Brown County IN Archives Biographies.....Tipton, Joshua 1856 - 
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/in/infiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com February 23, 2007, 11:01 pm

Author: B. F. Bowen (1904)

JOSHUA TIPTON.

   The subject of this review comes of stanch old colonial stock and traces his
family history in this country to a period antedating by a number of years the
war for independence. His paternal great-grandfather was one of seven brothers
who in an early day left their home among the hills of Scotland, came to
America, settling in the eastern colonies, from which in due time they migrated
to different parts of the country, the majority of them marrying and becoming
the heads of families, whose descendants are now to be found in nearly every
state of the Union. John Tipton, a son of one of these Scotch emigrants, was an
early settler of Guernsey county, Ohio, and a farmer by occupation, as were his
ancestors for several generations before him. He took an active part in the
development of the section of the country in which he located, was an
influential man in his community and died many years ago, respected by all who
knew him. Among his children was a son by the name of William, who grew to
maturity, married and reared a large family, his first wife bearing him five
children, the second thirteen. In the year 1863 Mr. Tipton moved his family to
Brown county, Indiana, and settled near Mt. Zion, Van Buren township, where he
purchased two hundred and forty acres of wild land, a part of which he cleared
and improved. He was an industrious, hard working man, energetic and thrifty,
and with the aid of his sons succeeded in reducing a considerable portion of his
real estate to cultivation, making a comfortable home. He did not live very long
to enjoy the fruits of his labor, however, dying September 12, 1869, not quite
six years after taking up his residence in Brown county. His second wife, whose
maiden name was Mary J. Randal, is still living, making her home at this time
with her son, Nelson Tipton, who resides in Illinois.

   Joshua Tipton, the fifth of the thirteen children born to William and Mary J.
Tipton, is a native of Guernsey county, Ohio, and dates his birth from April 6,
1856. He was seven years old when his parents moved to Brown county, Indiana,
and his youthful life was closely identified with the labor of clearing and
cultivating the home farm, an experience which early taught him the value of
honest toil and the necessity of laying plans for his future. In a little log
school house, supplied with puncheon benches without backs, he obtained his
first knowledge of books, his educational training being confined to a few
months' attendance during the winter seasons, the experience terminating when he
was a youth in his teens.

   As his older brothers grew up, they severed home ties, the majority of them
going west, and in the course of time young Joshua was the only one left in
charge of the farm. He was only thirteen years old when his father died, and
from that time forward looked after his own and his mother's interests, besides
contributing to the support of the younger members of the household, discharging
the heavy and responsible duties devolving upon him in a manner quite remarkable
for one of his age and experience. Much of the farm was still as nature had made
it and to clear and fit the land for tillage required a great deal of hard
labor, but he manfully addressed himself to the work and in due season
accomplished that which cost him such long and painstaking efforts and continued
to operate the homestead until 1880.

   Mr. Tipton rented land until 1890, when he purchased one hundred and
eighty-five acres near the village of Pike's Peak and on which he has since
lived, his farm the meanwhile being developed into a good stock farm. He has
made a number of substantial improvements in the way of buildings, fences, etc.,
and by consecutive industry and able management has won a conspicuous place
among the leading farmers of this part of the country, being progressive in his
ideas and tendencies, systematic in his work and exceedingly careful as well as
successful in his business affairs.

   February 16, 1879, Mr. Tipton was united in marriage with Miss Emma J.
Shu-maker, whose parents, Levi and Eliza (Rose) Shumaker, natives of
Pennsylvania, came to Brown county at an early day and here spent the remainder
of their lives, the mother dying when Mrs. Tipton was but a child, though her
father survived until 1899. Mrs. Tipton was born and reared in this county, and
her marriage has been blessed with seven children, of whom the following are
living: Bertha, wife of Elmer Clark, of Jackson county: Dolly, Mamie, Claude and
Emma Jane, the other two dying in infancy. Mr. Tipton is one of the leading
Democrats of Van Buren township and his activity as a politician has done much
to promote the success of the party, not only in his own community, but
throughout the county. He served from 1895 to 1900 inclusive as township
trustee, during which time his sound judgment and business ability were manifest
in the management of the office, and it is generally conceded that the people of
his jurisdiction have never been served by a more faithful and conscientious
official. He belongs to Lodge No. 3415, Modern Woodmen of America, and in
religion he has long been identified with the Christian church, his wife also
being a communicant of the same, both assisting in every good work under the
auspices of the congregation with which they hold membership.

   Well merited success has crowned Mr. Tipton's efforts, and he contributes
liberally of his means to the support of all measures which are calculated to
benefit his fellow men. He is genial in manner, kindly in disposition, cheerful
in temperament and enjoys the confidence and warm regard of all with whom he
comes in contact. His record is an honorable one and his life demonstrates the
possibilities that are open to men of energy and ambition, for, through his own
unaided endeavor, he has worked his way upward to a position of influence and
independence, being at this time one of the well-to-do farmers and public
spirited citizens of Brown county.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from

BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF BARTHOLOMEW COUNTY
INDIANA

INCLUDING BIOGRAPHIES OF THE GOVERNORS AND OTHER REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS OF INDIANA

ILLUSTRATED

1904

B. F. Bowen PUBLISHER


File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/in/brown/bios/tipton829gbs.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/infiles/

File size: 6.8 Kb