the daughter of my uncle Erby Tipton. Louise's husband Fred White also arrive. He is in the red shirt shaking my hand at the end of this movie.

There, I hope I didn't confuse the reader too much. If you're of the Tipton family, you know the players. If not, oh well.

Part Two will show more Tiptons arriving. My father had ten brothers. They all had families. The largest contingent, that of uncle Ray's line didn't show up. Hopefully they will come next year.

I plan on having an annual Tipton Family reunion every year as long as I'm able to do it. My thanks to my friend and fellow blogger Mark H. for the fabulous photos. Thanks Mark!

Why I Have a Yankee Accent

2011-03-25T19:15:00.000-04:00

My grandmother, father and nine of my 10 Tipton uncles at my grandfather's funeral 1939

I first began researching my Tipton family roots in 1994. I was born in West Chester, Pennsylvania in 1941 to Isaac Walter Tipton and Betty Louise Hadfield. My Mother’s family history was from Pennsylvania Quakers. All I knew about my father’s history was that he came up to Pennsylvania when he was ten years old, with eight of his brothers (no sisters) and without shoes to work on his Uncle Don Byrd’s farm near Unionville, Pennsylvania, country about 45 miles west of Philadelphia. I did know that my father was a ‘hillbilly’ and that fact distressed me greatly when I was growing. Little did I know that my father and his brothers came from those hearty, brave and hardworking families of Appalachia that made up the backbone of America.

My Uncle John Henry Tipton and his team of mules used to haul lumber
for his father's (my grandfather) saw mill in the western mountains of
North Carolina about 1924

Back in 1994 was when I first began researching my family history. I made my first trip to the mountains of western North Carolina where my father grew up as a small boy and visited one of my father’s distant Tipton cousins. His name was Horace Tipton and he was about the same age as my father. During my visit ‘Uncle Horace’ stopped me and said:

“Ye a damn Yankee ain’t ye? Ye talk funny!”

'Uncle Horace's home in Micaville, North Carolina 1994

At first I was stunned because he thought I talked funny? I could hardly understand him, his Appalachian accent was that thick. Then I saw the humor in the situation and continued my visit with ‘Uncle Horace.’ However during our visit (I was there with my brother John and his wife Barbara Tipton), ‘Uncle Horace’ did maintain a certain distance. Don’t want to get TOO friendly with a (damn) Yankee you know.

My brother John and I at his home in Greenville, South Carolina
discussion our recent trip to the hills of North Carolina where
our father was born and left at ten years old for Pennsylvania

Below is the reason I have a ‘Yankee’ accent.

This is a history of how my branch of the Tipton family came to be in Pennsylvania. This information is an oral history from my late Aunt Peg Tipton, wife of my Uncle Henry Tipton.

In the 1920’s, life was rough for the folks who lived in the hollers of the Pisgah Mountains in western North Carolina, near the border of Johnson City, Tennessee. One of those families who were near starvation was my paternal grandparents, Fieldon and Hester Lewis Tipton and their nine sons.

Me during a visit to the mountains where my father was born - 1994

From 1909 to 1926 Fieldon and Hester had nine children, all boys. Fieldon was in the lumber business with other relatives in the close-knit mountain community. Leading up to the Great Depression, the sawmill business wasn’t producing enough food on the table to feed nine growing Tipton boys. Fieldon’s brother-in-law, Don Byrd (married to Hester Lewis’s sister, Essie Lewis) had a fruit and vegetable farm in southern Chester County, Pennsylvania. He needed cheap farm labor. Fieldon and Hester and their nine growing boys needed food, a roof over their heads to protect them from the elements and heat to give them comfort during the cold winters.

My grandmother Hester Tipton with her two sons born in Pennsylvania, Bruce and Sam Tipton 1936

Sometime in 1929 or 1930 (the exact date is uncertain) the Fieldon Tipton family made a life course change and decided to relocate to Pennsylvania and work on Don Byrd’s farm. The whole family moved into one of the tenant cabins called “The Baker Place” near present day Unionville, Pennsylvania. “Field” and his boys began the back-breaking work of picking fruits and vegetables in their Uncle Don’s farm. Two more sons were born to Fieldon and Hester Tipton in Pennsylvania. More farm labor.

My Uncle Sam, Bruce and Fieldon Tipton at the old 'Baker Place' where they
were farm laborers for their Uncle Don Byrd on his farm in exchange for free housing

The names of the Tipton boys were:

Raymond Luther Tipton (1909-1988)

John Henry Tipton (1911-1993)

Edward Walter Tipton (1914-1998)

Erby Erwin Tipton (1917-1990)

Isaac Walter Tipton Sr. (my father) (1920-2000)

John Hannum Tipton (twin) (1922-1961)

Richard Berry Tipton (twin) (1922-1989)

Luther Raymond Tipton (1925-2006)

Fieldon Jacob Tipton, Jr. (1926-2006)

Bruce Tipton (1931-1995)

Samuel Park Tipton (1934-2001)

Baby Tipton (twin of Samuel, died at birth)(1934-1934)

As the Tipton boys grew into adult most of them met and married the local women of southeastern Pennsylvania, their new home. Out of those unions thirty-six legitimate children and four illegitimate children were born. I am one of those thirty-six legitimate children over a hundred children were born.

My Mom (pregnant with me), my Uncle Dude and my grandmother Hester Tipton 1941

With the exception of Fieldon ‘s cousin Adgie Tipton, who also moved to southeastern Pennsylvania at the same time, all of the Tiptons who now live in an around the southeastern portion of Pennsylvania are descendents of my grandparents, Fieldon and Hester Tipton. And this is the reason I am a Tipton with a Yankee accent.

March 26, 2011

Ronald Walter Tipton

Me ( tall, skinny kid on the right) with my brothers and cousins showing our hillbilly roots 1955

Charles Dawes Tipton

2011-02-27T17:53:00.000-05:00

Charles Dawes Tipton,
1925-2008

As regular researchers of the Tipton family history know, Charles D. Tipton of Garland Texas was our preeminent Tipton family researcher.

Charles died unexpectedly on January 2, 2009 in Garland, Texas during a domestic dispute with his step-daughter.

Chales D. Tipton with fellow Tipton family researchers
TFAA Reunion at Tipton-Haynes Historic Site
Johnson City, Tennessee
August 1994

I first met Charles in August of 1994 when I attended my first TFAA (Tipton Family Association of America) reunion in Johnson City, Tennessee in August of 1994. Prior to meeting Charles, I had been in contact with him by e-mail and phone during my research of our mutual family tree.

TFAA Reunion
Johnson City, Tennessee
August 1994

Charles was a gruff, curmudgeon 'Wilfred Brimley" character and an excellent genealogist. As anyone who has dealt with him knows, Charles insisted on absolute accuracy in researching our Tipton family history. Charles always dismissed the notion that we are descended from Anthony de Tipton of the year 1200 in England. The same Anthony de Tipton who slew the mortal Welsh enemy of King Edward I on the battlefield thus enabling Edward to accede the throne of the united kingdoms of Wales and England in the 1200's.

Charlie Tipton in a lighter moment

Charles was the longtime editor of the TFAA newsletter. Charles also wrote the definitive book on Tipton genealogy called "Tipton- The First Five Generations."

I remember clearly when Charles son Lee called me at my job at the hotel where I work as a front desk clerk. I had never spoken to Lee before. He found my e-mail address on his father's computer and wanted to notify me of his father's untimely death. Of course I was shocked. Charles was such a large part of my genealogy research. Many of us Tipton researchers went to Charles for the definitive answer to any genealogy questions we had about our Tipton family research. I so appreciate Lee getting in touch with me and informing me of his father's passing.

I was concerned with what would happened to all of Charles' research now that he was gone. Lee didn't know what to do with it. He said he was interested in it but only to read it. Lee couldn't continue his father's research.

After several subsequent conversations with Lee I made arrangements with the Tipton-Haynes Historical Site in Johnson City, Tennessee to accept all of the documentation on the Tipton family that Charles had accumulated over the years. Lee also agreed to send me the TFAA records, including the lineage sheets.

Penny McLaughlin, director of Tipton-Haynes now has a project to copy all of Charles' research onto computers at the Tipton-Haynes Historic site. I will record the lineage sheets that Charles painstakingly accrued over his years in stewardship as editor of the TFAA Newsletter. I will enter this information into the Tipton family tree data base that I keep on Ancestry.com.

The following is the obituary that appeared for Charles Tipton in the Garland Texas local newspaper:

Charles Dawes Tipton
1925-2008

TIPTON, CHARLES DAWES (CHARLIE), Born on March 10, 1925 in the Cross Timbers Region at Dublin, Texas, he died unexpectedly on January 29, 2008 in Garland, Texas. He leaves behind Louise, his wife of 39 years; daughters Bonnie, Beccye and Terry; sons Roger and Lee; granddaughters Stephanie, Vanessa, Jessica and Lauren; grandsons Ben, Shane, Tim, Zachary, and Tyler; great grandsons Steven, Charlie Wade and Will; great granddaughters, Kaila and Devin; daughters in-law, Jacci, Aimee and Kelley, and son in-law Bob. He was preceded in death by his parents, David Butler and Ora Lee of Dublin, Texas; brother, David Butler of Fort Worth, Texas and his son, Paul, of Garland, Texas. Charlie was recruited from Dublin High School to play football at Baylor in 1942. Soon convinced he was too small to play college football, he left Baylor in 1943 to serve his country in the U. S. Navy during WWII. After the war he studied at and graduated from UT Austin with an M. S. in Electrical Engineering and a job at the university. With a growing family he left the university in 1955 for a career in industry. Following intermediate service at Collins Radio and Temco Aircraft, he joined E-Systems and worked at Garland, Texas though retirement in 1988. He grew to be widely recognized and personally known and loved by so many at E-Systems; literally from the janitor to the CEO. Charlies professional career spanned the emergence and the death throes of what some early recognized as the Evil Empire. While at E-Systems he held many senior posts in science and technology developments of highly advanced reconnaissance, surveillance and intelligence systems. A brilliant man of impeccable integrity, Charlies contributions to the nations security were well appreciated and recognized both by his family at E-Systems, and by his special customers. Charlies keen intellect, boundless curiosity, steel trap memory, and laser wit will be sorely missed by the family he loved so deeply, and no less by the great host of souls he counted as Friend. He loved his family and friends unconditionally, and he was all about exploring and sharing with those he so loved, the very breadth and the depth and the full richness that life has to offer until his very last moment. He was one of Gods truly exceptional sons and simply a gem of a man. A memorial service is planned for 1:00 pm, Thursday, February 7, 2008 at Restlands Memorial Chapel, located at Greenville and Walnut. Restland 972-238-7111 restlandfuneralhome.com

OB6 Obituaries, Notices
Published in the Dallas Morning News on 2/3/2008.

Tiptons in Eastern Kentucky

2011-02-13T17:22:00.000-05:00

(Click on pictures to embiggen)

This was posted on Roots Web a few days ago. A fellow researcher researching his Tipton line came across a bible with original entries in it. As any experienced genealogy researcher know, these bible entries are very valuable because they are the raw source of the true information of families. Many families, including my own grandmother faithfully recorded the births, marriages and deaths of members of the families.

I am reproducing the scanned bible pages here for review by readers of this blog. The only thing I know about these Tiptons are that this bible was from a Tipton family in Eastern Kentucky, Estill County. I have forwarded copies of the bible pages to Paul Tipton of California. Paul has the master records of all the Tiptons in the United States. I'm sure he will come up with the definitive answer which I will share with readers of this blog.

Below is the information provided by the finder of this bible which may help explain who these Tiptons are:

"I found an interesting list within a bible I just found. All the names are Tipton, birth, death, and marriages. The document is in excellent condition. I'm tracing my family tree and have Tipton's as relatives. If your interested in this please let me know.

Finally have the documents scanned. If you have any trouble reading the details, I could probably translate them for you if would like.

There are no geographical locations, but I'm pretty sure that the names on the list are from Eastern Kentucky, probably Estill County or the surrounding area.

I'm tracing my family tree and have come to a dead end on my grandmother's side. Her maiden name was Woosley, her father; William married a Tipton. Unfortunately this is where my trail stops. Any help would be greatly appreciated."

The Tipton Family Association of America Resurrected!

2011-01-28T10:31:00.002-05:00

Folks, good news! The Tipton Family Association of America has been resurrected!

John Parrish, a descendant of Colonel John Tipton (1730-1813) has taken up the reins as president of the Tipton Family Association of America.

John has issued his first TFAA newsletter. I have reproduced it as below:

The Tipton Family Association of America

314 Oak Place, Asheville, North Carolina, 28803-1930

Winter 2010/2011 Newsletter

I am very proud and happy to be President of the Tipton Family Association of America. I want to thank Robert Tipton Nave for nominating me for the office and the association members for their confidence in electing me at our October meeting. I plan to devote time and energy to our family’s association providing the public with knowledge of the achievements of the Tiptons and helping descendants obtain the information they seek about our Tipton family.

I am a descendant of Colonel John Tipton (1730-1813) through his son, Captain Jacob Tipton (1765-1791) and his son, General Jacob Tipton (1790-1839). My mother was born and raised in Covington, Tipton County, West Tennessee.

I have had the pleasure of association with many of our members visiting about questions of genealogy and history of the Tipton family. I have met many of those family members through my website, www.coloneljohntipton.com. I would invite each of you to visit the site, make a comment in the blog and contact me to further our personal acquaintance.

I thank Tom Manning for his service as President of the TFAA.

It was pleasing to see a dozen or more Tiptons and Tipton descendants gather to learn about the family and their connections to it at the recent meeting in Elizabethton. While the majority of those attending live within a hundred miles of Carter County, there were folks from as far away as Washington, DC; north central Kentucky and Chattanooga.

Robert Tipton Nave began the day’s program with his presentation:

Rambling with Robert Tipton Nave

An expert genealogist, archivist, librarian and historian of the Tipton family and the history of early East Tennessee, Robert told stories and answered questions. He was informative and enjoyed by all.

In addition to my comments regarding my research on the life of Colonel John Tipton and Bill Tipton’s narrative about his trip to West Tennessee to find out about the settlement of that area by our family.

Bob Tipton, Co-Administrator of the Tipton DNA Project gave the group an update on the activities of this project. Anyone wanting more information can contact Bob at rrtipton@gmail.com.

David W. Tipton, whose grandfather was Frank William Tipton born 13 Jul 1903 at Milligan College, Carter County, Tennessee, is looking for any information about his great-grandfather, Augustus T. (Gus) Tipton, who first married Margaret Evalen Bowman and second Polly Ann Barnett. If you can help David, call him at (423) 538-4619 or (423) 968-1669.

Lastly, everyone present formed a group that shared information and fielded questions.

As President, I am proposing two things to enhance the Tipton Family Association of America in the coming year.

First, have a meeting in one year with planning that can start now. By having meetings over the Columbus Day weekend, Tiptons and descendants who want to attend can plan ahead and have a long weekend to make the trip to the gathering.

David W. Tipton of Piney Flats suggested the next meeting be at Rocky Mount. David is past president of the Rocky Mount Board of Directors and offered the location without fee for the next Tipton Family Association of America meeting. If all fits in place, that meeting would be on October 8^th, 2011.

Second, launch a website for the organization. Prior to the meeting, I met with a website designer and established the parameters for a dynamic site designed to meet the needs of Tiptons and descendants no matter where they live; most importantly, the site would host a blog serving as a queries conversation so people can ask questions and get help from Tiptons everywhere.

The website would feature pictures of Tipton family and historic sites from throughout the United States and perhaps even from the village of Tipton, England. The website would have a magazine section for contributed stories, a gift shop, research information and could archive newsletters, etc. This website as envisioned would not be static; it would have interactive picture display and pop-ups to make it appealing to all who visited. All of these features do contribute to a higher cost than one might spend to do a static website. It would be professionally monitored on a regular basis.

To launch the website, at a cost of about $ 900.00, the TFAA will need donations to cover that cost. Please send your donations to John Parrish, President, Tipton Family Association of America at 314 Oak Place, Asheville, North Carolina, 28803. I don’t think our association has a dynamic future in this internet world without a website and we all need a place to make our genealogical/historical inquiries and get answers. Several donations were made at the October meeting toward this website project.

Numerous research resources were available at the meeting and can be ordered now with the addition of postage and packaging cost. For more information, contact John Parrish at parrish968@aol.com or the source indicated.

Dale Reed’s book John Tipton, John Sevier, and The State of Franklin $ 17.00
John Parrish's book The Life of Colonel John Tipton $ 9.00
Teter Nave, Pioneer of East Tennessee by Robert Tipton Nave $ 30.00
History of the Iron Industry in Carter County, Tennessee by Robert Tipton Nave $ 20.00
Copy of Spoden Map, Courtesy Suycamore Shoal State Park $ 1.00
Copy of Keesee Map $ 2.00

The Watauga Land Purchases by Troy R. Keesee is available from the Sycamore Shoals State Park Bookstore.

History of East Tennessee 1740-1800 by George and Juanita Fox can be ordered from the authors at brm887@bellsouth.net. Very informative.

There is a new book on the State of Franklin, the Lost State of Franklin by Kevin T. Barksdale which is available through bookstores.

Tiptons: The First Five Generations by Charles D. Tipton can be purchased on CD from the Tipton-Haynes Historic Site Bookstore.

The embroidered Tipton family crest shown in the pictures above is available to all if you wish to have something embroidered. The set up fee has been paid so your cost would be the article you have embroidered and the charges from:

Doe Valley Printing, 1282 Riverview Drive, Elizabethton, Tennessee 37643. You can place orders by mail or contact Anita Remme at doevalley@comcast.net. or call (423) 542-4616. John Parrish is the shirt model above.

Please share this newsletter with everyone you know that could be interested in our family’s history and association. If you are receiving this newsletter by snail mail, please let me know your email address so you can get the newsletter electronically. If you are receiving two emails, please let me know. My email address is parrish968@aol.com.

Below is a picture of my mother, Mary Frances Parrish, at her birthday party. Mother turned 101 on 27 Sept 2010. A wonderful example of those good Tipton genes! She is pictured with my sister, Laura, and her husband Ed Midgley.

Please remember to donate to the Tipton Family Association of America,

Tax Identification Number 61-1636584

Lovada "Lovey" Ray Bailey

2011-01-08T10:33:00.001-05:00

Lovada "Lovey" Ray Bailey
1805-1898

A few days ago I received an e-mail from a Kay Pendergrass. She had discovered this blog and was inquiring if we were cousins. Her great-grandmother was Rutha Mae Tipton who married Ansel Bailey.

Photo taken by Chad Bailey 2009

My answer to her was "Yes", we are cousins. Her great-grandmother Rutha Mae Tipton was the sister of my great-great grandfather John Tipton. My great-great grandfather John Tipton was married to Ansel Bailey's sister, Martha "Patty" Bailey. As I have so often discovered, the families were sometimes very close up there in those Appalachian hills of western North Carolina in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Pictured above is my great-great-great grandmother, Lovada "Lovey" Ray Bailey. "Lovey" was the mother of both Ansel Bailey and my great-great grandmother Martha "Patty" Bailey. Kay Pendergrass was kind enough to provide me with the long ago picture of my great-great-great grandmother.

I don't have a picture of my great-grandmother, Martha "Patty" Bailey but I do hear that one is in existence. Someday I hope to get a copy of that picture. There is no known picture of my great-grandfather John Tipton.

Martha "Patty" Bailey Death Certificate
1824-1915

Martha "Patty" Bailey was the wife of my great-great grandfather John Tipton who was killed in a Confederate ambush when he was recruiting for the Union Forces in the hills of western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee, near Johnson City, Tennessee.

One of John and Martha "Patty" Bailey Tipton's sons was my great grandfather, Hiram Tipton.

Myra Warrick 1855-1930)and Hiram Tipton 1852-1933)

One of Hiram and Myra Tipton's sons was my grandfather Fieldon Jacob Tipton, Sr.

Fieldon Jacob Tipton (1884-1939) and Hester Lewis (1894-1944)

One of Fieldon and Hester's eleven sons was my father, Isaac Walter Tipton, Sr.

Betty Hadfield (1923-2010) and Isaac "Ike" Tipton, Sr. (1920-2000)
1941 -(my mom is pregnant with me in this picture)

My parents had three sons of which I am the oldest.

Me at my great-grandparents grave at the Freewill Baptist Church in Limestone, Tennessee - 1994

This spring Bill and I are planning another trip down south to visit his hometown of Toccoa, Georgia. I hope to also visit Cades Cove Tennessee, where many Tipton ancestors are buried. I also hope to revisit Pigeon Roost, Tennessee, the area of the Pisgah Mountains near the border to Johnson City Tennessee where my farther was born. Last year I visited that area with my brother John (who lives in Greenville, South Carolina.) John and I are always reinvigorated when we visit our roots.

I began researching my family roots back in 1994 (as the above picture attests) but since that time there have been long stretches where Life interfered and I haven't done as much research as I would have liked. Unfortunately, during that time so many relatives have died, thus taking with them their history of the family.

With my recent discovery of Ancestry.com and the wealth of information available on that website, I have been able to rebuild my family tree. That is my goal in life to record as much information as I have and then when I eventually pass on (which I will), some other family member will pick up where I left off. That is my wish and desire.

In the meantime, I will share what information and pictures that I have on this website.

Please contact me if any readers of this blog wish to contribute information about their family and/or photos or have any question about how they fit into the Tipton Family Tree.

Remember, we're all descended from the original Jonathan Tipton who landed on these shores by way of Baltimore County, Maryland around 1692 from Jamaica.

If can provide me with the name of your great grandfather I can probably find your link to the Tipton Family Tree record that I maintain and am constantly adding new information.

Have a very happy new year!

Tipton Family Reunion a Success!

2010-05-30T10:50:00.000-04:00

The group shot of everyone else at the reunion except the grandchildren of Fieldon and Hester Tipton

Sunday, May 16, 2010; the East Brandywine Park four miles outside of Downingtown, Pennsylvania was the occasion of the first Tipton Family reunion since 1997. I am very happy to say it was a great success!

The day started out with overcast skies but they cleared up by the time of the first arrivals at the reunion. They were Bob and Marie Tipton from Marietta, Georgia with their daughter Sharon.

Tom Tipton, Jr. with his uncle Bob Tipton and wife Marie and daughter Sharon Tipton

It wasn't too long after cousin Bob and his family arrived that cousin Darlene Tipton Ford arrived with her husband David and her son David.

David Ford with Amelia Buxbaum Christy and Rita Tipton Buxbaum

This was a potluck reunion, everyone brought a something to eat. Cousin Dick Tipton and his wife Linda coordinated the food placements.

Linda, Dick, Bob and Darlene Tipton (Ford)

Different members of the many descendants of Fieldon and Hester Tipton began arriving shortly after the official starting time of 12 noon. Many brought their spouses and some brought their friends. All were invited. As the song says "We Are Family!".

Fieldon and Hester Tipton, my grandparents with their sons Fieldon, Jr. and Sam (1935)

Many (or most) of the younger folks who arrived at the reunion I did not recognize. This is one of the purposes of the reunion, to acquaint the older members of the family with the newer generation.

Help me somebody, I don't know who this little girl is

Luke Withers, son of Kimberly and Brian Withers, grandson of Richard and Linda Tipton and great grandson of Ray and Katie Tipton and great-great grandson of Fieldon and Hester Tipton

A nearby playground for the younger members of the family

Cousin John Tipton chats with Fred White, husband of cousin Louise Tipton White

I welcome Tom Cruse (no, not THAT Tom Cruise), the husband of Terri Porter-Cruse

Terri is the daughter of Cousin Lois Tipton Porter, who is the daughter of Ray and Katie Tipton.

Debbie White Fincke with husband Mark and sons Aaron and Adam and niece Sarah

Debbie is the daughter of Fred and Louise White and granddaughter of Erby and Gertrude Tipton

Guess who? Yep! The master of ceremonies......ME! Picture compliments of Ed and Melanie Jefferis

The grandchildren of Fieldon and Hester Tipton - 11 out of 38 known grandchildren

From left to right Debbi and John Tipton, Bob Tipton, Barbara Tipton Keehan, Paul Tipton and me (looking like my father with my mouth hanging open)

A wonderful, relaxed Sunday afternoon. Somebody got a ride of someone's shoulders. They're talking to Beth White Fisher, daughter of Fred and Louise Tipton White and granddaughter of Erby and Gertude Tipton

The Sign-In Book (we missed some folks)

Chowing and chatting - Aunt Peggy Bruno to the left talking to Cousin Lois and that is Cousin-in-law Ed Jefferis (husband of Melanie Tipton) striding through

That would be me talking with one of my favorite aunts, Aunt Peggy.

Cousin Darlene Tipton Ford posing for a picture taken by her sister Rita Tipton Buxbaum with her son David Ford.

Rita and her sister Donna in earlier times with their Mom, Jeanne Tipton

Cousin Louise White Tipton taking a picture of my looking just like my father (with that mouth) and her cousin Charles Tipton (on the left), her brother Bob Tipton (red polo shirt) and her older brother Tom Tipton (blue stripped polo shirt)

Cousin Norman Tipton with his wife Sharon sampling the goodies

Cousin Darlene feeding a member of the family is is not a blood descendant

Kimberly Tipton Withers with ? (help! Kimberly)

Kids in a box (I need help again folks in identifying these young Tipton descendants)

Linda Tipton taking time out to eat some of the delicious food

Some of the friends of the family who also attended the reunion - Chuck Walcott on the left with Melinda Tipton with her sisters Liz, Mary and Theresa Tipton with their cousin Nadine Marks and her children Zachary and Sam and her grandmother Peggy Bruno

Cousin Kyle Jones, grandson of Pauline Tipton Jones and great grandson of Ray and Katie Tipton with his daughter Molly and his Significant Other Mary - Kyle's dad David Jones is on the upper right

Kyle Jones from the 1994 reunion held at the Westwood Fire Company, Coatesville, PA

Me taking a Flip video of my cousins John, Marsha, Dick and Melanie (am I really that skinny?)

David Jones (son of Pauline Tipton Jones and grandson of Ray and Katie Tipton) with his fiance and granddaughter Molly

A BIG THANK YOU to my cousin Darlene Tipton Ford who was so helpful at the reunion

The reunion was such a success that we're having another reunion next year. The date of the reunion October 9th, 2011. It will be held at the East Brandywine Community Park, the site of the last two reunions. However, this time we will hold it at the Tower Pavilion which has a permanent bathroom with running water. No more Porta-Johnnies!

Again, as in the past I guarantee perfect, sunny weather and a lot of happy faces. Stay tuned to this blog and my Facebook postings for updates as we get closer to that date.

Have a wonderful summer everyone!

Ron Tipton

One Week To Go!

2010-05-09T13:01:00.000-04:00

This time next week the first Tipton family reunion since 1997 will begin.

This is the first Tipton family reunion since 1997. We're expecting a big turnout of 75 or more Tipton relatives and friends. All of the Tipton relatives are descendants of Fieldon and Hester Tipton, my grandparents. Without them most of us would not exist today. Most of the Tiptons in southeastern Pennsylvania and Delaware are descended from these two hard working folks who emigrated to the Unionville area of Pennsylvania in 1929 with their nine sons:

Raymond (10/20/1909 - 8/3/1988)
Henry (2/15/1911 - 3/11/1993)
Ed (9/10/1914 - 7/24/1998)
Erby (11/20/1917 - 9/29/1990)
Ike (4/18/1920 - 8/22/2000)
Rich (8/29/1922 - 4/9/1989)
John (8-29-1922 - 9-14-1961)
Dude (Luther) (3-11-1925 - 9-17-1979)
Tip (Fieldon, Jr.) (12-31-1926 - 8-23-2006)

Two more sons were born in Pennsylvania.

Bruce (10/15/1931 - 6/28/1995)
Sam (3/31/1934 - 12/15/1963)

Hester (Lewis) and Fieldon Jacob Tipton, Sr.

Hester: born 13 Nov 1891 - died 20 Apr 1945

Fieldon: born 01 Jun 1884 - died 08 May 1939

The following is a list of those who attended the Tipton family reunion held October 4, 1997 at the East Brandywine Community Park outside of Downingtown, PA.

Barbara Tipton Keehn (1/5/1944) - daughter of Ed and Mabel Tipton
Sam and Shelby Tipton (3/31/1934 & 12/8/1939) - son of Fieldon and Hester Tipton
Margaret Tipton (6/14/1915) - widow of Henry Tipton, son of Fieldon and Hester Tipton
John R. Thompson (7/2/1957) - grandson of Margaret Tipton and son of Jane Tipton Coffman
William Tipton (2/7/1935) - son of Margaret and Henry Tipton
Evelyn Tipton (11/28/1931) - wife of William Tipton
Richard and Linda Tipton (9/3/1945 & 1228/1946) - son of Raymond and KatyTipton
John Michael Tipton and Girls (5/2/1947) - son of John Hannum Tipton and Peggy
Donald L. Gouge (2/14/1940) - nephew of Mabel Tipton
Mark and Debbie Fincke (11/20/1960 & 12/18/1963) - granddaughter of Erby Tipton
Roy and Beth Fischer (3/9/1962 & 7/2/1962) - granddaughter of Erby Tipton
David, Karen, Heather, Kyle & Brooke Jones (11/28/1962) - Raymond Tipton's grandson and family
Christine Keehn & Adam Brandt (1/29/1974 & 1/22/1974) - Ed Tipton's granddaughter and husband
Walter and Lori Griffitts ((5/8/1962) - Raymond Tipton's grandson and wife
Charles and Sally Tipton (12/24/1934 & 1/27/1935) - Raymond Tipton's grandson and wife
Marie Cross (you'll never know) - friend of Ed and Mabel Tipton
Ed & Melanie Tipton Jefferis (9/10/1947 & 9/23/1955) - daughter of Richard Tipton and husband
Verna Byers (3/25/1945) - Richard Tipton's daughter
Dianne Chandler (2/4/1960) - Doris Tipton's twin sister (Doris is Steve Tipton's wife)
Linda Tipton (9/11/1950) - daughter of Ed and Mabel Tipton
Mabel Tipton (12/19/1921) - wife of Ed Tipton
Steven Tipton (2/4/1958) - son of Richard and Teresa Tipton
Ed Snider (3/17/1954) - brother-in-law Steve Tipton
Pauline (Tipton) Jones and John Jones (7/2/1937) - daughter of Raymond Tipton and husband
Linda Tipton - daughter-in-law of Raymond Tipton (wife of Richard "Dick" Tipton)
Mr. & Mrs. BrianWithers (9/4/1963) - granddaughter of Raymond Tipton and husband
Tom and Kathleen Tipton (5/15/1960 & 11-13-1955) - grandson of Erby Tipton and wife
Norman Tipton and Flora Herr (3/2/1950) - son of Raymond Tipton and friend
Tim and Susan Tipton (and family) (4/26/1962) - Raymond Tipton's grandson
Joan Salluzzo (Sis Tipton) (4/1/1941) - daughter of Ed and Mabel Tipton
Fred and Louise (Tipton) White (11/13/1941) - daughter of Erby Tipton and husband
Edward Tipton, Jr. (Bud Tipton) (4/1/1941) - son of Ed and Mabel Tipton
Paul Tipton (10/14/1967) - Erby Tipton's grandson
Gina Haynes - friend of Paul Tipton
Ed Tipton ( 9/10/1914)- son of Fieldon and Hester Tipton
Dave Reilly - friend of Ed Tipton, Sr.
Nadine Jamerson (11/21/1971) - granddaughter of John Hannum Tipton
Sam and Peggy Bruno (7/13/1928) - widow of John Hannum Tipton and husband
Marsha Jamerson ( 11/18/1948) - daughter of John Hannum Tipton
Susann Guy 6/25/1964) - granddaughter of Raymond Tipton
Samantha, Tonya and Shayne Guy - great granddaughters of Raymond Tipton
Jeffery Tipton and family - son of John Hannum Tipton and Peggy
Jessie Tipton - mother of Paul, Bryan and Tom Tipton and daughter-in-law of Erby Tipton
Hester J. Tipton (8/21/1963) - daughter of Sam Tipton and Shelby

Tipton Family Reunion

Johnson City, Tennessee

August 15, 1994

I'm looking forward to seeing all of you next week at the reunion!

Tipton Family Reunion Update

2010-04-25T17:12:00.001-04:00

Well folks, that time is almost here for the first Tipton Family Reunion since the last one in October of 1997. Thirteen years is definitely too long between reunions!

I am at my Mom's home in East Brandywine Township on Hopewell Road now, just down the road from where the reunion will be held Sunday, May 16th at the East Brandywine Community Park. The park is located on Dilworth Road, just off of Hopewell Road, in Guthriesville, PA.

I've been making phone calls, sending e-mails and Facebook messages and here is the latest count of who is coming and what they are bringing:

Dick and Linda Tipton (Uncle Ray's son): fried chicken
Kimberly Tipton Withers and family Uncle Ray's granddaughter): a casserole
Bud and Mable Tipton (wife and son of Uncle Ed): a case of soda
Sis Tipton Salluzzo and family (Uncle Ed's daughter): fried chicken, three bean casserole
Janet Tipton Drozdowski and family (Uncle Ed's daughter): to be determined
Barbara Tipton Keehn (Uncle Ed's daugher): zucchini casserole
Darlene Ford and Rita Buxbaum and families(Uncle Dude's daughters): a cooler of ice, iced tea, case of soda and meatballs in a marinara sauce, and pork barbecue
Jessie Stone (Tommy Tipton's former wife): brownies
Peggy Bruno (Uncle John's wife): a case of bottled water
John and Debbie Tipton (Uncle John's son): to be determined
Janna Tipton (Uncle John's granddaughter): cookies
Liz Tipton (Uncle John's granddaughter): potato chips and ice
Mary Tipton (Uncle John's granddaughter): to be determined
Lois Tipton Porter (Uncle Ray's daughter): potato salad
Terri Porter Cruse (Uncle Ray's granddaughter): venison goulash and extra table cloths
Theresea Tipton ( Uncle John's granddaughter): to be determined
Nadine Marks and family (Uncle John's granddaughter): hummus and veggies (I love this!)
Jeffrey Tipton and family (Uncle John's grandson): to be determined
Marsha Tipton (Uncle John's daughter): to be determined
Janna Tipton (Uncle John's grandaughter): cookies
Louise Tipton White and Fred (Uncle Erby's daughter): cupcakes and pretzels
Beth White Fisher (Uncle Erby's granddaughter): hot dogs and rolls
Debbie White Fincke (Uncle Erby's granddaughter): brownies
Bob Tipton and family (Uncle Erby's son): paper plates and utensils
David Jones and family (Uncle Ray's grandson): desserts and tea
Faith Joslyn (Uncle Ray's granddaughter): fried chicken
Kristen Leigh Tipton Uncle Ray's granddaughter): potato salad
Tricia Tipton (Uncle Tip's granddaughter): to be determined

I hope I didn't miss anybody. If I did please don't be offended and please contact me either by e-mail (ronstales@aol.com), or phone (302-644-2255) or comment on this blog. I'll make the correction and/or addition immediately. I appreciate everyone's patience.

Remember to bring the kids. Their is a wonderful playground right next to the Alison Pavillion where our reunion will be held. And I guarantee a sunny, mild spring day! I'm looking forward to seeing everyone and introducing the younger generation to their cousins. I bought some name tags at Staples today and maybe I can talk Sis into marking one for everyone when they arrive. Also, if anyone wants to bring a friend who is not a Tipton descendent, that is fine. All are welcome.

There is no admittance charge but I am asking everyone to bring something to the reunion whether it be your family's special picnic recipe for just paper plates and plastic utensil. I'm bringing the napkins and my own recipe for potato salad.

Some of the Tipton relatives I've contacted cannot come because of prior committments. They are:

Charles and Sally Tipton: Uncle Ray's son
Hester Tipton: Uncle Sam's daughter
Jill Tipton: Uncle Sam's granddaughter
Penny Noles (Henry Tipton's granddaughter)

The following relatives have been contacted but haven't made a decision yet:

Ike Tipton, III (Ike Tipton's grandson)
Lyndsay Tipton (Ike Tipton's daughter)
Cassie Tipton (Ike Tipton's daughter)
Michael Tipton, Jr. (Uncle Tip's grandson)
Tara Tipton Stagg (Uncle Tip's granddaughter)
Dawn Tipton Armstrong (Ike Tipton's granddaughter)
Leah Porter-Ritter (Uncle Ray's granddaughter)
Paul Tipton (Uncle Erby's grandson)
Bryan Tipton (Uncle Erby's grandson)
Tom Tipton, Jr. (Uncle Erby's grandson)
"Mike" Tipton (Cousin Bill Tipton's widow)

That's the latest information folks. I'll update this blog as I get more information. Stay tuned.

Tipton Family Reunion

2010-01-30T11:24:00.000-05:00

After a long hiatus, I am planning a new Tipton Family Reunion. The reunion date is Sunday, May 16, 2010 at the East Brandywine Community Park,, Pavilion A, 436 Dilworth Road, Guthriesville, PA.

The following are the directions to the East Brandywine Community Park:

East Brandywine Community Park Take Rt. 30W to Manor Ave/Rt 322 exit. Go right at bottom of ramp onto Rt. 322 West (away from Downingtown). Continue on Rt. 322 until 1st traffic light in Guthriesville(rental center on left, Sunoco and Blue Moon Florist on right). Go right at light onto Hopewell Rd to 1st road on left. Go left onto Dilworth Rd. to 2nd park entrance on left (about 3/4 mile on Dilworth).

This will be the first Tipton family reunion since the last Tipton Family Reunion held October 4, 1997. Prior to that reunion there was a Tipton family reunion held at the Westwood Fire Company in 1993 and 1995.

Cousin Richard "Dick" Tipton and his wife Linda are donating a roast pig for this reunion. Dick and his wife Linda also catered the last reunion in 1997. I will rent the pavilion. We need volunteers for bringing soda, water, paper plates, plastic utensils and napkins. Anyone who wishes to bring a pot luck dish like potato salad, cake, and pies are welcome but it is not a requirement to attend the reunion.

Unlike the last reunion we probably won't have live blue grass music. Bob Paisley, the wonderful blue grass musician died. I'll talk to Cousin Charles to see if he has any recommendations for music. We may have to have a boom box with blue grass music. If anyone else has suggestions, I will be glad to entertain them.

I am looking forward to this reunion because it will bring together another generation of Tipton cousins who have never met each other. The Tipton family reunions that were held when I was a kid were of the families of the original eleven Tipton brothers. Sad to say, all of the brothers have now passed on. The next generation is the thirty six Tipton first cousins and their children and grandchildren. I am in that next generation of Tiptons and it won't be too long before we too are gone from the scene. So that is why it is so important to continue the tradition of having the Tipton family reunions.

Hopefully we won't have to wait thirteen years again before the next Tipton family reunion. We'll see how successful this reunion is and if it is successful, then we will have one every two years.

As more details are being worked out I will post that information to this blog as it happens.

Hope to see you there!

Jessie Stone Tipton

2009-09-27T12:58:00.000-04:00

After a long hiatus I am finally updating my "Tipton Tales and Trails" blog. Why has the update been so long in coming? A simple answer, spring and summer barged into my life. Comes the nice weather, I'm either outside working in my garden, taking a walk in the development behind my development, dining out with friends or just taking a ride. Now that the fall weather has arrived I will make a serious effort to post regular updates to this blog.

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!

Widow's Claim for Pension Benefits

2009-03-15T11:43:00.006-04:00

This is the third in a series of blog postings on my great-great grandmother's application for Civil War Widow's pension benefits. Martha Bailey Tipton was her name and she applied numerous times for pension benefits after her husand and my great-great grandfather John Tipton was killed during the Civil War. John Tipton was killed by an ambush of Confederate Calvary while returning to his command at or near Jonesboro, Tennessee November 18, 1863. See the two previous blog postings.

Widow’s Claim for Increase of Pension

State of Tennessee
County of Washington

On this 3rd day of April A.D. 1867, before me, a County Court Clerk in and for the County and State above-named, personally appeared Martha Tipton, a resident of ……………..,County of Yancey, State of North Carolina, aged 40 years, who being duly sworn according to law, doth on her oath make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the 2nd section of the Act of Congress increasing the pensions of widows and orphans, approved July 25, 1866; that she is the widow of John Tipton, who was a Private in Company M commanded by Captain Nelson McLaughlin of the 8th Regiment of Tennessee Cavalry Volunteers, commanded by Colonel S.K.N. Patton in the War of 1861, and that by reason of his death in the service aforesaid, she has not been granted a pension of eight dollars per month in accordance wit the certificate, numbered……bearing date on the ….day of …..186 , and that she is a Pensioner of the United States, duly enrolled at the Pension Agency at …….in the sate of ……She further swears that she has the following named children of her deceased husband and herself, under sixteen years of age, to wit: Hiram Tipton born March 5th, 1852 (my great grandfather); Lucinda Tipton born March 26, 1853; Elizabeth Tipton born Nov. 16, 1854; Tempe Ann Tipton born Dec. 25th, 1855; Wm. N. Tipton born July 29th, 1857; Martha Tipton born Dec. 26th, 1859; Curtis Tipton born July 28th, 1860, Elmira Tipton born May 6th, 1862.

She further declares that she has not remarried since the death of her said husband, nor has she abandoned the support of any one of the children above named, nor permitted any one of the same to be adopted by any other person or persons as his, her or their child. That she hereby constitutes and appoints A. M. Hughes of Washington D.C., her true and lawful attorney, and authorized to present and prosecute this claim, and to receive and receipt for all orders or certificates that may be issued in consequence thereof, hereby revoking all Powers of Attorney, if any, heretofore given by her for like purpose. My Post Office address is Jonesboro, Tennessee.

Martha Tipton
(her mark) X

State of North Carolina
County of Yancey

Personally appeared before me the under signed authority of Dobson Deaton whom I certify to be a respectable citizen and credible witness who after being duly sworn according to law makes oath as follows:

In the year 1848 I was one of the justices of the peace for the county and state aforesaid duly commissioned and qualified as such. On the 19th day of October A.D. 1848 I united in marriage John Tipton and Martha Bailey according to the law of the state of North Carolina. All this was done at the house of Anson Bailey in Yancey County, N.C. I further swear that I have no interest whatever in this claim.

Dobson Deaton

Witnesses: Z. M. Courry, J.P.
E. M. Howell

Sworn to and subscribed this 4th day of August 1869 and I herby certify that I have no interest whatever in this claim.

It wasn't until may years later that Mrs. Tipton was finally granted pension benefits for the death of her husband during the Civil War.

The Death of John Tipton b. 1830 d. Nov. 18, 1863 Part III

2009-03-01T11:01:00.003-05:00

The following is part three of my posting to this blog of my great-great-great grandmother Martha “Patty” Bailey Tipton’s application for a Civil War widow’s pension benefit due the death of my great-great-great grandfather John Tipton.

I have tried to translate the handwriting as best as I could from a copy of the original document. I have indicated where I cannot make out the handwriting.

Washington County

……………appeared before me the undersigned authority Martha Tipton with whom I am personally acquainted. Martha Tipton, being duly sworn according to law deposes as follows:

I am the identical Martha Tipton who was widow of John Tipton, late Co. M 8th Tenn. Cavalry in the service of the U.S. in the War of the Rebellion. My husband came home some time in the month of……1863 with some paper(s) which I understood to be a furlough to recruit. I am sure that he was recruiting nearly all the time that he was at home and had many men consealed (sp?) which he said he was intending to take to his Regiment. Affidavit did not see the said soldier killed but saw him the next day after he was killed. That she got with Mr. Eliza Presley and her son to go with her and bring her husband home. They brought the said Tipton and he was buried about a half mile from affiant’s house on a hill near brother’s house (Bailey.)Affiant is not positive as by whom the said soldier was killed but she understood from many good (can’t read next line, the narrative continues below with next page)………..

Command called Witcher’s Cavalry. Affiant further swears that the said soldier started from her house in the morning of the 18th November 1863 and said he (can’t make out the next word) other up his men and go to his command which she supposed to be at Jonesboro Tenn. Said soldier started in the direction of the mountains (can’t make out the next two words) affiant found him dead at the house of Dr. Pennys about from ten to thirteen miles from house.

Affiant further swears that the men that he was in charge of (as many of them) came to affiant’s house the same day as a few days after the death of her husband. (Affiant does not recollect distinctly the day) and she cooked thin rations for them to join their command and one Calvin Bailey, Curtis Bailey and Dobson Bailey. Arch Bennett staid (sp?) all night at my house and the rest of the command staid (sp?) in some other place. Curtis Bailey and Arch Bennett were wounded in the same battle with affiant’s husband and that Curtis Bailey was buried in the same grave with affiant’s husband. Bennett was wounded in the head and laid for a long time in affiant’s house and after his recovery he joined the 3rd N.C. Mounted Infantry under Col. George W. Kirk.

Affiant may have more facts in relation to her husband’s death if her attention was call to the (can’t make out the next word.)

Signed in present of E.M. Jackson
Martha Tipton
X (her mark)

Sworn to me this 19th day of September 1870

Information compiled by:

Burkett Bailey
905 Irwin Road
Powell, Tennessee 37849

February 16, 1994

Note: The picture that appears on this blog is not of my great-great-grandfather but of an unknown gentleman born during the same time period as my ancestor. I only use this picture as a representation of the demeanor and style of the gentlemen of that period. I would like to think that my great-great-great grandfather bore a strong resemblance to the actor Guy Madison (who played "Wild Bill Hickock" on the old TV show of the Fifties.)

Captain McLaughlin's Affidavit

2009-02-22T13:11:00.003-05:00

The following is an affidavit by Captain Nelson McLaughlin attesting to the service and death of my great-great grandfather John Tipton (1828-Nov 18, 1863) during the Civil War. His widow (and my great-great grandmother, Martha Bailey Tipton 22 Sep 1830 – 22 Dec 1915) applied for Civil War Widow’s pension benefits.

The affidavit was written in longhand for Mrs. Tipton. She could not write (her “mark” X appears at the end of her application.) I have tried to transcribe the longhand as best as I could however, there are some areas I was unable to decipher. However, upon reading the whole document the reader will understand the circumstances of my ancestor’s untimely death in the cause of keeping the Union together in this country.

State of Tennessee, Unicoi County….This day personally appeared before the undersigned authority within and for Said County and State Capt. Nelson McLaughlin, late Capt. Of Company M. of the 8th Regt. of Tennessee Cav. Vols. In the War of the Rebellion who, after being duly sworn according to law, States that in the month of September 1863 he was authorized and empowered by Anderson Johnson Military Governor of the State of Tennessee to enlist a Company of Vols., for the Volunteer Service in the U.S. Army and that on or about the 15th day of September 1863 he enrolled John Tipton in Washington County, Tennessee. That Said Tipton was regularly enlisted by affidavit and was sworn into the Service of the United States at Greenville Tennessee by Lieut. Col…..Caps on or about the 5th day of October 1863 and under arms and was in line of duty until he was Furloughed at Mosey Creek Transfer on or about the 23rd of October 1863 he was not mentioned in the Service for the reason there was no mustering officer was with out Command and none had been sent to muster us in until after the Said John Tipton was Furloughed as aforesaid. Affidavit further states that he was within the Rebel lines with his Company and had no regular Enlisting Rolls or blanks with him at the time. Affidavit further states that he is not interested in the (can’t read the next word) or result of the claim of Martha Tipton for widows pension.

Nelson McLaughlin Sworn to subscribed before me this 1st day of April 1878 and I certify that I am personally acquainted with the affiant and (can’t read the next three words) that the name of John Tipton does not appear on the (can’t read the next words) that the name of John Tipton does not appear on the (can’t read the next two words) of M 8th Tenn. Cav. Or records (can’t read the next word) of the (can’t read the next word) on file (can’t read the next two words) reports no records 8th Tenn. Cav on file.

Nelson McLaughlin Capt of G.M. testifies that the enlisted Tipton ser. Over. That he was not mustered, that they were (can’t read the next word) Tenn. That said Tipton, with other recruits were furloughed to go into the Mountains and recruit men for the Union Army. That said Tipton was killed while on his way to join his command at Jonesboro, Tenn. John Miller testifies that he was a member of (can’t read next word) Tenn. Cav. Was with said Tipton on the 18th of November 1865 (note: should be 1863 but appears in affidavit as 1865.) That said Tipton was preparing rations preparatory to joining the regiment. That said Tipton was attacked by the Rebel Cavalry and killed. That affiant heard the shooting and went to the place of attack and found him dead, having been shot by the Rebels. That there were others shot at the same time or engagement at or near Rock Creek, Greacy Cove, Tenn.

Claimant testifies that, on the morning of Nov. 18, 1863 her husband went to gather up his men to join the Army. That she did not see him again until the next day when she heard he was killed, and with a neighbor (Mrs. Eliza Presley) went and got his body. That one Curtis Bailed (a cousin) killed at the same time of her husband, was brought to her home and buried in the same grave with him.

This is the end of the page of the original document form which I copied the above information. There are other affidavits attesting to the death of John Tipton and his widow’s right to claim for a Civil War Widow’s benefit. I will post the transcription of those documents in future postings on this blog.

Note: the photo that appears on this blog is of an actual Civil War widow (Margaret Fleming Stone) who also applied for a Civil War widow’s pension. It is not of my great-great grandmother. I only post it to give the reader a sense of the identity of an actual Civil War widow at that time of great turmoil, loss and sadness in our country. My great-great grandmother was left a widow with nine children from ages 16 to 1 year of age to care for on their farm land located on the mountain sides of western North Carolina. When she eventually received her pension (not until the 1880’s), it was for the grand total of $8.00 a month. Apparently $8.00 a month went a lot further in those days than it does these days.

John Tipton, Union Soldier

2009-02-06T11:27:00.004-05:00

John Tipton was my great great grandfather. He was born about 1828 in Buncombe County, North Carolina. He died November 18, 1863 near Rock Creek, Tennessee. He was ambushed and killed by a Confederate Calvary while he was recruiting volunteers for the Union soldiers during the Civil War.

He left behind a 33 year old widow and ten children, all under 16 years of age. He was a farmer and thus the sole sustenance of his family which resided in the hills of western North Carolina, near the Tennessee border.

Below is a transcript of his Widow’s Claim for increases in benefits as a Civil War widow. Martha “Patty” Bailey Tipton was born September 22, 1830 in or near the Bailey settlement in Yancey County, North Carolina and died December 22, 1915 in Swannanoa, Georgia.

Widow’s Claim for Pension

The State of Tennessee, County of Washington.

On this 31st day of July, A.D. 1865 personally appeared before one J. F. Grisham, Clerk of the County Court, a Court of Record within and for said county, Martha Tipton aged 39 years, late a resident of ………………………, in the county of Yancey, and State of North Carolina who, being first duly sworn according to law, doth, on her oath, make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the act of Congress approved July 14, 1862………………That she is the widow of John Tipton who was a Private in Company M, commanded by Captain Nelson McLaughlin, in the 8th Regiment of Tennessee Volunteer Cavalry, commanded by Col. S. K. N. Patton in the war of 1861. That her said husband died at Greasy Cove, in the State of Tennessee, on the 18 day of November A.D. 1863 of wounds received on his return to his regiment from home on furlough in an attack upon him by Rebel Cavalry while in the service of the United States.

She further declares that she was married to the said John Tipton in Yancey County, on the 19th of October A.D. 1848 by one Dobson Deaton, Justice of the Peace, that her name before her marriage was Martha Bailey, and that ever since the death of her said husband, she has remained a widow: as will more fully appear by reference to the proof annexed. (5) She cannot present the public record, was private record, but an affidavit of the magistrate that married her as the last proof and affidavit of two subscribing witnesses as to her widowhood, That during the existence of the aforesaid marriage there were born to her and her said husband the following named children who are now under the age of sixteen years, viz:

Sarah A. Tipton, born the 5th day of November 1851
Hiram Tipton, born the 5th day of March 1853
Lucinda Tipton, born the 24th day of March 1854
Elizabeth Tipton, born the 16th day of November, 1855
Tempe A. Tipton, born the 25th day of December, 1856
William N. Tipton, born the 29th day of July, 1858
Martha Tipton, born the 26th day of May 1860
Curtis Tipton, born the 28th day of July 1862
Trisca E. Tipton, born the 6th day of May 1863

All of whom are still living, and reside in Jonesboro, Washington County, Tennessee.

She also declares that she has in no manner been engaged in, or aided or abetted, the Rebellion in the United States.

She further says that her Post office address is Jonesboro, Washington County, Tennsessee.

Martha Tipton
(her mark) X

Martha also had an older son isn’t listed on her application for Widow’s Claim for Pension. His name was Baxter S. Tipton and he was born July 26 1849 and thus 16 years old at the time of her application and not eligible as a dependent.

The Hiram Tipton listed above is my great grandfather. He was the father of my grandfather, Fieldon Jacob Tipton, Sr. (born June 4, 1884 in Relief, North Carolina and died May 8, 1939 in West Chester, Pennsylvania.)

Fieldon Jacob Tipton was the father of my father Isaac Walter Tipton, Sr. (born April 18, 1920 in Pigeon Roost, North Carolina and died August 22, 2000 in Coatesville, Pennsylvania.) My name is Ronald Walter Tipton and I was born November 9, 1941 in West Chester, Pennsylvania.

Of interest, Mrs. Tipton indicates the birth of the children listed on her pension claim one year later than other records indicate, including the headstone of Hiram Tipton’s grave and census records of that time. Perhaps this was an innocent error of a bereaved widow facing life with ten children to support on a farm without a husband. Or, perhaps she wanted to extend a year her widow’s pension benefits.

Mrs. Tipton was granted a monthly pension benefit of $8.00 a month.

In future blogs I will post Mrs. Tipton’s claim for an increase in pension benefits as well as testimonies of various witnesses that her deceased husband was in service for the Union forces during the Civil War. Although North Carolina (where John and Martha Tipton lived with their family on their hillside mountain farm), the area and nearby Tennessee was a hotbed of Union activity.

My great great grandfather John Tipton was killed returning home from furlough back to his headquarters just over the state line in Tennessee. John Tipton was not in uniform and thus a question was raised was he really in the Union Army. John Tipton’s job for the Union Army was to recruit additional mountain men (his relatives and neighbors) to volunteer for the Union Army to fight the Rebel soldiers. John Tipton and his Bailey cousins were ambushed and killed by a Rebel Calvary headed by a Colonel Wichter. He was only 35 years old.

Note: The source of Martha Tipton's application for Widow's Claim for Pension (as a Civil War widow) was taken from copies of the original application provided by Burkett Bailey of Powell Tennessee, a descendant of Martha Bailey Tipton's brother. My thanks for Burkett Bailey and his cousin Dr. Lloyd Bailey of Durham, North Carolina for their invaluable help in sourcing these references for my family history.

Uncle John and Cousin Bud Tipton

2009-01-30T18:14:00.002-05:00

John Hannum Tipton was born August 29, 1922 near in Raleigh, North Carolina along with his fraternal twin brother, Richard Berry Tipton. John was the sixth of eleven sons of Fieldon Jacob (04 Jun 1884 – 08 May 1939) and Hester Lewis Tipton (13 Nov 1891 – 20 Apr 1945.)

John Tipton was my uncle. John Tipton was my favorite uncle. I think I’m accurate in saying that John Tipton was the favorite uncle of all of his 35 nieces and nephews.

John was a paratrooper with the U.S. Army during World War II. He was captured by the Germans. He escaped twice and was recaptured twice by the Germans. Uncle John survived the war but his mother, Hester, did not know that. She died in April 1945, a few months before Uncle John was released from the POW prison camp.

Uncle John was much admired and loved by wife, children, brothers, nieces and nephews. Uncle John had a talent for sign painting. He was working for Gindy trailers painting signs when he suffered a fatal accident. A spark ignited paint thinner on the floor where John was working (probably a welding spark) and caught John’s overalls on fire. Even though his co-workers threw him to the ground to put out the flames, John suffered burns over the majority of his body. He died a few days later at the University of Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia. How ironic that Uncle John survived the dangers of World War II but would die from an accidental fire caused by a simple spark.

John Hannum Tipton died September 14, 1961 leaving behind his widow, Margaret “Peggy” Frances Meehan (13 Jul 1928); and three young children, John Michael (21 May 1947) , Marsha Anne (18 Nov 1948) and Jeffrey Joseph Tipton (02 Nov 1956 – 25 Jan 2005.)

Uncle John is pictured on this blog with his nephew, Edward “Bud” Tipton, Jr. ( 4 Apr 1941.) The picture was taken in 1956.

Uncle John was the first of the eleven sons of Fieldon and Hester Tipton to die. He died too young. He is still missed to this day by those of us who were fortunate enough to have known him. Rest in peace Uncle John.

Tipton Family Research 2009

2009-01-12T09:50:00.009-05:00

This is the year that all my Tipton family research is coming together. Now that I’m retired, I can devote more time to researching our common Tipton family history. Not only am I researching names and dates of births and deaths, but I am looking for old photographs and stories. The photographs and stories enable history to come alive for those of us who are interested in our origins.

From the time I was about 10 years old, I wondered about where my parents and their parents came from. What were they like? I especially wondered about my father’s parents and grandparents since his family wasn’t originally from Pennsylvania. My father knew little of his origins because his parents brought him to Pennsylvania when he was only about 10 years old. All I knew was that his family was a “hillbilly” from someplace called “Pigeon Roost.”

Now fast forward to 1994 when my brother John “discovered” Pigeon Roost. I still remember so clearly when John called me where I worked in Philadelphia to tell me “Ronnie! I found Pigeon Roost! It exists!” He was making his phone call from the Griffith General Store in Tipton Hill, North Carolina. I cannot adequately describe my feeling of exhilaration upon hearing this groundbreaking news. I still have that feeling to this day.

In the spring of 1994 I left my job and took a week off to visit my brother John and his wife Barbara in Greenville, South Carolina for the first time. It turns out that Pigeon Roost, North Carolina was only 2 ½ hours away from Greenville. John rented a van and off we went to the mountains of western North Carolina, near the Tennessee border with Johnson City, Tennessee. What a thrill it was the first time we traveled up one of those “hollers.” It wasn’t quite “Deliverance” (we weren’t going for white water rafting although John and his church group would do that later) but it was a experience of a lifetime.

From that trip I decided to actively research the Tipton family history. It has been a long journey. For a period I was actively researched the Tipton family history. A couple of return trips were made to interview relatives. Pictures and videos were taken. I was on a roll for awhile then I had a twin whammy hit me. My computer crashed and I lost my job. Life interrupted.

It took a while to rebuild my genealogy file and even longer to get established in a new job. In fact, it too took long. I lost several years. By the time I got back to actively researching my family history, many of my older relatives had passed on, thus taking their unique knowledge with them to their grave. It saddens me to know that information is lost forever.

But there is good news. I am back. I have restored my files and am building them everyday. For safety, I now back up my files on a regular basis. As an added measure of safety I now post my research on Ancestry.com for all to see. Anyone who is interested in my research only has to send me an e-mail and I will be glad to send them an invitation to view my family tree. There is no cost, you are my guest. One of my big fears these days is if something happened to me suddenly that all my research would be lost. As those of you know who have been also researching Tipton family history, the sudden loss of someone like Charles D. Tipton of Texas can happen any time. I plan to stay around a long, long time (I’m 67 now) but one just never knows.

This morning a long time Tipton family research, Robert Tipton Nave, sent me a link to a new web site for Colonel John Tipton. Colonel John Tipton was the half brother of my direct ancestor, Major Jonathan Tipton III (1750-1833). I’ve added this link to my blog. I will be glad to add any other links to my blog that the reader thinks will be of interest to the Tipton history.

In these economic hard times and fear of security in this world, the one thing we have that is comforting is the knowledge of our shared family history. Finding out about our ancestors; seeing those old photographs and the similarity to our present relatives is priceless. Join me on my journey into our shared family history.

For those of you who are interested you can e-mail me at the following address:

ronstales@aol.com

Searching For My Roots, Part I

2009-01-03T14:11:00.006-05:00

Perhaps the greatest accomplishment of my life has been the discovery of my “roots.” I feel secure in the knowledge that if I accomplish nothing else in my life, I have achieved one of the greatest goals known to man. Those of you who read this blog and who also have an interest in genealogy understand what I am talking about. There are others who don’t care about their ancestors or their origins. That is an attitude which I will never understand. I truly feel blessed that I was born with this curiosity about my ancestors. I have found the origin of my paternal ancestral roots and now have the time and energy to share that with my relatives and others who are interested in the Tipton Family.

When I was growing up in a second floor, two bedroom, $22 a month, cockroach infested apartment on 120 Washington Avenue in Downingtown, Pennsylvania I only knew that my father and his ten brothers (no sisters) were “hillbillies.” I’m embarrassed to admit it now, but I cannot tell you the amount of shame that knowledge caused this 10 year old boy at that time who was trying to fit in with his non-hillbilly classmates at East Ward School. Little did I know at that time the amount of pride that I would eventually have for my father and his ancestors.

My father and his eight brothers (two more would be born in Pennsylvania) and his mother and father moved to the Unionville area of southeastern Pennsylvania around 1930, when my father was 10 years old. His family moved from the Pigeon Roost area of the Pisgah Mountains in Mitchell County, North Carolina. This is an area of heavily wooded mountains near the Tennessee border, near Johnson City, Tennessee. My father always said he was from “Pigeon Roost”, but later research indicated that his family lived near the Bailey Settlement near the Toe River. The Pigeon Roost connection came from his mother, Hester Lewis (b. 13 Nov 1892 d. 20 Apr 1945.) Her father, Isaac Lewes (b. 04 Nov. 1856, d. 27 Apr 1944), was a landowner with a large house (for the area) on the Pigeon Roost Road. According to my Uncle Ed (one of my father’s older brothers), Fieldon (their father and my grandfather) would court Hester at her Pigeon Roost home.

Times were especially tough during the Depression in that area of hills and hollers of western North Carolina where the “hillbillies” lived. According to my father, his father Fieldon (Jacob Tipton, b. 04 Jun 1884, d. 08 May 1939) was in the lumber business. Fieldon worked in a saw mill. I don’t know if he owned it or not, just that his livelihood was lumber. Business wasn’t good. Fieldon decided he could provide for his family better by working for his brother-in-law, Don Byrd (b. 1874 d. 1962.) Don Byrd was married to one of Fieldon’s older sisters, Essie Tipton (Essie Elizabeth Tipton, b. 22 Aug 1877 d. 1962.) Don Byrd had a successful fruit and vegetable farm in southeastern Chester County, near the present day town of Unionville. “Uncle Don” would provide housing for his brother-in-law Fieldon and his family provided that Fieldon provided ready farm work (picking fruits and vegetables) with his nine sons. Those sons were (in order of birth):

Raymond Luther “Ray” Tipton 20 Oct 1909 03 Aug 1988

John Henry “Hen” Tipton 15 Feb 1911 11 Mar 1993

Edward Walter “Ed” Tipton 10 Sep 1914 24 Jul 1998

Erby Erwin “Erby” Tipton 20 Nov 1917 29 Sep 1990

Isaac Walter “Ike” Tipton 18 Apr 1920 22 Aug 2000

John Hannum “John” Tipton 29 Aug 1922 14 Sep 1961

Richard Berry “Rich” Tipton 29 Aug 1922 09 Apr 1989

Luther Raymond “Dude” Tipton 11 Mar 1925 17 Sep 1979

Fieldon Jacob “Tip” Tipton 31 Dec 1926 23 Aug 2006

Bruce “Bruce” Tipton 15 Oct 1931 28 Jun 1995

Samuel Park “Sam” Tipton 31 Mar 1934 15 Dec 2001

My father and his brothers and mom and dad lived in a tenant house on Uncle Don’s farm, picking fruits and vegetables. Eventually, other family members would join the Tipton in a migration to Pennsylvania for a better way of life. David Gouge, the husband of another one of my grandfather’s sisters, Abigail Tipton, moved his family to Pennsylvania after he delivered some cattle to Don Byrd. Family lore has it that Dave Gouge saw what he liked and moved his family from the hills of North Carolina to the fertile fields of southern Chester County, Pennsylvania. Adgie Tipton, a distant cousin, also moved his family to Pennsylvania. Some of the Lewis family (Fieldon’s wife was a Lewis) also moved their families to the New World of Pennsylvania.

Thus began the first chapter of one of the ancient families to move out of their Appalachian Shangri-La into the 20th century. For the first time my father and his brothers would attend a formal school, thus obtaining an education which was not available to them in the hills and hollers of their former home in Mitchell County, North Carolina. Even more important, my father and his brothers would meet Pennsylvania women, who came from completely different backgrounds than they would have met if their parents had stayed in North Carolina. Many, if not most marriages in those hills were between the same 20 or so families, who names have intertwined with one another over the hundred and fifty years or more that the Tipton familes have family had lived and reproduced in those mountains. It was in 1940 that my Father met my Mother, Betty Louise Hadfield (b. 24 Dec 1923), a beautiful young woman from a poor family in Downingtown with Quaker roots.

A year after he met my Mother, they eloped to Elkton, Maryland for a quickie marriage on November 2, 1940. After the marriage, my Father returned his new wife to her home on Pennsylvania Avenue in Downingtown because she had to go to school that Monday (she was still a senior in high school.) However, that arrangement didn't last too long once her father found out about the marriage. Once the secret of their marriage was out, my Father took my Mother away "from all of that" (her home life where she was almost like Cinderella cleaning house for her wicked step-mother.

One year later, almost to the day, I was born (November 9, 1941.) Looking at my ancestry now, I know that I am the quintessential American (along with all my Tipton relatives.) My ancestry is half from this country’s Appalachian pioneers and the other half from Pennsylvania Quaker ancestry. However, to his dying day my dad called me “half a hillbilly.” And you know, he was right.

Cynthia Abigail Tipton Gouge

2008-12-08T12:12:00.004-05:00

Cynthia Abigail Tipton, “Abby” as she was known by those who knew her, was born in Hollow Poplar, North Carolina, August 29, 1880. She died April 30, 1971, in Jennersville, Chester County, Pennsylvania.

She married David Gouge (b. 5 Mar 1881, d. 1946.) They had seven children:

Leota Mildred Gouge (b. 31 Jul 1908, d. 29 Jan 1929)

Hoy Gouge (b. 19 Oct. 1909, d. 23 Mar. 1996)

Geter Gouge (b. 11 Apr. 1911, d. 23 Sep. 1993)

Nelson Gouge (b. 25 May 1912, d. 24 Aug. 2007)

Lonza Gouge (b. 29 Aug. 1914, d. 187 Apr. 1999)

Mary Gouge (b. 20 Sep. 1919)

Elsie Mae Gouge (b. 24 Feb. 1922)

Abby Tipton Gouge was my grandfather’s, Fieldon Jacob Tipton (b. 04 Jun 1884, d. 08 May 1939), older sister. She and her family also moved to the Oxford, Unionville area of southern Pennsylvania during the late 1920s, to work on their relative Don Byrd’s farm as did my father’s family.

The grand old picture featured on this blog is a copy of a picture that was in the possession of Abby’s daughter, Mary Gouge (now Davidson). Mrs. Davidson is alive and well and living alone in Oxford, Pennsylvania, near her younger sister Elsie Mae Gouge Kilby.

Recently I contacted Elsie Mae to obtain information about her family to update my genealogical files. Elsie Mae could not have been more gracious. These are the type of relatives that I cherish meeting when doing my genealogical research. More often than not, I find that it is the older relatives who are most helpful. Some of the younger relatives either are not interested or too caught up in their day to day lives to share information about their family. Of course there is always the issue of privacy which is especially important in this day and age. I always try to respect a person’s privacy.

It was an interesting journey how I came by this picture. Back in 1996, while I was interviewing Elsie Mae’s older brother Hoy Gouge and his wife Annabelle, I noticed a wonder framed picture on the wall. I asked Annabelle who was in the picture. She said it was Hoy’s Mother and Father and all his brothers and sisters. She said it was taken at their home in the mountains of North Carolina, near Relief. She said a traveling photographer was making his way through the mountains taking pictures of families and offering them for sale. The picture hanging on the wall was one of those glorious treasures that we family researchers every so often come across. This picture featured the whole family lined up on both sides of the parents. Abby was in a long splendid white dress which she obviously put on for the picture. David Gouge was dressed in the dark garb of the day, which included a suit like jacket and trousers that matched. I asked if I could make a copy of that picture but Mrs. Gouge declined and I respected her wishes. She probably did not want the picture taken out of its frame. Since that time I’ve always had that picture on my mind because it was the only known picture I had ever seen of my great aunt Abby. I have no pictures of my grandfather’s other sisters and brothers.

Hoy and Annabelle Gouge have since passed on. I do not know what happened to that picture. Perhaps her son Gilbert has it in his possession. I will have to follow that lead some day. However, it was a stroke of luck that I came across the picture that is featured in this blog. During my interview with Elsie Mae Kilby and her niece Mary Miller Parsons, I casually mentioned the picture that I had seen at her brother Hoy’s house and had wondered what happened to it. Her niece immediately said her aunt Mary (Gouge Davidson) had a copy of it! Wonderful! She said her aunt only lived about three miles from where we were, and she offered to take me there.

A few minutes later I walked into Mrs. Davidson’s small and comfy home. Mrs. Davidson will turn 90 this year. What a sweet lady. She brought out the picture, and I saw right away it wasn’t the same picture that I saw at Hoy and Annabelle Gouge’s house. But it was another treasure! I asked if I could borrow it and make a copy. She said I could and I took it home with me. However, in my haste I left a tote bag of other treasures on a chair in her kitchen. They included a graduation picture of her father David Gouge. Also included was the guest book from her father’s funeral. I discovered these treasures were missing when I got home. I called Mrs. Davidson immediately and she said she would hold them for me. I’ve made copies of the Abby Tipton picture with her young children and will give one to Elsie Mae. She said she used to have one but didn’t know what happened to it. I will be glad to do her this small favor in return for all she has helped me with. As I said before, its people like these two wonderful Gouge sisters who make researching family history a pleasure.

The individuals pictured are from left to right:

Geter Gouge 1911-1993

Hoy Gouge 1909-1996

Leota Gouge 1908-1929

Nelson Gouge (wearing a dress because he was still in diapers) 1912-2007

Abby Gouge (holding her new baby Lonza Gouge) 1880-1971

Lonza Gouge (baby held in Abby's arms) 1914-1999

I estimate the picture was taken in the fall of 1914 because Lonza Gouge was born on the 29th of August 1914. The two sisters that I saw last Sunday were not born at the time this picture was taken. Leota, the oldest child, died in 1929. She died leaving an 8 month old daughter by the name of Mary Mae Miller (b. 7 May 1929.) This is the same Mary (now Parsons) who led me to this picture.

My journey to this picture is a perfect example of why I love genealogy research. I met some of the most wonderful people, I learn about my family history, and I enable our family history to live on long after we are gone. It just doesn’t get any better than this. I love it.

Lorenzo Dow Tipton

2008-11-22T18:36:00.003-05:00

Every now and then a Tipton family researcher will run into a dead end on researching one of their ancestor’s origins. One such case is that of Lorenzo Dow Tipton (pictured at left with his third and last wife, Martha Hooks, the picture is dated 1895, they were married 18 April 1889.) Lorenzo was born in Missouri June 16, 1830, and died Cooke County, Texas May 1, 1908. Then, to add to the confusion, there was another Lorenzo Dow Tipton who died in Texas. He was Lorenzo Dow Tipton, born June 8, 1810 in Clover Hill, Tennessee and died in Barton Chapel, Jack County, Texas September 12, 1894. This Lorenzo Dow Tipton was a Baptist Minister (names after the great Baptist minister Lorenzo Dow.) Because of his prominence, many records exist of his existence.

This search for the Lorenzo Dow Tipton born in Missouri came about by a question from his great-great granddaughter Caroline (Tipton) Miller sent to me in January of this year.

Caroline sent me an e-mail January of this year stating:

“I am the sister of Jerry S. Tipton, one of the exact 37-market matches to you at Family Tree DNA for the Tipton surname project. We are trying to find how we hook into the line of Jonathan Tipton, as we know only the last five generations. Would you share your ancestors with us so we might narrow down the possibilities?

Our line goes like this:

Jerry Tipton b. Nov. 5, 1946 (Jerry is Caroline’s brother)
Kenneth N. Tipton b. April 1923, d. Mar. 2003
John Sidney Tipton b. July 1894, d. Aug. 1942
Daniel H. Tipton b. Jan 1870, d. Oct. 1961
Lorenzo Dow Tipton b. June 1830, d. Sept 1908

L. D. Tipton was born in Missouri, and moved to Texas in 1859 with his wife, Dorothy, and son, John S. Dan, Sidney and Kenneth were all born on that family farm in Cook County, Texas. In the 1940, Kenneth moved to Phoenix, Arizona, where Jerry (her brother) was born.

If you could tell us not only the names and dates of your ancestors, but their locations, we might find an overlapping geographical location or migration trail, and find out how we are related. I look forward to hearing from you!

Sincerely,

Caroline (Tipton) Miller
Monterey, CA

Caroline mentions in her e-mail that her brother Jerry and I are exact 37-marker matches for the Tipton Family Tree DNA project. I am a direct descendent of Major Jonathan Tipton (b. 1750, d. 1833) of North Carolina and Tennessee. Caroline’s great-great grandfather is obviously a descendent of Major Jonathan Tipton. As any Tipton family researcher has discovered, Major Jonathan Tipton has many direct descendents. He was married three times and produced a total of thirteen children. Many of his children produced even larger families. An interesting fact is that many of my fellow Tipton researchers are descended from Major Jonathan Tipton. Some of those are Tim Tipton of Knoxville, Tennessee, Norman Tipton of El Cajon, California, Paul Tipton of LaJolla, California, Gene Tipton of Witchita, Kansas, and Kevin Weaver of San Francisco, California.

A few years ago I encountered a similar situation. I received an e-mail for a woman whose name I cannot recall at this time who was inquiring about her ancestor Fred Tipton. Again, she encountered a similar situation. She could go back so far and the history of her family stopped with Fred Tipton. I was able to find a Fred Tipton gravestone but we had no way of establishing the father of Fred Tipton. She came to the conclusion that Fred Tipton was probably illegitimate. This inquiry came to me a few years ago, before the Tipton Family DNA project. Maybe if she is reading this blog, she can contact me and I can put her in touch with the DNA project. Of course she would need a male member of her family to have his DNA tested because the test only works through the male bloodline.

One has to wonder what the circumstances are that would cause the father of Lorenzo Dow Tipton to completely disappear from the records of that time. I did a search on Ancestry.com for Lorenzo in the individual family trees. The name of Lorenzo’s mother comes up. It was Fanny Rhine Linebarger but the slot where the father’s name appears says “Unknown Tipton.” I can surmise that perhaps “Unknown Tipton” was not married to Fanny Rhine Linebarger and didn’t want the responsibility of a child. Of course there could be any number of reasons why there is an “Unknown Tipton.” Perhaps he died young. My partner’s father died when he was one year old. My Mother’s Mother died when she was not quite two years old. These things happen and the original parent tends to fade into memory because they died so young.

Perhaps there is someone out there in the vastness of the Internet community who is reading this posting now who knows of an old family bible that some long ago Tipton recorded the father of Lorenzo Dow Tipton. If so, please contact me so we can put this mystery to rest and tie Caroline’s line into the Major Jonathan Tipton III line of Tipton descendents. We would love to hear from you!

Ezekiel Tipton 1874-1959

2008-11-16T21:26:00.005-05:00

Recently I received an inquiry from a lady in Colorado. She was inquiring about her great-great grandfather, Ezekiel Tipton. Below is her e-mail:

Hi, my name is Pam. My great-grandfather was Ezekiel Tipton, born 1871 in TN or NC (records show different locations.) He lived in Unicoi County, TN on 1900 census then moved to Idaho somewhere between 1906 and 1910, show up on 1910 Idaho census. He married Sarah Catherine Proffitt. Ezekiel's father was James C. Tipton born approx. 1852 and mother Amanda J. Blankenship. Thank you so much for all your research. I just found out about my Tipton ancestors about a year ago. My mother has been so thrilled to find out about her family. Her mother (Anice Tipton, daughter of Ezekiel) died at age 26 from TB when my mom was only 6, and Anice was raised by another family after her mother (Sarah Tipton) died in 1912. My mother wasn't given much info about her mother. My mother knew her mother's name, birth year, birth state and that she was raised by the Bairs and THAT is all she had. We've come a long way and would like to know more.

There are so many Tiptons, was wonder if we are related through this line of mine?

ANY info would be most appreciated, especially by my Mother, and thanks again for all your hard work.

I researched my records and I discovered that she does fit into the Tipton family tree. Most often I can fit Tiptons into the records that I have if supplied with at least three generations back. In this case the lady who sent me the inquiry had the name of her great grandfather which was a unique name (Ezekiel - unique names are always easier to find in a family tree.) Plus she had the name of her great grandfather's parents which is how I was able to identify her great-grandfather. It turns out that Ezekiel is also descended from Major Jonathan Tipton (1750-1833), who is also my ancester. The lady's mother is my 5th cousin. My cousin, and fellow Tipton genealogy family researcher, Tim Tipton (and also my 5th cousin), is checking further into his records to see if he can find any more information on Ezekiel Tipton's wife, Sarah Proffitt (or Prophet.)

This is a good example of why I love researching in my family genealogy and why the Tipton family genealogy is so unique. All records indicate that the Tiptons presently residing in the United States today are descended from that first Jonathan Tipton (1659-1757) who arrived on these American shores in 1692 from Jamaica by way of Pontesbury, England. He settled in Baltimore County Maryland and proceeded to make a large number of land purchases. The records of those purchases exist to this day and form the basis of the Tipton family genealogy. However, in researching the maternal side of my family tree, I ran into a different situation. The name is Hadfield and quite a number of Hadfields emigrated into the United States during the middle of the 19th century through the port of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania as well as other points of entry into the United States. However, all records indicate that only ONE TIPTON emigrated and stayed in the United States over 400 years ago. Ezekiel Tipton is just one of them. He is the son of James C. Tipton (1850- 1929), who in turn was the son of Henderson Tipton (1819 - unknown), who in turn was the son of Jacob Tipton (1791-1857) who in turn was the son of Jonathan Tipton III ("Major"), who in turn was the son of Jonathan Tipton II (1699-1799) who in turn was the son of the first Jonathan Tipton (1659-1779.)

The following is Ezekiel Tipton's obituary:

Obituary from Idaho newspaper:Ezekiel Tipton, 87, a resident of Emmett since 1921, died Sunday at a local hospital following a long illness.He was born Oct. 8, 1871, in Tennessee, and was married there in 1892 to Sarah Catherine Prophet. She died in 1911. He moved to Oakley, Idaho, in 1903. He was married to Hettie Hoggatt in 1912 at Oakley.Surviving are nine sons, Ross of Emmett, Clark of Jerome, Tony and Homer of Twin Falls, Elden of Hereford, Ore., Delmar and Leo of Baker, Ore., Raymond of Huntingdon and Ralph of McCall; one daugher Mrs. Mildred Smith of Baker, and one sister, Mrs. Elizabeth Hensley of North Carolina.Services were held Wednesday at the Beatty chapel with Harry Bingham officiating.Interment was in the Emmett Cemetery.

The Downside of Genealogy Research

2008-11-15T17:17:00.004-05:00

Today I received an e-mail from a William Tipton. I don't know Mr. Tipton personally, but I assumed that at one time he sent me an e-mail or an inquiry to one of my Tipton family web sites. All Tiptons that I receive e-mails from I add to my mailing list for Tipton genealogy assuming that they would also be interested in our common family genealogy. Each time I update my "Tipton Tales and Trails" blog, I send links to these e-mail addresses, assuming they would be interested in reading a blog about our family research. Since the evidence is abundantly clear that we Tiptons are all descended from the same common ancestor, a Jonathan Tipton who immigrated to this country in 1692 from Port Royale, Jamaica. Well, it appears that I have overstepped my bounds. William Tipton requested that I remove his name from mailing list, equating my e-mails with spam. If William Tipton intended to hurt me by his scarcastic and dismissive e-mail, he succeeded. I will honor his request and remove him from my mailing list. In fact, I'll do him one better. I will no longer send links to my postings on Tipton Tales and Trails. I understand that he does not want to be bothered and that is fine with me. I have encountered this attitude before among some Tiptons during my research on our common family tree. They do not want to be bothered. However, what I did think was unnecessary was his need to insult and dismiss me as a "genealogist" and a spam producer. But, be that as it may. It isn't the first time I've been slapped down for being altruistic. Probably won't be the last time either. On occasion in the past, I thought I would change the way I operate. However, I found it very difficult to be self-centered, selfish, and dismissive and hurtful to others. It's not in my nature. I will honor William Tipton's request and not forward links to my blog postings any more. However, I do have a suggestion for William Tipton. The next time if you just request to be taking off of a mailing list, just send an e-mail saying "Please take me off of your mailing list. Thank you." Sarcastic and hurtful words only add to the negativity that is all too abundant in this world now. Below is the content of William Tipton's e-mail that he sent to me today.

Ron,

As a fellow Tipton "geneologist" I can certainly appreciate your interest in all things "Tipton." It should be noted, however, that we comprise a very large tree with some branches being so far removed one from the other that any two particular branches may have no closer a blood relationsip than if we randomly put a finger down on a name in the phone book and compared that blood relationship to our own. Such is the case with your branch of the Tipton tree and my branch of the same, large tree.

I would hope you're a considerate guy, so I have one kind request, please:
Remove my email address from your periodic Tipton Trails notice. It's of no interest to me and I've grown more-than-tired of receiving the same message from you, sir.

Like most of us, I've lived with spam only because I must. We Tiptons really have no business adding to the problem.

Thanks for not replying and for taking me off your email list.

-Wm. Tipton

Visit to Cousin Elsie Mae Gouge Kilby

2008-11-11T23:09:00.003-05:00

In 1994 I began my research into my Tipton family genealogy. For many years I had wondered where my father came from. All I knew was that he was a “hillbilly” from Pigeon Roost, North Carolina. He and his eight brothers and parents moved to Pennsylvania around 1929, when my Father was nine years old to work as tenant farm labor on their Uncle Don Byrd’s farm near Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. Two more brothers would be born in Pennsylvania. As anyone who has studied their family tree knows, the first place you start is to ask your parents questions. What were their parent’s names and when were they born? Then you ask what were your grandparents’ names and when were they born? Well, my dad didn’t even know his grandparents names. Early on, I learned when one road comes to a dead end, you go down another road. In this case I asked another relative, my Uncle Ed. He knew the name of his grandfather, my great-grandfather (it was Hiram Tipton born 05 Mar 1852 - died 1933.) Thus began my long quest to find my roots. Over the years since then I have sometimes devoted much time researching my family history. However, there have been periods of time in which my job so consumed my life, that I had to take a leave from family genealogy research. Then I had the problem of selling my house in Pennsylvania and moving to my retirement home here in Delaware that ate up over two years of my time. What happened, before I realized it, 10 to 12 years had slipped by. During that time, some of my older relatives passed on, thus ending the most valuable source of information that any genealogist, amateur or professional could have. One such missed opportunity occurred in 1996 when I discovered that my Mother’s aunt was still alive. She was 96 years old and lived in West Chester, only six miles from where I lived and worked in Downingtown, Pennsylvania. My grandmother died when my Mother was only two years old. Here was an opportunity to talk to my grandmother’s sister and find out what my maternal grandmother was like. Also, it was an opportunity to find out about that side of my Mother’s family of which I knew very little. I called her and she was clear of mind and anxious to talk to me. Alas, I was so caught up in my work that by the time I got around to calling her again, she had died. I tried not to make that mistake again. I had several interviews with my Aunt Peg (Mrs. John Henry Tipton, born 14 Jun 1915 - died 15 Jan 2006), before she died at 90 years old a few years ago. Before she passed on, she loaned me several priceless old family photos, including one of my great grandfather that I had never seen before. I scanned those photos into my computer and now some of them are posted on the Internet for posterity. Last week I called my Father’s first cousin, Elsie Mae Gouge Kilby (born February 24, 1922.) Mrs. Kilby is also clear of mind and asked me to stop by “anytime” to visit her. That is what I did today. She lives in Kelton, Pennsylvania, right over the border between Delaware and Pennsylvania. Ironically, her house is just a short detour from the route I take to my Mother’s house in Pennsylvania. Bill and arrived at the agreed upon time, 1 pm. She lives on a heavily traveled turn on Rt. 796, Jennersville Road in a house that is over a hundred years old. Her divorced son lives with her and is her caretaker. Coincidentally by Mother also lives with her divorced son who watches over her. Elsie Mae Gouge Kilby is the daughter of David Gouge (born 05 Mar 1881 died 1946) and Cynthia Abigail “Abby” Tipton born 29 Aug 1880 died 30 Apr 1971). Abby Tipton was the older sister of my grandfather Fieldon Jacob Tipton, Sr. (born 04 Jun 1884 – died 08 May 1939). Mrs. Kilby welcomed Bill and me into her 100 year old home. She introduced us to her son, Robert “Buster” Kilby. We got settled into our seats and I took out my family lineage sheets for her family. I read dates to confirm with her. She corrected me on some dates, and added dates that I did not have. She shared some anecdotes with me like the time she and her husband eloped to Elkton Maryland with my Uncle Ed Tipton and his future wife Mable Thompson to get married. They wanted to keep it secret but the news of their marriage was in the newspapers the next day so the "secret" was out. Cousin Elsie told me that "back in the day" one got married "first." Then she produced a reprinted picture of her father David Gouge as a young man when he attended Milligan College with his first cousin, David Edwards. This was exactly what I was hoping for. Unfortunately, this wasn’t an original picture but a poor ink jet copy. I asked her if I could borrow the original copy so I could scan it into my computer. She said she would have to “dig the pictures out” and asked if I could stop back because she couldn’t do it now because she was recovering form a recent fall. I gave her reprints of pictures of my grandfather, grandmother and her brother. She did loan be two old pictures, one of her brothers and sisters and mother taken in 1963. The other picture was of her and her sister Mary with their mother taken about 1918. What I’m really after is that picture of her father looking handsome and majestic in is suit along with his cousin in their official college picture. Another cousin, Anne Tipton (born 21 Aug 1935), had loaned me a picture of her father, George Britt Tipton (born 31 Mar 1897 – died 28 Dec 1969), son of my grandfather’s older brother Dove Tipton (born 11 Nov 1875 – died 22 Jul 1951) that was also his official Milligan College student photo. Finding these grand old photos of these handsome young men and beautiful women is one of the great joys of discovery when doing genealogy research. While I like adding dates of birth and death and marriages and children, the special treats are when old photos are discovered. With these old photos I can scan them into my computer and eventually post them to the Internet so these individuals will never be forgotten. I add these photos to my family tree and now I also add them to the web site Find A Grave.com. That is the true joy for me in genealogy. First I discover my roots. Secondly, by permanently recording this information I leave a legacy for future generations. It is a good feeling. Today was a good day. I’m looking forward to my return visit to Cousin Elsie.

Tipton Graves

2008-10-31T10:46:00.001-04:00

Here I am pictured at my grave site at the Northwood Cemetery in Downingtown, Pennsylvania. All I need now is a headstone. I haven't decided yet on what I want for my permanent memorial. I do know that I want something unique for my counterpart next century who will be researching me. Yep, my new passion (actually an old one that I've revived) is cemetery trolling. I don't know why, but I've always enjoyed walking through a cemetery (preferably on a nice sunny day - not at night) and reading headstones. I can't explain it, but I feel a sense of completeness when I read the headstones and wonder about the people below and their history, their life. I first started exploring cemeteries looking for dates to back up my genealogical research. However, I soon discovered a relaxing karma (no better way to explain it), as I walked and communed with the departed. Recently I discovered a web site devoted entirely to graves called Find A Grave.com. How ironic to discover that the man who started this web site was also a Tipton. Jim Tipton is his name. I haven't contacted him yet but I will. I think his interest is more in finding graves of famous people, which is find. That is also interesting. My focus right now is finding and recording as many graves of my ancestors as I can in my remaining lifetime. Oh how I wish I had started doing my family research when I was younger. However, it was much more difficult then without the advent of the Internet. The Internet has opened up so many more avenues of information that it almost overwhelms me. But that is good. I firmly believe everyone must have a passion in life. Mine is my family research and recording as much of that information as I can before I depart from this planet. Even though I'm getting a lot of my information from the Internet and other Tipton researchers, nothing replaces the "in person" visit. Visiting distant relatives and recording their verbal history before it is lost. Also, if I'm lucky, those distant relatives will have pictures of our common ancestors. That's how I found the picture of my great grandfather Hiram Tipton. I had never seen a picture of him before. What a thrill that was seeing it for the first time. I look forward to my remaining days knowing that I have so much history to uncover. I'm not a religious person but sometimes I do think a greater power put me on this path. Just maybe.

Find A Grave

2008-10-24T10:09:00.009-04:00

My distant cousin (our great-great-great-fathers were brothers) Tim Tipton has a passion. He searches for Tipton graves to take pictures for his book he hopes to publish in the future. For many years I have also trolled through cemeteries in search of my Tipton ancestors. I have also search for my maternal ancestors, the Hadfields and Hickmans. Over the years I have accumulated a many pictures. I have also discovered facts that surprised me. For instance, I found my maternal great-great grandfather and grandmother's graves less than a mile from my Pennsylvania home. If I hadn't began my grave search, I would never have known this fact. Recently, Tim pointed me to a very valuable web site. It is called Find A Grave.com. Finding this web site is like finding a chest of treasure at the end of the rainbow. Yes, I admit it. I am weird. Hey, another good friend, Larry Meredith also like to troll through cemeteries. Larry and I have made several such expeditions in the past. Now here is the best part. This morning I was reading the background information on Find a Grave.com. Much to my surprise I read that a fellow Tipton founded this website. His name is Jim Tipton. Now my question is to my friends Tim and Larry, why didn't we think of this?

Isaac Walter Tipton, Sr.

2008-08-21T09:27:00.006-04:00

Eight years ago yesterday, my Dad passed away. It is a day that I will never forget. Isaac Walter Tipton, Sr. (4/18/1920 - 8/20/2000)was born near Pigeon Roost, North Carolina. Pigeon Roost is located in the Pisgah Mountains that form the border between western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee. He was the fifth child and son of Fieldon Jacob Tipton (6/4/1884 - 5/8/1939)and Hester Lewis (11/30/1892 - 4/20/1945.) Fieldon and Hester had a total of 12 children, all boys. One child, a twin of Samuel Tipton (3/31/1934-12/15/2001), who died shortly after birth. My Dad's family moved to southeastern Pennsylvania, around 1929, to work on their uncle Donald Byrd's fruit and vegetable farm. Fieldon Tipton's sawmill business in North Carolina was failing and he could not support his every growing family. In Pennsylvania my Dad met my Mother, Betty Louise Hadfield (November 24, 1923), on a double date in Downingtown, Pennsylvania. From that union I was born November 9th, 1941. My parents had two more sons (Isaac Walter Tipton, Jr., April 9, 1943 and John Lee Tipton, June 10, 1944.) My Father was a stern taskmaster who was a dependable provider for his family. I did not have a close relationship with my Father. I was closer to my Mother. My Father was closest to my youngest brother, John. As is usual in the typical sibling setup, the middle child, Isaac, received the least attention. However, we all knew our Father loved us and was proud of us as we were of him. "Pop", as we called him, loved to garden. Even after he was diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer, he still managed to visit his much loved garden in the back of his three acre property in East Brandywine Township. Although my Dad lacked much formal schooling (I never did know how far he went in high school, that information wasn't available in our family), he was a very smart and clever man. He had good street sense. Pop also loved his carpentry work. Interestingly enough, I was the only son who inherited his love of gardening. I did not inherit his woodworking and mechanical skills. However, both of my younger brothers did inherit his woodworking and mechanical skills. But, sad to say, they have no interest in gardening or growing things. Pop was such a major factor in our lives, it still came as a major shock when he died even though we knew he had a terminal illness. He had requested not to be put on a life support system and we honored his wish. When I received word that he had died, I felt like someone punched me in my stomach. I literally had trouble breathing. Pop has been gone eight years now. Every summer at this time I remember that sultry August day that my life changed. Even to this day, there are times that I want to share information with my Dad and I realize I can't. He loved jelly donuts. Whenever I see one I'm tempted to buy some for him. His favorite dessert was German Chocolate Cake. I would always try to make him this cake for his birthday. I haven't made a German Chocolate Cake since he died. However, one thing that will never change are our many memories of him. His practical jokes, his laughter and his love of my Mother. Perhaps the only thing he loved more than my Mother was his favorite dog, Pepper (a black miniature Poodle.) Even though I miss him very much I am comforted by the fact that he has rejoined Pepper and his brothers. Rest in peace Pop.

The Four John Tiptons

2008-08-01T08:50:00.004-04:00

As any professional or amateur genealogist has discovered, family members with the same names are perhaps the greatest challenge in researching their family history. In the Tipton family, next to Jonathan Tipton, perhaps the most common name is John Tipton. In my immediate family there are four John Tiptons.

John Lee Tipton, Sr. (10 Jun 1944 - ) – my brother
John Lee Tipton, Jr. (22 Feb 1973 – 22 Feb 1973) - my nephew
John Hannum Tipton (29 Aug 1922 – 14 Sep 1961) – my uncle
John Michael Tipton (21 May 1947) – my first cousin

One would ask how this came about. Here is the explanation. My uncle John Hannum Tipton was missing in action during World War II. When my brother John Lee Tipton was born June 10th, 1944, he was named after his Uncle John Tipton, who was presumed dead, another casualty of World War II. After World War II ended, it was discovered that my Uncle John was a prisoner of war in Germany. He was liberated from the prisoner of war camp and returned home and married his longtime sweetheart, Margaret Frances Meehan (13 Jul 1928). Their first child was a son, John Michael Tipton (21 May 1947.) Thus, in the span of three years, my immediate family had three John Tiptons. How did we keep them straight? Uncle John was always referred to as ‘Uncle John.” My brother John has always been referred to as “John.” Not “Jack”, “J L”, or “Jay”, but “John.” Cousin John has always been referred to as “Johnny”, possibly because he was the youngest John. Some years later my brother had a son and he named him John Lee Tipton, Sr. (22 Feb 1973 – 22 Feb 1973). Unfortunately, his son died shortly after birth. This is how my family came to have four John Tiptons, thus providing fodder for confusion for future genealogists of my Tipton line. In my next blog installment, I’ll tell the story about the Three Isaac Tiptons – my Father, brother and nephew and how I avoided being named Isaac, which would have been logical since I am the oldest son of Isaac Walter Tipton. Then there is the story behind "Walter", which is the middle name of myself, my brother, my Uncle Edward Tipton and his son Edward, Jr. Sometimes it seems that we Tiptons seem determined to make life difficult for future Tipton family genealogists.

Note: The photo in this blog is of my brother John Lee Tipton and three other John Tiptons (grandfather, father and son) who we met at a Tipton Family Association of America reunion at the 1994 Tipton-Haynes Historic site in Johnson City, Tennessee.) Yet another example of Tipton family members contributing to confusion for future Tipton family genealogists. I don't have any pictures of my cousin John Michael Tipton. The picture below is of his Father and my Uncle John Tipton in his Army uniform.

Bruce Tipton

2008-07-04T12:11:00.010-04:00

October 15, 1931
To
June 28, 1995

On this July 4th, I remember another July Fourth holiday thirteen years ago. On July 3rd of that year my Uncle Bruce Tipton was laid to rest. The following is a writeup I did of his viewing, and funeral service. Please accept my apologies for any awkward grammar as I did write that thirteen years ago. My writing skills have since improved due to the diligence and kind help of my sister-in-law, Barbara Tipton. However, the narrative you are about to read will give you the flavor of the day and a feeling for the personality of the much loved man who was my Uncle Bruce.

Monday, July 3, 1995. . . a perfect summer day in Downingtown, Pennsylvania. At 10:00 a.m., the temperature was already 75 degrees. The sky was bright, sparkling, and clear. Humidity was low, a break from the previous week’s high humidity. The old Lincoln Highway (U. S. Route 30) in front of the Ralston & Bredickas Funeral Home at 107 West Lancaster Avenue was heavy with traffic. Townspeople were going about their daily routines, passing each other on the sidewalk in front of the funeral home. As Bruce’s friends and relatives were turning their vehicles into the funeral home parking lot, an attendant asked each driver if they were going to the cemetery. If they were, the attendant took their car keys, parked their vehicle and placed a small orange “Funeral” flap on top of their vehicle, above the driver’s side window. If not, he motioned for them to park at the other side of the parking lot. Stepping out of the summer sun into the cool and quiet funeral home was like entering a different dimension. Visitors had already taken seats in the room where Bruce lay at rest in an open casket. Funeral services were to begin at 11:00 a.m.

Bruce Tipton died at the Elsmere Veterans Administration Medical Center located in Elsemere, Delaware. He entered the hospital approximately three months earlier ago for an operation for an aneurysm. The operation was not successful and Bruce’s kidneys failed. For three months, his health steadily deteriorated. Bruce could not speak because he had a feeding tube down his throat. At approximately 3 a.m., in the morning of Wednesday, June 28, 1995, Bruce Tipton died of pneumonia.

Bruce Tipton now lay at rest in an open casket at the Ralston & Bredickas Funeral home. Bruce was surrounded by an array of colorful and beautiful flowers. He looked peaceful lying in his casket, almost serene. He looked younger than his 63 years. As with all Tipton men, he had little gray hair. His hair was neatly combed. He didn’t have his trademark crew cut style that we wore in his latter years. He wore glasses and had a small moustache (something else none of us remembered.) Uncle Bruce was also wearing a suit, something he rarely wore, if at all, during his whole life. Uncle Bruce looked rather distinguished. He had a look now that was a long way from his humble beginnings as a child of the Depression.

Uncle Bruce was the 10 of 12 children (all boys, one twin died early) of Fieldon Jacob (June 4, 1884 – May 8, 1939) and Hester Lewis Tipton (November 30, 1892 – April 20, 1945) . Uncle Bruce’s nine older brothers were all born in the hills of western North Carolina, that border the Tennessee border. Only he and his younger brother Sam (Samuel Park Tipton) were born in the North (West Chester, Pennsylvania). Bruce and his brother Sam were born in poverty and orphaned when they were still young children (Bruce at 14 and Sam at 11.) Bruce and Sam lived with different brother’s families until they left home and joined the service (Bruce the Army and Sam the Air Force). This continued the Tipton tradition of taking care of family. When Fieldon Tipton died in 1939, his widow Hester lived with the families of her various sons.

Uncle Bruce struggled financially most of his life and never attained any of the conventional measures of success such as job titles and material wealth. After 30 years, Bruce saw his job at Gindy Manufacturing (trailers) disappear as a result of a corporate takeover. His one marriage to Irene Hostetter was not successful. He lived most of his life as a bachelor. He did not have any children of his own, the only Tipton brother not to have a naturally born child. He did adopt his wife’s daughter, Sharon. However, by any measure Bruce Tipton had a very successful life. He was happy, contented and well respected by all who came into contact with him. After he left Gindys, Bruce started his own business. It was called the Bruce Tipton Catering service. He served barbecues, pig roasts and picnics to many local organizations, including the VFW, Moose, and various fire companies, and Fraternal Order of the Police. He also catered private parties included the 1st annual Tipton Family Reunion held in October of 1993. Bruce Tipton was well known and liked in the community. He was known as a loyal friend who had a great sense of humor. Who among us who knew Bruce Tipton can think of him without a smile on our face? Who can forget his gentle laugh? A good example of Bruce Tipton humor is when I asked him what his middle name was. Bruce replied “I don’t have one; they ran out of them when they came to me.” Bruce Tipton led a happy, full, and productive life and left us much too soon.

On Sunday, July 2, 1995 a viewing was held for friends and family at the funeral home. All the surviving brothers attended . . . . Uncle Ed and his wife Mabel. . . my Father Ike and my Mother Betty. . . Uncle Tip and his wife Lois. . . and Uncle Sam (who grew up with his older brother Bruce and the only other Pennsylvania born Tipton) and his wife Shelby. The widows of the other Tipton brothers were also in attendance. They are Mrs. Henry Tipton (Aunt Peg), Mr. Samuel Bruno (Uncle John Tipton’s widow Aunt Peggy), and Mr. Raymond Tipton (Aunt Katy). The Gouge Family was also present. They are the surviving children of Abigail and David gouge. Aunt Abby (as the Tipton brothers called her) was their Father Fieldon’s older sister who moved to Pennsylvania in the late 1920’s along with her family.) Aunt Abby’s sons Hoy Gouge and his wife Annabelle, Nels and his wife, Lonz and his wife, and Elsie Gouge Kilby were also at the viewing, paying their respects to their cousin Bruce Tipton. Many nieces and nephews were also there to say goodbye to their Uncle Bruce. Bruce’s many friends fron his social organizations of the Loyal Order of the Moose 1153 and the Brandywine Post 845, St. Anthony’s Lodge, the Thorndale Fire Company, the Chester County Fraternal Order of the Police 11, and the Police Chiefs Association also paid their last respects to their dear and loyal friend with whom they enjoyed many hours of camaraderie. Uncle Bruce’s longtime friend Pete Roop was also there with Bruce for the last time. Bruce and Pete had been friends since childhood.

Many of us recalled our memories of Uncle Bruce. Cousin Bud (Edward Walter Tipton, Jr.) remembered the new Buick Uncle Bruce arrived in one day at the old Baker place where Uncle Ed and Aunt Mabel and family (Bud’s parents) used to live. Cousin Bud said he hasn’t seen a car like that since. The luxurious leather seats, the smooth ride, greatly impressed Uncle Bruce’s young nephew who dreamed that maybe someday he would also be able to get a car like his Uncle Bruce (he did). Cousin Sis (Joan Tipton) remembered the time that Uncle Bruce accidentally tipped both of us (yes, me – I was a baby at one time – cousin Sis – who is the twin of cousin Bud – and I are the same age) out of a baby carriage when he was babysitting us one time. I don’t remember that particular incident but have been told about it many times by my Mother. She claims Uncle Bruce “dropped me on my head” which may explain some of my decisions and actions later in my life (a little “Mom” humor here). However, I do remember very clearly babysitting Uncle Bruce’s 5 year old adopted daughter (his wife Irene’s daughter) when I was 17 years old. Babysitting doesn’t come naturally to me, so I was not happy about this chore. A 17 year old young man has better things to occupy his time with (or at least I thought so at that time). My brother John remembers his Uncle Bruce buying him an ice cream cone from Ricky the Ice Cream Man (back in the Fifties it was common for someone like Ricky to travel around the poor areas in his panel truck, ringing his bell and selling ice cream – oh how we all loved to hear that bell on those hot summer days) shortly after Bruce had been discharged from his Army service and lived with us for a short while at our apartment over the Gindy offices. Most attending Uncle Bruce’s viewing had their own special memories of Bruce which they fondly replayed again in their minds. It was still hard to believe that Uncle Bruce was no longer with us.

On this perfect summer day of Monday, July 3, 1995, we would be saying goodbye to Bruce for the final time. How appropriate that Bruce Tipton would be making his final journey approaching the Fourth of July holiday. Much of Uncle Bruce’s catering activity took place during the July 4th festivities. Bruce was always been identified with the VFW and his service career. You see the American flag and you think of Bruce Tipton. Bruce’s veteran comrades said goodbye to him today.

After the completion of the funeral services, friends and family poured out of the funeral home into the midday summer sun into the parking lot. The funeral procession was to begin. With headlights on and the red emergency flasher lights on, the funeral procession of mourners in their cars began entering Route 30, turning east through Downingtown. Bruce Tipton would be making his last trip through Downingtown. How many times Bruce had driven down through Downingtown on his way to a catering job or to be with friends and family? Today would be his last trip. As his funeral cortege began to snake through the Downingtown, some pedestrians took a momentary stop from their daily activity to look and wonder who this funeral procession was honoring. Because there were so many cars in the procession, some probably wondered if this was somebody important. The “important” person was someone just like themselves. He was a small town person born of modest means, and who lived and died within his modest means. However, during his journey through life he accumulated a wealth of friends and goodwill. Those who were fortunate to know Bruce Tipton during his life know what they have lost by his passing. Bruce was a good and decent man who left behind many good memories. He enriched our lives by his presence. We have lost something by his passing from this earthly existence.

The funeral cortege slowly proceeded through the main street of Downingtown (Route 30, Lancaster Avenue), turning left onto Uwchlan Avenue (Route 113), and a silent procession yet making a final statement about how much we all loved and respected this man. We were headed for the Philadelphia Memorial Park in Frazer, Pennsylvania (a veterans’ cemetery). The ride was long, crossing over Route 100, turning onto Route 401 until arriving at the peaceful green fields of the Philadelphia Memorial Park, bathed in the sweltering heat of the midday summer sun. As we wound our way through the narrow maze-like road through the park, most of us were reliving our private memories of Bruce Tipton. Eventually, all the cars in the procession came to a stop. We had arrived at Bruce’s final resting place. The pallbearers removed Bruce’s casket from the back of the hearse and gently placed it on the waiting gurney for Bruce’s final trip. We all pushed the casket and gurney to the grave site. Under the now blazing summer sun was a canopy shading the gravesite with four chairs surrounding the opening in the ground. Immediate family member were invited to sit. Bruce’s brothers Sam and Ike took two of the chairs. Ike Tipton’s wife Betty (my Mother) and Mabel (Ed Tipton’s wife), took the other two chairs. Uncle Ed and Uncle Tip (Fieldon Jacob Tipton, Jr.) were too ill to attend the graveside ceremony. Members of the VFW gave a final gun salute and “Taps” was played. The Reverend Charles E. Weigel, Jr. said a few words then removed the American flag from the Bruce’s casket. With a summer breeze caressing the faces of the mourners almost like it was Bruce’s last goodbye caress of those mourning his loss; the flag was folded in a triangular fashion and handed to Bruce’s lifetime friend, Pete Roop. Then it was over. Some, such as Cousin Michael Tipton (Uncle Tip’s son) and Cousin Linda Tipton (Uncle Ed’s daughter) were overcome with emotion as they realized that their beloved Uncle Bruce was gone forever and was never coming back. He would never to joke with them again in his gentle teasing manner. Uncle Bruce would never again share his warmth, friendship and understanding with them. As relatives consoled each other, we began to return to our cars, leave the memorial park and return to our regular daily routines.

Uncle Bruce is in Paradise now. His earthly concerns are behind him. He is at peace. He has joined his Mother and Father, Hester and Fieldon. He has also joined his brothers who preceded him in death; John, Due, Dick and Erby. We will all see him again in the Great Beyond someday. We will again see his smile and his laugh. Goodbye for now Uncle Bruce.

The following is his obituary as it appeared in the local newspaper:

Bruce Tipton, 63, of Downingtown, PA, died Wednesday, June 28, 1995, in the Elsmere Veterans Administration Center, Elsmere, DE.

Born in West Chester, PA, he was the son of the late Fieldon J. Tipton, Sr. and Hester Lewis Tipton and had lived in Downingtown, PA, all his life.

He was a US Army veteran.

He was employed by the Budd Co., Trailer Division, Eagle, PA for 30 years and recently worked at the Brandywine Post 845 VFW, Downingtown, PA.

Bruce also owned and operated Bruce Tipton Catering, serving barbecues, pig roasts; and picnics to local organizations including the VFW, Moose, various fire companies, and FOP. He also catered private parties.

He was known to be a very loyal friend and had a great sense of humor.

He was a member of the Loyal Order of Moose 1153 and the Brandywine Post 845, both of Downingtown, PA. He was a social member of St. Anthony’s Lodge, the Thorndale Fire Co., the Chester County FOP 11 and the Police Chiefs Association.

He was also a member of the Crossroads Hunting Camp in Huntington County, PA>

He is survived by a daughter, Sharon BeBruyn of Corona, CA., four brothers; Edward, Isaac W., Samuel P., and Fieldon J. Tipton, Jr., all of Downingtown, PA.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, July 3, 1995, in the Ralston & Bredickas Funeral Home, 107 W. Lancaster Avenue, Downingtown, PA. Friends may call from 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday, July 2, 1995; and from 10 to 11 a.m. Monday at the funeral home.

Interment will be in Philadelphia Memorial Park, Frazier, PA.

George Britt Tipton

2008-06-20T10:47:00.007-04:00

Anne Tipton ( 21 Aug 1935 )sent to me the following story about her beloved father, George Britt Tipton (31 Mar 1897 - 28 Dec 1969). Anne is my cousin through her grandfather Dove William Tipton (11 Nov 1875 - 22 Jul 1951) who was the older brother of my grandfather Fieldon Jacob Tipton, Sr. (04 Jun 1884 - 08 May 1939). Anne lives in Kingsport, Virginia, near the mountains of the North Carolina where our grandparents raised their families. I came to know of Anne through my Tipton family research. I had made a call to her brother Boyd Tipton (31 Jan 1929) during one of my random Internet searches of Tipton names in the phone book of the area of the North Carolina and Tennessee border where my grandfather lived. Boyd was very helpful but did not have all of his family's history. He suggested that I call his sister Anne, who kept the family genealogy records. Lucky for me, I usually find one such dedicated individual when I research my family lines, both sides. Anne is a delightful woman and a great deal of help to me in updating her line of descent from our mutual great-grandfather Hiram Tipton (05 Mar 1852 - 1933). The following is a remembrance that she sent to me recently of her beloved father, George Britt Tipton:

December 28, 1969 was a cold, snowy Sunday when I had been visiting my parents, brothers, and sisters in Jonesboro, Tennessee for the Christmas Holidays. I was traveling with my oldest brother, Willie, and his family back to their home in Louisville, Kentucky. Gary, their son, and I were then going to travel back to Maryland where we both taught school. However, my stay in Louisville ended abruptly when Willie received a phone call that my father was in the hospital with his third heart attack. So, Willie and I started back early the next morning and were to be followed later in the day by Doris, Gary and Kathy. Willie was very quiet all the way back, until as we came closer to my parents house he said "Anne, they didn't tell me but I think our Dad has died." Well, that was a "shock" and as we neared the house, I could see a wreath hanging on the door. My father had survived two other heart attacks (one in his garden) but this was a fatal one. As he stood up from his chair where he had been reading the Sunday paper, he had fallen to the floor. During his last eleven months he had been a changed man. By that, I mean he had been much livelier and was full of plans to do things. Why? Because he bragged and liked to show his chest where he said he was the first person to ever have a pace-maker from the University of Tennessee They said he wouldn't live a year without it. I loved my Dad very, very much. He knew it!. . . . . . .to be continued...........................

Pop

2008-06-04T08:05:00.009-04:00

Eight years ago, on a warm and humid August day, my father Isaac Walter Tipton, Sr. (18 Apr 1920 - 22 Aug 2000), passed away in the early morning hours at the Brandywine Hospital in Coatesville, PA. My sister-in-law Barbara Tipton was with him. She recalled him struggling to breath. She held his hand and prayed out loud with him. She met her husband, my brother John, in the hallway and told him his dad had died. John went into his room and was with his him for a few minutes then he called me. "Pop", as we called him, had entered the hospital two weeks previously suffering from lung cancer. He was the fifth child of eleven children (all male) of Fieldon Jacob Tipton, Sr. (04 Jun 1884 - 08 May 1939) and Hester Lewis Tipton (30 Nov 1892 - 20 Apr 1945), my grandparents. I received the news of his death as I was entering the offices of First Financial Bank in Downingtown, PA where I worked. As I unlocked the front door to the offices, I heard the loud ring of the phone demanding that I answer it. I knew instinctively that this was the phone call I had been expecting. Pop had been in declining health since his open heart surgery on November 9, 1999 (my birthday). He was never the same after that operation. Almost always in pain, he found it difficult to even walk to his vegetable garden located in the back of his three acre property located in East Brandywine Township. Frequently, he would have to stop and regain his breath until he could continue the short walk to his beloved garden. Our family moved to this property in 1958, the first land that he ever owned. Prior to 1958, our family had lived in a series of apartments. However, Pop always found a way to borrow some land to plant his vegetable garden (corn, peppers, and tomatoes). For many years to was a small parcel of land next to the Gindy Trailer Manufacturing plant just outside of Downingtown, PA. He always planted more corn than we could possibly eat. He would sell some of it but mostly, he gave it away. He would rope me and my two brothers into weeding all that corn. Oh how I used to hate that interruption to my summertime activities. Looking back on it, I now appreciate that we were required to be responsible for weeding our six rows of corn a day. This was good work discipline that was instilled in us that was beneficial to me and my brothers when we grew up and had jobs of our own. In all his adult years, my father never failed to have his garden. He loved gardening. As sick as he was in the last year of his life, he would force himself up to his garden every day. He loved to see small seedlings grow into magnificent plants. This is one attribute that I have inherited from him, a love of gardening. I may not have inherited his love of hunting or his carpentry skills, but we both had a love of seeing things grow. Ironically, neither of my brothers inherited this love of growing things from their father. However, they did inherit his natural talent for carpentry. I didn't inherit that talent. Each summer, with the long warm days, and when I see corn growing in the fields (as I do in the land adjacent to my property here in Delaware), I am reminded of my father. "Pop." Of course we had our moments. What son doesn't have his "moments" with his father? But in the end, when my brother John told me on the phone "Pop died early this morning", I felt like someone had punched me in the stomach. This giant of a man who personality dominated so much of my life was gone. It was hard for me to believe that he was no longer on this earth. As I drove home in the warm sun of that August morning to inform my Mother and brother Isaac, Jr. that "Pop" had died, I felt like I was having an out of the body experience. I literally had the air taken out of me. I had difficulty catching my breath. As I entered the door to the kitchen of the small ranch house that my parents had lived in for over fifty years, I saw my Mother. She knew what I was going to tell her. I would tell her that her husband of sixty years, the only man she had ever known, was no longer part of her life. My brother Isaac knew. This life force that other members of the family knew as "Ike", and that we knew as "Pop", was no longer with us. For the first time in our lives, we would have to go on without Pop. Even now, almost eight years after his passing, I still feel his presence. With the warm weather of summer, I will always think of Pop and his garden. That garden that he faithfully tilled for over fifty years is now covered in weeds. The birds have free reign to pick where they may. Pop is not there to guard his garden from marauding black birds who would swoop down and pick up his hand planted corn seed. Pop's bee bee gun is long gone. If there is a heaven, Pop is up there now with his brother Ed (Tipton 10 Sep 1914 - 24 Jul 1998) and they are continuing their friendly rivalry to see who has the first and biggest tomato and sweetest corn. My uncle Ed died at his home during the day, surrounded by his family, with his hospital bed was positioned so he could see his beloved garden before he passed away. Pop died in the early morning hours in a hospital bed with only his granddaughter Dawn Armstrong by his side. He died before he could harvest his final crop of corn. He is up in Heaven now with his ten brothers - Ray, Henry, Ed, Erby, Dude, Rich, John, Bruce, Sam and, yes, Tip (Fieldon Jacob Tipton, Jr.) I have no doubt that his tomatoes are the biggest and the corn the sweetest ever now. We all miss you Pop! We will see you soon.

Fishing Rodeo

2008-05-20T17:23:00.005-04:00

The Tipton men have always loved to fish. My previous blog featured my cousins Steve and Tom Tipton on a fishing trip. This blog features me and my cousin, Edward “Bud” Walter Tipton, on another fishing trip long ago. This fishing expedition was over fifty years ago (1951). The occasion was the West Chester (Pennsylvania) Fishing Rodeo. The picture in this blog is of Ronald Walter Tipton (the author of this blog – born November 9, 1941) and my cousin Bud Tipton (born April 1, 1941 along with his twin sister Joan “Sis” Tipton). I won the fishing rodeo. Yes! Really! I caught the biggest fish, a 14 inch trout. My cousin Bud posed in the picture with me. It is ironic that I won the first prize that day (a young girl also won a prize for catching the first fish). Why the irony? I haven’t been fishing since. I figured I would quit while I was ahead.

Tipton Fishing Outing

2008-05-14T08:52:00.005-04:00

Tiptons have always loved to fish. Yesterday my cousin Steve Tipton sent me these pictures of him and our cousin Tom Tipton (along with other friends) on a fishing outing at Little Pine Creek, Tioga County, Pennsylvania last Thursday, May 8th, 2008. The picture of the diamond black rattlesnake was taken in Lycoming County. Cousin Tom wasn't with them when they were teasing the snake to strike (not a wise decision according to Steve). The snake was spared. They tossed it in the woods with a stick.

This is the second contribution I’ve received to my Tipton Tales and Trails blog. That’s what this web site is all about, Tiptons and their “tales and trails”. Keep the contributions coming!

Steven Bruce Tipton (born Feb 4, 1958)
Son of Richard Berry Tipton (29 Aug 1922 – 09 April 1989)

Thomas Fieldon Tipton, Sr. (born November 5, 1939)
Son of Erby Erwin Tipton (20 Nov 1917 – 20 Sep 1990)

Steve, Tom and I are all the grandsons of:
Fieldon Jacob Tipton, Sr. (04 Jun 1884 – 08 May 1939)

The Pop-Pop Look

2008-05-13T21:45:00.003-04:00

In my last blog entry I made reference to “The Look” that my father, Isaac W. Tipton, Sr. (18 Apr 1920 – 22 Aug 2000) would give to me if I said or did something that he didn’t like. My cousin Dick Tipton called me to tell me he enjoyed reading the blog and that his granddaughter Sydney knows “The Look”. In fact, Dick says she does a wonderful impersonation of her grandad’s look. Look at the picture and judge for yourself. She’s got it!

Sydney Abigal Rutt (24 Apr 2006) is the daughter of Kristen Leigh Tipton (02 Oct 1974), who is the daughter of my cousin Richard Dwight Tipton (o3 Sep 1945), who is the son of my Uncle Raymond Luther Tipton 20 Ot 1908 – 03 Aug 1988).

Tipton Humor

2008-05-12T11:04:00.010-04:00

As any true Tipton knows there is that "Tipton Humor." There are two types of Tipton Humor. There is the risqué (being polite here) humor. Then there is the other type of Tipton Humor is the practical joke. That is the humor I will talk about now. It is ironic that the Tipton men are well known for two things. Anyone who has been around a Tipton long enough has experienced the Tipton Temper. It is well known with much justification. In another blog, I will delve more into that aspect of the Tipton character. However, in this blog I will discuss the Tipton humor. From my earliest memory, I remember that my father never ceased to find passing gas just hilarious. My Uncle Henry had a well known trick all of us young Tiptons caught onto real fast. He would put his finger out and ask us to pull on it. We all knew the joke. We would pull on his forefinger and he would pass gas. However, onetime we had the last laugh on Uncle Henry. Once one of us pulled his finger and he passed more than gas. Uncle Henry had an accident. This brings to mind another irony of Tipton humor. The Tipton men (and it was only the men, I don’t remember my aunts pulling these jokes) have a glorious time pulling their jokes but don’t like to be on the receiving end of the jokes. Oh no. Then you got the Tipton Look. With my Pop it was “What’s the matter with you”? Then Pop would administer a quick slap up the side of my head (maybe that’s why I have a cauliflower ear). During my research into the Tipton family genealogy history I’ve been in contact with distant Tipton cousins I have never met face to face. One thing that is interesting is the prevalence of Tipton humor stories. The following story is from Anne Tipton (Born 21 Aug 1935) of Elizabethton, Tennessee.

Anne is the daughter of George Britt Tipton (born 31Mar 1897 – died 28 Dec 1969), and granddaughter of Dove William Tipton (born 11 Nov 1875 – died 22 Jul 1951). She tells the story of her father, George Britt Tipton pulled on his son Clyde Raymond Tipton (09 Jul 1924 - 13 Oct 1982). George Britt and his dad, Dove William operated a general store at the base of Pigeon Roost Road. The store was about 100 yards from where Anne's grandparents lived, and where her parents and brother, Willie and Doris began their families The store was torn down at some point.

Anne Tipton tells the story:

"Daddy used to laugh & say his joke on young Clyde backfired. He caught Clyde sneaking candy out the cat hole door of the general store just down to the left of this house. Clyde would plant the candy & later go out on a very high porch leading off the store to gather his goods. Daddy said he thought he would set a trap to catch Clyde. So, he waited for Clyde to stick his hand through the hole & thus, he grabbed his hand & held on tightly with Clyde screaming. Dad was then afraid to let go because he thought if he did, Clyde would fall back off the high porch. Dad was really scared, but somehow it was resolved & all ended with nobody getting hurt. "

Thankfully, no one was hurt by the “trap” that George Britt set for young Clyde. Just as no one was hurt by Uncle Henry’s finger pulling episode that resulted in him requiring a change of underwear.

Hiram Barnett

2008-05-08T10:17:00.008-04:00

August 15th, every other year, Colonel John Tipton’s birthday is celebrated at the Tipton-Haynes Historic site in Johnson City, Tennessee. Thus it was in August of 1996 that I made plans to drive to Johnson City and attend my first Tipton Family Association of America reunion. My nephew Isaac W. Tipton, III (‘Ikey”) would drive us to Tennessee in a van that I rented. We arrived on a typical hot, muggy August day and checked into our rooms at the Johnson City Hampton Inn. The next day I gave directions for while Ikey drove to visit our genealogical roots in the forested hills and hollows that form the Tennessee/North Carolina border. Without Uncle Aster around to direct us, I managed as best I could from memory where the little roads that led up the hollows in those mountains. We arrived at the Tipton Hill community. This was a thrill for both of us, to be in a town named after us. Ikey and I spent most of the day driving around those roads. The only person I talked to was Glenn Renfro’s wife, Wanda Byrd Renfro. We missed Glenn, he was away. The next day we attended the TFAA reunion at the Tipton-Haynes Historic site. What a thrill it was to meet other Tiptons and their descendants we had never met before. My brother John and his wife drove up from their home in Greenville, South Carolina. Perhaps the highlight of the day, other than meeting fellow Tiptons, was meeting for the first time our father’s first cousin, Hiram Barnett (02 Jul 1917 - 28 Nov 2007). Hiram was the son of Jane Tipton who married Spencer Barnett. Hiram and his wife Nadine could not have been more gracious and accommodating to their new found cousins. A special treat of the visit was when Hiram brought out a large framed photographic picture of his grandfather and namesake, Hiram Tipton. John and I were stunned. We had never seen a picture of our great-grandfather. The thought never entered our minds. What a wonderful surprise. Our great-grandmother, Myra Warrick was also in the picture. Of course I wanted to take the picture, frame and all, with me. Hiram chuckled and said that would not be possible. He knew I was kidding (I wasn’t). He placed the frame on an ornate gold chair. I asked if I could take a picture in order to share with my Tipton relatives back home in Pennsylvania. Hiram gave me his permission. I took two pictures, one of which is posted in this blog. As was our visit two years previously with Aster Lewis, Hiram Barnett and his wife Nadine treated us the best of southern hospitality . Before we left, Barbara (John’s wife) took pictures of us outside of the Barnett home. A few years later Hiram died of melanoma cancer. Our visit to Hiram Barnett was in many ways like our earlier visit to Aster Lewis. Both were kind and gracious gentlemen. They generously offered their time and knowledge to help build the Tipton Family history. Fortunately I was able to meet these gentlemen before they left us. I will always remember them with affection and respect.

Goodbye Uncle Aster

2008-04-27T16:11:00.003-04:00

The next day, the three of us (my brother John, his wife Barbara, and I) checked out of the Hampton Inn Hotel in Johnson City. We loaded up our van and drove down Roan Road the few miles to Erwin, Tennessee, and Aster Lewis’s house. It was another cool April morning bright with sunshine and the aromatic mixture of spring blossoms. Uncle Aster and his wife Mary greeted us at the door of his house. We would be going to the Johnson City Cemetery and visit the grave of his mother, Rissie Johnson Lewis. We also visited other Tipton graves in the cemetery. Uncle Aster was going to show us where Oscar Brown lived. Oscar was the son of Josie Tipton, a sister of our grandfather Fieldon Tipton. She married an Oscar Brown, the father of the Oscar Brown we were to visit today. Mr. Brown had a very impressive farm located on the outskirts of Johnson City. He told us he didn’t have too much time to talk to us as he was busy with his daily chores. Upon questioning, he said he didn’t remember too much about our grandfather other than his name. We were getting a similar reaction from most of the people we talked to. They didn’t remember much about Fieldon other than his unusual name. I also had the feeling the Fieldon was a man of few words and thus didn’t leave a lasting impression on those we were talking to now. In Oscar Brown’s case, he would have been too young to remember Fieldon. Next, we were to visit Phyllis Hensley. She was the daughter of Geter Tipton, the youngest brother of Fieldon Tipton. Phyllis’s house was a small, rundown house on the outskirts of Johnson City. There was a pile of dog doo on her front porch. For some reason, this sad image is one I will never forget. We knocked on the door. No one answered. We knocked again. Her house seemed so forlorn and lonely. If there was someone in the house, they weren’t answering the door. We left. Phyllis and her father Geter would continue to remain a mystery to us. It was time for lunch. John, Barb and I took Uncle Aster and his wife Mary to lunch. We told them they could go anyplace they wanted to go. I wasn’t familiar with the restaurant scene in Johnson City, Tennessee, but I expected Uncle Aster to choose something special. So where did he want to go? Long John Silver’s. That’s right, the chain restaurant with the murky reputation for quality food. We asked Uncle Aster again, is this where you want to go for lunch? He insisted that Long John Silver's was his favorite restaurant, and he would be delighted to have lunch with us at that eatery. So Long John Silver’s it was. John, Barb and I were not expecting a gastronomic adventure, and we weren’t disappointed. We did not have to wait in line. In fact, we had a delightful dining experience. I think the company had a lot to do with it. As we loaded up in the van outside and drove Uncle Aster and his wife back to their home, a feeling of melancholy swept over us. We arrived at Uncle Aster’s home and said our goodbyes. Something Uncle Aster said as we departed has stayed with me all these years. He said “I’ll probably never see you again, and I wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed meeting all of you and spending time with you. I hope I was of some help, and I wish you the best in your search.” Although we had planned to visit Uncle Aster again in a few years, we never did see him again. We returned to Johnson City on August 15, 1996, for the bi-annual Tipton Family Association of America reunion, but we did not get a chance to visit Uncle Aster. The next year I received a phone call from his sister Daisy Buckles. She told me that her brother died August 6, 1997. He was 78 years old. Uncle Aster was right on the April day in 1994 when he said it would be the last time we would see each other. We would never see or talk to our Uncle Aster again, but we did have these precious memories of him that will last us a lifetime. And now I am sharing them with you, the readers of this blog. Uncle Aster will not be forgotten.

More Pigeon Roost Cemetery

2008-04-22T16:49:00.007-04:00

After reading my blog on the Pigeon Roost Cemetery, I realized there are more memories and pictures of my visit in the spring of 1994 to Pigeon Roost that I want to share, with you, the reader of this blog. First are the pictures of the tombstones of Ike Lewis and his first wife Mary Alice Hughes. Glenn Renfro said that it was well known that Mary Alice was “one helluva squirrel hunter.” Somehow that doesn’t bring to mind a picture of a genteel lady in a puff sleeved gingham dress. Glenn also said that family lore has it that Mary Alice could handle a shotgun as good if not better than any man on Pigeon Roost. Then there is the story of Moses Honeycutt. Glen said he heard that Moses Honeycutt had such a wicked life he “would go to hell a snappin and crackling all the way.” The four of us made the descent from Pigeon Roost Cemetery on this unusually warm April day in 1994. It is hard to believe that it was 14 years ago this spring that we made our wonderful discovery of the Pigeon Roost Cemetery, where Ike Lewis and his wife Mary Alice Hughes are buried. John and I will always remember our wonderment upon reaching the summit of the mountain and looking at those dignified headstones, shimmering in celestial beauty with the sunlight shining through the gently rustling leaves on the trees that guarded the cemetery. This was the final resting place of so many who were born, grew up, got married and raised their own families on the hillsides below this peaceful cemetery. This cemetery will never be bulldozed to make way for a new highway. This mountaintop will never see a new shopping strip. From the Nolichucky River below to the “hollers’ that rise to the mountain top, the inhabitants of this mountain community continue to live in their own special Shangri La. Some still manage to make a living selling Christmas trees. Most are descendents of former inhabitants who continue to farm the rich soil watered by the many natural spring water streams that flow from the top of the mountains. More recently new homes are built by retirees to the area, who have discovered and appreciate the gentle beauty of the mountains. There are no fast food restaurants in these mountains. You won’t find a gas station because there are no through roads. We did find a general store run by the Whitson family. John and I stopped in the store but were greeted by the wary silence accorded to strangers (or, in our case “damn Yankees.”) We didn’t say anything because our northern accents would surely give us away as outsiders even though our name was Tipton, a well known name in the area. I took more 35 mm pictures, and John took more VCR pictures with our bulky VCR camera. The next day we would again meet with Uncle Aster. He would take us on a tour of a Johnson City Cemetery. We leave Pigeon Roost with warm fulfilling memories that will last a lifetime. To be continued…........

Pigeon Roost Cemetery

2008-04-20T21:40:00.008-04:00

Sometimes, when in search of one’s roots, unexpected but just as rewarding paths turn up. Our goal when visiting Pigeon Roost was to find where my father and his brothers lived. We were not able to find the house where they lived, so we assumed it no longer existed. However, Uncle Aster did take us to our other great grandfather’s home, Isaac Lewis. Isaac, as I mentioned before, was the father of Aster Lewis and of my grandmother, Hester Lewis Tipton (Fieldon). During our conversation with Glenn Renfro, who was now living at the former Isaac Lewis homestead with his wife Wanda Byrd (whose grandmother was Pansy Tipton, an older sister of my grandfather Fieldon Tipton), he asked us if we wanted to see where “old Ike Lewis was buried.” Absolutely! This was an unexpected treasure. All of you fellow amateur and professional genealogists know what I’m talking about. This is a graveyard with tombstones of our ancestors heretofore unknown. A real find! However, saying we wanted to see it and actually getting there was another thing altogether. The old family graveyard was located at the very top of a steep mountain and was only partially accessible by pickup truck. We had to hike the rest of the way to the summit. Imagine how the pallbearers of old Ike Lewis’ coffin must have struggled to get up that mountain. Even though this was a mild April spring day, we still worked up a sweat climbing to the top of the mountain. As we neared the mountain top , John and I began to fear for Uncle Aster’s health. He was huffing and puffing mightily. That’s all we would need….. poor old Uncle Aster keeling over while climbing the mountain to show us his father’s final resting place. Finally, we reached the top of the mountain, and Uncle Aster stopped for a few minutes to catch his breath. There, under a canopy of trees was the small old graveyard. There were the tombstones, worn by the passing of many seasons of weather, proud and erect, hidden from modern civilization here atop this wooded mountain top that borders Tennessee. My great grandfather Hiram Tipton and his wife Myra Warrick are buried in the Freewill Baptist Church Cemetery in Limestone, Tennessee. Not old Ike Lewis though, he and his first wife Mary Alice Hughes are buried in this their own family cemetery. While this cemetery may not be as fancy as the ones in the church cemeteries in Tennessee, it still possessed dignity and warranted the respect of all who entered its environs. After we looked at the tombstones and I took some pictures, Glenn made a suggestion. He asked if Uncle Aster could say “some words” to honor the occasion of our visit to the cemetery. Uncle Aster, being the preacher man that he is, thrust out his arms and beseeched the Lord to put a blessing on this grave and all those who now had their final resting place in this isolated cemetery at the top of Green Mountain Road in Mitchell County, North Carolina. John recorded this momentous event. Later I made copies of this video and shared it with my cousins in Pennsylvania, some of whom would never have the opportunity that I did at this time, to visit the grave of my great grandfather and great grandmother. This day will live forever in both my brother John’s and my memory. Even though we didn't find the homestead of Fieldon Tipton, we found something equally valuable. We witnessed a moment in time, never to be repeated. We had been to the top of the mountain. We had discovered a treasure and paid tribute to our ancestor. We had accomplished much today. To be continued……….

A Love Story

2008-04-17T10:49:00.004-04:00

I’m taking a temporary departure from my narrative of searching for my Tipton roots in the foothills of North Carolina. Our goal was to see where my father, Isaac Walter Tipton, Sr. (April 18, 1920 – August 22, 2000) was born and raised until he moved to Pennsylvania when he was 10 years old. I am doing this is because my memories of my father were brought sharply back into focus with my selection of music to accompany this blog. Hank Williams, Sr., was my father’s favorite singer. George Jones came in a close second. My “Pop” (what me and my brothers called him) especially liked George Jones’ song “He Stopped Loving Her Today.” Even though the lyrics of that song didn’t directly apply to my parents’ relationship, he identified with that sad, sorrowful song. As he often told me, “Ronnie, that’s the only way I will stop loving your mother, when I’m dead.” We played that song at my dad’s funeral on a hot, sunny August day in 2000. “Her” was my Mother, Betty Louise Hadfield Tipton (December 24, 1923). “Happy Trails” is a song that will bring a smile to your face just as Roy Rogers and Dale Evans always had a smile on their faces. My Mom has reminded some of my cousins of Dale Evans. Mom, like Dale Evans, has a big, sweet, genuine smile of happiness. “Cool, Cool, Water” was an old record my dad used to have in his Victrola. Whenever I hear the Sons of the Pioneers sing that song, I think of him. My brothers and I were very fortunate to have “Ike and Betty” as our parents. While we never had a lot of material possessions, we did have a richness that many families did not have. We had parents who loved and respected each other totally. What an example they set for us. My dad loved my Mother so much, and my Mom loved him just as much if not more. He was the only man she had ever been with. She told me that the first time she saw him she knew he was “the one.” For sixty years theirs was a love that was unbroken. Their voices never rose in anger at each other. At us kids? Sure, now that happened. They did have times of disagreement, usually something Pop did. There were no shouting matches. No angry words hurled at each other. Instead, Mom would let him know she was displeased by her serious look and silence. Her sunny smile would disappear. Pop would know something was wrong, and he didn’t take long to make things right. That was just how much he respected my Mother. Pop has been gone eight years now. Mom has never been the same since he left. However, I am comforted in knowing that they will again be together…..for eternity.

Pigeon Roost

2008-04-11T09:15:00.011-04:00

John backed out of Uncle Aster’s driveway. Uncle Aster was going to show us the way “up the mountains.” Since we were on the Tennessee side of the mountains, we had to cross over the state boundary to North Carolina. We were entering Pisgah Mountains in Mitchell County, North Carolina. These mountains form the border between Tennessee and North Carolina. While Uncle Aster and John amiably conversed with each other in front of the van, I was in the back swiveling my head back and forth, taking in as much as I could of these new surroundings. Less than 20 minutes later we were in North Carolina looking at the green mountains before us on this early April morning in 1994. The Nolichucky River runs along the base of the mountains. An old railroad line, used in the past to transport lumber out of the mountains, parallels the Nolichucky. We were looking for “Pigeon Roost.” Our first stop was at the Floyd Peterson home, just above the Nolichucky River and the railroad tracks. A train, its many open bedded cars loaded with coal, slowly rumbled by below us. We got out of our van. Floyd Peterson (06 Sep 1905 - 26 Sep 1997), small framed bib overall clad 89 year old gentleman, approached us from the front porch of his house with a warm smile on his weathered face. Floyd was a retired railroad worker, having worked on the very railroad so close to his present home. He and Uncle Aster greeted each other. Uncle Aster introduced John to both of us. Then Uncle Aster explained to Floyd why we were there. He asked Floyd if he knew of “Field Tipton” and his boys. Floyd said he couldn’t remember too much. He said he knew of “Field Tipton” but not much more than that. However, he did remember very well my grandfather’s oldest brother, William Dove Tipton (11 Nov 1875 – 22 Jul 1951). William Dove Tipton stayed in the area. He did not move to Pennsylvania as his younger brother Fieldon had done. John told us that Dove had a son that he “petted on terribly.” He said that Dove Tipton’s son, George Britt Tipton (31 Mar 1897 – 28 Dec 12969) was an only child and his father “fussed and spoiled him to no end.” Hiram said that Dove and George Britt Tipton operated a general store in Poplar that sold groceries and other necessities to the local folk of the area. Later that day John and I did find a small grocery store owned by Jack Tipton and his wife but we had no way of knowing if that was the same general store that Dove Tipton operated with his son George Britt Tipton. After about an hour with Floyd Peterson, we moved up the road to the old Ike Lewis homestead. Glenn Renfro (13 Nov 1928) and his wife Wanda Lee Byrd (29 Sep 1933) lived there now. Glenn was tilling the fresh spring soil in his small vegetable garden. John and I noted that most the homes on this road were reached by small bridges that spanned over fresh spring water fed streams from the mountains above. Uncle Aster and Glenn also knew each other. It was becoming quickly apparent that Uncle Aster knew a lot of the folks in that area because of his circuit preaching. We hit a gold mine with Uncle Aster. He certainly was the person to take us on our tour. Uncle Aster introduced us and told Glen what we were about. Glen turned off his rototiller and unselfishly devoted the next two hours or so to us. Coincidently, he told us that his wife, Wanda Lee Byrd (29 Sep 1933) was a Tipton. Upon further questioning we found out that Wanda was the granddaughter of Pansy Tipton (10 Jan 1883 – 28 Apr 1963), an older sister of Fieldon! Glenn was too young to remember our grandfather, Fieldon Tipton. Fieldon and his family left these hills around 1929. Glen would have only been a year old at that time. However, he did know where our other grandfather (father of Hester Lewis Tipton, wife of Fieldon Jacob Tipton), Isaac Lewis (04 Nov 1856 – 27 Apr 1944) and his first wife, Mary Alice Hughes (12 Aug 1858 – 26 Aug 1916), were buried. Their final resting places were at the family cemetery at the top of the mountain at the very end of the same road we were on. During our conversation, we determined why our dad, Ike Tipton, always said he was from “Pigeon Roost.” He and his brothers and mother and father didn’t actually live in Pigeon Roost. That is where our grandmother Hester Lewis lived. Uncle Aster believed that Fieldon Tipton and his family lived at the Bailey Settlement, which was nearby on a different road. However, we never got to the Bailey Settlement because it doesn’t exist now. Thus, we didn’t get to see the house that my grandfather and grandmother and their children lived in. Thus our hopes were dashed if we were expecting to see a gracious, historical log cabin type house that would wash us in waves of nostalgia for times past. To be continued…………………..

Aster Lewis

2008-04-09T22:43:00.002-04:00

A new day dawned over Johnson City, Tennessee. On this spring day in April 1994, my brother John and I were about to embark on a journey that we would have thought impossible a few years before. We were actually going to see “Pigeon Roost,” the near-legendary place where our father, Isaac Walter Tipton (1920-2000) was born. Our “tour guide” would be Aster Lewis (1919-1997), our grand uncle. Aster was our grandmother Hester Lewis’ (1894-1944) half brother. We had never met Aster before this day, nor did we even know of his existence. It was only through inquiries through a now forgotten relative that we learned of Aster’s name. The previous night I had called Aster from the hotel where we were staying in Johnson City, Tennessee. We made plans to meet at Aster’s humble home in Erwin, Tennessee. Erwin is near by Johnson City at the foothills of the mountains that form the state line between Tennessee and North Carolina. After breakfast at our hotel, John and I got in our rented van, checked our map for Erwin, and headed for Uncle Aster’s home that he shared with his 21 year old younger wife, Mary. Uncle Aster apparently was following in his father’s footsteps in marrying a younger woman the second time around. We had no trouble finding Aster’s home. “Uncle Aster” came out to greet us as we got out of the van. Again, like his sister Daisy, Aster greeted us as if he knew us all his life. This was Southern hospitality firsthand. Aster escorted John and I into his house to meet his wife. After the greetings, we settled down to our purpose of the visit, to glean as much as we could from Uncle Aster about the Tiptons still living in the near by North Carolina mountains. I set up my video camera to record our interview. I still have those 60 minute VCR video tapes. John and I interviewed Aster for over two hours. We learned that Uncle Aster was a pastor like my brother John. However, Uncle Astor was a “traveling pastor”, traveling the circuit of churches in the mountain area. He was a free lance pastor not associated with any one particular church. My brother is the care pastor of the Mount Calvary Baptist Church of Greenville, South Carolina. Now it was time to make the trek to the mountains and Pigeon Roost. Aster bade his goodbyes to his wife Mary, and the three of us loaded ourselves into the van. Aster would now be riding in the shotgun seat. John would be driving. We could see that Uncle Aster was looking forward to giving us the Grand Tour. Both of us, my brother and I, were so appreciative that his kind gentlemen would be so generous as to give of his time to two relatively perfect strangers who claimed to be his nephews. The moment had arrived; we were going to see our “roots.” To be continued……………….

Daisy Buckles

2008-04-08T17:34:00.003-04:00

On an early spring afternoon in April of 1994, my U.S. Air flight from Philadelphia International Airport touched down at the Greenville-Spartanburg Airport. As I was waiting for my suitcase to slide down the luggage carousel, the automatic doors to the luggage area whoosed open and there emerged all 6 foot 6 inches of my baby brother, John. He grabbed my lone suitcase with a wide smile on his face. We exited the airport for his car, enjoying the special camaraderie that is unique to brothers. John took me back to his neat ranch house which is located in a quiet residential section of Greenville. That evening we had a mini family reunion with his wife Barbara, his daughters Nancy and Vickey and her husband Mark and their seven children. Early the next day, John, Barbara and I got into our rented van and we were on our way to Johnson City, Tennessee by way of Asheville, North Carolina. John slide in a cassette of Appalachian music (AKA “hillbilly” music) to get us in the mood for our journey in search of our roots. We arrived in Johnson City about two hours later and checked into our rooms at the Hampton Inn hotel. It was late afternoon. We agreed to meet about an hour later for dinner at a nearby buffet. The South is famous for their generous buffets and we made sure we took advantage of this opportunity. After dinner we were to visit Daisy Buckles, Aster Lewis’ sister and the daughter of my great grandfather Isaac Lewis (1856-1944). Daisy’s house was only a few miles from the Hampton Inn. She greeted us at the door of her modest house on Hopper Road like long lost relatives although we had never met her before. Daisy is a widow who lives by herself in her small immaculate house on the outskirts of Johnson City. Her grown children had long since left her home and had families of their own. Barbara, John and I were quickly made to feel at home by Daisy. She told us about her father, Isaac Lewis. She said she did not know her father’s first wife, Mary Alice Hughes (1858-1916), who was my great grandmother. Mary Alice had died long before Daisy was born. Daisy, and her brothers Aster, Cisro, and Homer were the children of Isaac’s second, much younger wife, Rissie Johnson. Rissie (1894-1992) was 38 years younger than Isaac Lewis when she married him. Thus, Isaac continued a pattern of many of the Tipton men and other males of that time in the mountains. The first wife would produce 10 or more children and then die. The male would marry again, usually a much younger wife. Joseph Tipton (1796-1870), my great-great-great grandfather (father of John Tipton and grandfather of Hiram Tipton), took a second wife 40 years younger than him. Her name was Drucilla Ledford (1836-1880). Joseph had 8 children by his first wife Sarah Ann Bennett ( 1800-1847) and 11 children by his second wife Drucilla. Isaac Lewis continued the time honored tradition of reproducing many offspring. Isaac had 7 children by his first wife, Mary Alice Hughes. He had 4 children by his second wife, Rissie Campbell Johnson. John, Barbara, Daisy and I talked late into the night. Before we left, Daisy gave us her brother Aster’s address and phone number. Aster lived in Erwin, Tennessee, which is only a short distance away from Johnson City, at the base of the mountains which form the border between Tennessee and North Carolina. Once over that border, all roads lead to the forested mountains. There are no through roads. One goes to the top of the mountain, and then turn around and come back down. That's why the roads are called "hollers". One of those "hollers" is where my father and eight brothers were born. That is where Aster was going to take us the next day. We went back to our rooms at the Hampton Inn, full of anticipation as to what new stories and sights the next day would bring. Who wants to go to Disney World? Not us! This was way better! For the first time we would see where our father played as a child. We would see where our grandparents courted and got married. We would also see where my grandfather eked out a living for his wife and nine children before deciding to move to Pennsylvania. Fieldon decided there was more opportunity to feed his nine growing boys by working as field laborers in his brother-in-law Donald Byrd’s farm in southeastern Pennsylvania. If we were lucky we would meet some folks who knew my grandfather Fieldon Jacob Tipton (1884-1939) and my great grandfather Hiram Tipton (1852-1933). To be continued.

Mission Statement

2008-04-07T12:10:00.003-04:00

After receiving a request from a visitor to my website for documentation for proof of her Tipton ancestor I feel it is time to post a mission statement to my “Tipton Tales and Trails” website. The purpose of this website is to share information about our Tipton ancestors. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information posted. Any information posted is strictly for our edification and enjoyment. I am not a professional genealogist. The information I have gleaned for my line of Tiptons is mostly from personal interviews with family relatives. What documentation I have was given to me by Burkett Bailey of Knoxville, Tennessee. This information is a copy of the marriage certificate of John Tipton and Martha “Patty” Bailey. I also have a copy of Martha’s application for pension benefits as a widow of a Civil War soldier (Union).

The information I have on the rest of the Tipton genealogy I have taken from various sources, including Charles D. Tipton’s book, “Tipton, The First Five American Generations”, the Reverend Charles Ervin Tipton’s book, “We Tiptons and Our Kin”, and the Tipton family tree information from the Ancestry.com website. To repeat, I cannot vouch for the accuracy of any of the information I have received and recorded. For those who are searching for documentation to prove their ancestry, my website is not the place to find that documentation. Anyone who seriously wants documentation will have to visit the local county or state records of where their ancestor was born, lived and died. Also, I cannot provide information to inquiries that state “My grandfather’s name was Bill Tipton and he lived in Kansas City, Missouri around 1944.” Sorry, I can’t help you. In order to help those inquiries I would need the exact name and date of birth and lineage back to the 1800’s. Even then the information is not always available. Many of our Tipton ancestors just melted into the countryside without leaving much of a trace. As frustrating as that is to some Tipton family researchers, that is the unfortunate truth. I have encountered the same problem researching my family line. I’m sure other serious family researchers have faced the same problems when researching their line.

Again, if you’re looking for proof to gain membership into the DAR, this isn’t the place to get it. However, if you’re curious about your Tipton ancestry and want to see the information that has been gathered by many, while it may not be 100% accurate, it is as close as we will ever know about our history. I will be glad to help as much as I can but don’t be too disappointed if I cannot give you the answer that you are looking for. To me, that is the great challenge and enjoyment of genealogy, the hunt. Sometimes we’re lucky and we find a treasure. However, all too often we hit a brick wall and we just can’t go any further in the research on that particular elusive family member. Just remember, we all know the Tipton personality. Some of them just wanted to go off and be alone and couldn’t give a whiff if anyone knew it or not. I should know, my Dad was just one like that, bless his soul. Enjoy the website and happy hunting!

Ronald Walter Tipton

Who Is My Great Grandfather?

2008-04-05T22:11:00.004-04:00

Finding the name of my great grandfather was my next challenge into researching my family tree. No one seemed to know his name. Neither my Mother or Father knew his name. I asked my cousin Charles Tipton. Charles has provided much of our Tipton line family information to Lloyd Bailey, who was writing a book about the Toe Valley of the western North Carolina mountain area where my father was born. Charles is the senior cousin of the children of the eleven Tipton brothers who were the sons of Fieldon and Hester Tipton. Charles didn’t know. I was at a dead end. I asked my Aunt Peg, wife of my Uncle Henry. Aunt Peg had provided me with much information about the early years of the Tipton brothers in southern Pennsylvania. She didn’t know. Where do I go now? My Father suggested that I ask his brother, Ed. Ed lived on the outskirts of Downingtown with his family. He owned 8 acres of land in East Bradford Township. Like my Father, Uncle Ed was passionate about his vegetable garden. Each year, he and my Father would compete to see who would pick the first tomato out of their garden. They were equally proud and competitive about their corn crop. Theirs was a friendly rivalry. I called him and asked if I could go over to his place and ask him some questions. He told me to come over. I brought my bulky, old time video camera with me to record our conversation. I set up the video recorder outside his garage. He would sit there overlooking his garden during my interview with him. Ironically, his plot of land and vegetable garden was almost an exact replica of similar lots of land and vegetable gardens in Pigeon Roost. A few years earlier, my brother John and I visited “Pigeon Roost”, now known as Green Mountain Road, and were surprised to see how similar the residents had the same kind of gardens, even down to the shacks that they stored their garden equipment. My first question I asked was “Do you know the name of your grandfather?” He answered “Harm”. “Harm?” What kind of name is that? I was puzzled. I asked him again and he said “Harm.” Then I realized he was saying ”HIRAM” with his mountain Appalachian accent, which most of my uncles still had, including my father. So now I had the name of my great grandfather, Hiram Tipton. But he didn’t remember too much about his grandfather. However, my uncle provided me with even more valuable information. He told me the name of Aster Lewis. Aster Lewis was the son of Isaac Lewis and his second wife, Rissie Johnson. According to Ed, Aster could provide me with much of the information I was looking for. Isaac Lewis, for whom my Father was named, was the father with his first wife Alice Hughes, of Hester Lewis, the wife of my grandfather Fieldon Tipton. Aster Lewis lived in Erwin, Tennessee, which is located across from the North Carolina/Tennessee state line. I called Aster. Aster was one of those rare family members who eager to help me in my quest for more family information. I made arrangements to take a plane trip to meet my brother John Tipton in Greenville, South Carolina. From South Carolina we would take a “Tipton Genealogy Tour” to Johnson City, Tennessee. We were on our way to met with Aster Lewis. The meeting with Aster was going to prove to be the turning point in my search for my family roots. To be continued……………………………………………………

Note: Pictured are brothers (left to right) Ed and Ike Tipton (circa 1951)

Bumpy Start

2008-04-03T22:06:00.005-04:00

Well folks, it's been about a week since I setup this new Tipton website. There have been a few late nights at the computer fine tuning this blog as well as another "Tipton Tales and Trails" blog posted under another server (to which a link is supplied on this website). One of my problems was that I posted my new website address to Roots.Web with the wrong URL. Actually, it was a simple mistake. The "http://" I typed as "http//:" Note that the two forward slashes come before the colon. A website address that begins that way won't work as some of you found out when you tried to go there. But, thanks to some astute Tipton researchers, they soon realized what the problem was and informed the others who were having trouble getting to this website. Phew! That is resolved. Now let's get to the next issue. I've been trying to add music to the home page of this website. One would think that would be an easy task. But, one would be wrong. First, the company which is hosting this website tells me the website doesn't work with MIDI files. Okay. That's odd but I'll accept their explanation. Then I'm told to try a MP3 or Wave file. Forget finding one of those files for free. So, I went to Amazon.com and shelled out .99 cents to buy a fully orchestrated version of "Happy Trails." Okay. I download "Happy Trails." I carefully put the HTML code in and embed the music. I save the draft and upload. Does it work? Nah! Of course it doesn’t. Why would it? That would be too easy. Now a phone call for support was in order. Thankfully the company that is hosting this website has real people answering the phone in a timely manner. The young lady checks my HTML. You guessed it. I had a TYPO. Again! I know I'm 66 years young but my eyesight really isn't failing me....yet. Maybe it's just because I'm so anxious and excited about this new Tipton website. The young lady fixes my HTML code. She tells me it now works. I bring up the Tipton Tales and Trails website. A pop up message appears on my screen. Oh how I love pop ups! NOT! The message says "Click to run an Active X control on this web page." What is that? That is just lovely. So, I “click”. AH HA! The happy, sweet, innocent strains of "Happy Trails" emanates through my computer's twin speakers. Yes, "Happy Trails" is the perfect accompaniment to perusing through the "Tipton Tales and Trails" blog. Of course right now it is only on the first page. In my excitement I called my partner to my computer to show him my "accomplishment." I key in http://www.tiptontalesandtrails.com/ in my browser. The home page appears on my computer monitor. There is no music. NO MUSIC! I get on the horn again to my web host technical support line. "Mike" answers the phone this time. I explain my problem. I can get the sound when I go in through Internet Explorer to the website. But I get no sound if I go in through AOL, which is my preferred access to the Internet. Also, I get no sound if I go through the "Tipton Tales and Trails" link on my other blog. I'm told by "Mike" that I have a MP3 file. He tells me I should probably have a WAV file. Did you ever start out on a little project that seemed so simple but it turned into Frankenstein's monster? Well, this little foray of mine today is turning out that way. I hope those of you who were able to finally get into my new website were able to listen to "Happy Trails." For those of you who didn't, there is always tomorrow. My Computer Guy is coming over around 10 in the morning to have a look see and correct the problem. When "Happy Trails" plays from all angles of getting to my new website, I will be one Happy Camper!

Fieldon Jacob Tipton, Sr.

2008-04-02T21:38:00.009-04:00

To continue where I left of with my previous blog, once I added my father’s name and birth date to my Family Tree Maker software computer program, I was now faced with the dilemma of how to get information from him of his father, Fieldon Jacob Tipton, Sr. My dad knew when he died. “Before you were born” was his answer. Obviously, if I was a serious genealogist, albeit an amateur, I would need more information than this. My Mother knew where her father-in-law, Fieldon was buried. He was buried at the Union Hill Cemetery in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. Thus a visit to his grave was in order. I obtained this information from his headstone: Born June 4, 1884 – Died May 8, 1939. I was born November 9, 1941 so my grandfather did indeed die “before I was born.” I also obtained the information about my grandmother, Hester Lewis Tipton’s dates of birth and death: Born November 30, 1892 – Died April 20, 1945. Now this was a start. I learned from my Father some information about his father. He was in the sawmill business in the hills (Pisgah Mountains) of western North Carolina that border Tennessee (near Erwin and Johnson City, Tennessee). My Father either didn’t remember or want to talk about his childhood in Pigeon Roost, North Carolina. There is some evidence that he and his brothers did not actually live in Pigeon Roost but instead lived at the Bailey Settlement which was in the same general area of those isolated hills dotted with “hollers”. Pigeon Roost is where Isaac Lewis (for whom my Father was named) had a house. One of his daughters, Hester Lewis eventually became the bride of Fieldon Jacob Tipton. This is information that was passed on to me by Ed Tipton, one of my Father’s older brothers and Aunt Peg Tipton, wife of another one of my Father’s older brothers, Henry. Apparently “Field” (as he was called back in those days) used to sneak over the mountain top and pay clandestine visits to Hester. After what can only be assumed a proper courtship, Fieldon and Hester exchanged wedding vows on the warm summer day July 18, 1908 in Relief, North Carolina, dressed in their Sunday best.

From 1909 to 1926 Fieldon and Hester had nine children, all boys. Fieldon was in the lumber business with other relatives in the close-knit mountain community. Leading up to the Great Depression, the sawmill business wasn’t producing enough food on the table to feed nine growing Tipton boys. Fieldon’s brother-in-law, Don Byrd (married to Hester Lewis’s sister, Essie Lewis) had a fruit and vegetable farm in southern Chester County, Pennsylvania. He needed cheap farm labor. Fieldon and Hester and their nine ravenous boys needed food and solid roof over their heads. Sometime in 1929 or 1930 (the exact date is uncertain) the Fieldon Tipton family made a life course change and decided to relocate to Pennsylvania and work on Don Byrd’s farm. The whole family moved into one of the tenant cabins called “The Baker Place” near present day Unionville, Pennsylvania. “Field” and his boys began the back breaking work of picking fruits and vegetables in their Uncle Don’s farm. Two more sons were born to Fieldon and Hester Tipton in Pennsylvania. More farm labor. This saga will continue in my next blog.

How Does One Build A Family Tree?

2008-04-01T15:43:00.003-04:00

After a hiatus from building my family tree on the Family Tree Maker software, I have begun to rebuild it. I first began building my family tree back in 1994 on my old Dell computer. Where does one start? I started with my personal information. My name and date of birth was the very first name entered into my computer. Then I entered the names of my two brothers and their dates of birth. I continued with the names of my mother and father. Then, this is when it gets interesting and challenging, I started to make phone calls to relatives. The phone calls were made mostly to aunts and cousins. Interestingly, most of the relatives who wanted or could provide information were the female relatives. Gathering this information took quite a bit more time since my father had ten brothers who all had families. I’m still working on this aspect of my family tree. Now that I had the base to my family tree research it was time to branch out (pun intended) and make a connection to the broader Tipton family tree. Where does one start? In my case I was fortunate because much research was already available on the Tipton family from other Tipton family researchers. My sister-in-law found a TFAA (for Tipton Family Association of America) newsletter in a Johnson City, Tennessee library. She sent me a copy of that newsletter. I joined the Tipton Family Association of America. The TFAA put out a quarterly newsletter edited by Charles D. Tipton of Garland Texas. That is when I first found out about the first Tipton in America, Jonathan Tipton (1659-1757). Jonathan has also been referred to as “The Immigrant” as he immigrated to America (through Baltimore County Maryland) from Jamaica. I gleaned this information from back issues of the TFAA newsletters. Thus I was able to put a “back” on my Tipton genealogical history. I recorded the names and dates of births and deaths of Jonathan and his children and their wives. There was a lot of information. I was able to record the first five generations of Tiptons in America. My only problem was that I could only go back as far as my grandfather, Fieldon Jacob Tipton, Sr. (1884-1939). I had a big gap in between those two ancestors of mine. In my next blog I will explain how I filled in that gap.

Tipton Tales and Trails Website Up and Running

2008-03-28T14:59:00.000-04:00

Well folks, I did it! The new Tipton Tales and Trails website is up and running. After many years of thinking about it I finally took the plunge. I have to admit I was somewhat intimidated about starting a website. Back in 1996 I had a Tipton Tales and Trails website but that was developed by a friend of mine. I supplied the information and ideas for the layout and he supplied the HTML expertise. Of course back then building a website was a rather laborious procedure and I had neither the time nor skill for accomplish that task solely on my own. And, of course, I was dependent on the goodwill of my friend who is no longer around.

I also wanted something to take the place of the now defunct Tipton Family Association of America newsletters. The late Charles D. Tipton of Garland Texas was the first editor of the TFAA newsletter and he turned that responsibility over to me in 1996. I kept it up for about a year and a half until I had to give it up because of my day job and family responsibilities. Now that I am retired (working part-time) I will have more time to devote to sharing Tipton family history with all of my cousins, distant and close. Also, with the miracle of the Internet, I can share this information without the costs of printing and mailing newsletters.

All who are interested in the Tipton Family genealogy and history are invited to share their information with me either through this blog or the Tipton Tales and Trails website.

Let's keep the memory of Charles D. Tipton alive. Spread the word. Tell your friends. An active information center for the Tipton History is back!