Captain Andrew Fleming Tipton

TIPTON, FLEMING, WHITNEY

Posted By: S. Ferrall - IAGenWeb volunteer
Date: 5/7/2010 at 06:46:03

CAPT. ANDREW F. TIPTON

Captain Andrew Fleming Tipton, whose lamented death occurred in this city on February 14, 1895, was well known in this community and was a brave soldier, a cultured gentleman and an honored citizen. Capt. Tipton was born near Canton, Ohio, January 31, 1837. When he was quite young his parents removed to St. Joseph County, Indiana, and located on a farm near this city. He learned the trade of a printer and for some years was engaged on the Register with Hon. Schuylnr Colfax.

In 1857 he removed to Iowa and in 1860 was the publisher of a paper at Guttenberg, and later at Elkader, Iowa. On Sept. 30, 1863 he enlisted as lieutenant of Company I, Eighth Iowa Cavalry and was afterward promoted to a Captain. He participated in all the important battles of the Army of the Tennessee and on July 30, 1864 was taken prisoner at Newman, Georgia. For nearly a year he suffered untold hardships at the hands of the rebels. On March 1, 1865 he succeeded in getting into the Union lines and was discharged as a paroled prisoner of war. He was afterward seized with hemmorhage of the lungs and confined in the hospital at Benton Barracks, St. Louis.

He finally reached Elkader and resumed his newspaper work. In 1866 he retired from journalism and engaged in the drug business and in 1868 he was postmaster and ably served for five years. In 1878 he was railroad mail agent between LaCrosse and Dubuque, serving until 1884, when he was transferred to the South and ran between Vicksburg and New Orleans.

In 1886 he came to South Bend where he resided until his death. For three years he was engaged as traveling agent for the South Bend Chilled Plow Company and then entered the insurance business. His last engagement was with the Bissell Chilled Plow Company, but in Decemoer, 1894, he was taken seriously ill and was unable to work afterward. Captain Tipton was married to Miss Louise Whitney, and this most estimable lady survives him. Mrs. Tipton is most active in the great work of the Woman's Relief Corps. He also left a son, Schuyler C. Tipton, who is connected with the postal department in this city. Captain Tipton was highly esteemed by all who knew him. He was a member of Auten Post No. 8, G. A. R., and of St. Joseph Lodge No. 45, F. & A. M. His funeral was conducted by the Masons and his comrades of Auten Post.

~South Bend [Indiana] and The Men Who Have Made it; compiled by Anderson & Cooley; 1901; pg 261

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