Tipton, John G. (1849-1914)

TIPTON

Posted By: Joyce Hickman (email)
Date: 1/23/2009 at 16:08:57

John G. Tipton
1849 - Oct 9, 1914

(From the 1883 History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, by J. H. Keatley, p.57, Council Bluffs)
J. G. Tipton, attorney, Council Bluffs, was born in 1849 at Fairview, Fulton Co., Ill., and lived there until he was eighteen years old. He was educated at Abingdon College, Illinois, from which he graduated in 1872, teaching school before and after attending college, the money required to carry him through school being earned by himself teaching country school. In the latter part of 1872, he entered the law office of Robert G. Ingersoll at Peoria, Ill., and remained there the balance of that year and all of 1873. Leaving there, he entered the law office of Weldon, Tipton & Benjamin of Bloomington, Ill., where he finished his law studies, and September 11, 1874, was admitted to practice by the Supreme Court of Illinois, then in session at Ottawa, Ill. He commenced practice at Bloomington, Ill.; was nominated by Democratic State Convention in 1876 to the office of State's Attorney, and defeated by a small majority. In the spring of 1872, he went West in quest of fresh fields of labor, arriving in Deadwood in time to attend the first day of the first term of court ever held there, said court being presided over by Judge Bennet, present Member of Congress of that district. He stayed there six months then went to Avoca, Ioaw; began practice there and continued until the spring of 1882, at which time he opened an office in Council Bluffs. He was married October 31, 1878, at Avoca, ioaw, to Miss Nettie Bryant, of Avoca. Father was killed on 23d day of March, 1869, by branch of tree which hired man was felling striking him. A branch of same tree struck our subject, breaking his left shoulder and lacerating his left arm severely. After receiving these injuries, he carried his father home, one-half mile, on his right shoulder, having to cross two fences on the way. He is of Scotch descent.

(From the 1891 Biographical History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, p.331)
JOHN G. TIPTON, attorney at law, Council Bluffs and Omaha, has been a resident of Pottawattamie Co. since February 1878. He was born in Fulton County, Illinois, in 1849. He was educated at Abingdon in his native state, graduating at the college at that place in 1871. He then engaged in teaching and reading law. He also read law with Robert G. INGERSOLL, was admitted by the Supreme Court of Illinois, at Ottawa, October 20, 1874, and practiced at Bloomington until 1876. In that year, he was the Democratic candidate for State Attorney, his opponent being the present Governor of that State, FIFER. He was defeated by but 386 votes in a district that was largely Republican. In 1877 he went to the Black Hills and was there when the first court was held in that district, at which court Judge BENNETT presided. He located at Council Bluffs, Iowa, immediately upon his return, and has been engaged in law in this city since that time, and is now also practicing in Omaha.
The father of the subject of this notice was John TIPTON, who was killed by a falling tree March 23, 1869. His mother died while on a visit to her children in Pottawattamie County, July 21, 1879. Samuel S. TIPTON, the elder, is a publisher and resides in New York City. Thompson is in the livestock and commission business in Chicago. He has five sisters, viz.: Mrs. Mary SWIGERT, the eldest, resides near the old homestead in Fulton Co, Illinois; Mrs. Hannah COMBS resides at Burlington, Kansas; Mrs. Sarah SWIGERT and Mrs. Lydia C. RAMSEY are residents of Illinois; Mrs. N.H. MEEKER lives at Greenwood, Nebraska. Mr. TIPTON was married in Council Bluffs to Miss Annetta BRYANT, daughter of William BRYANT of Edina, Knox Co., Missouri, and a niece of Judge A.S. BRYANT. Mr. and Mrs. TIPTON have two sons: Thompson R. and John W. Mr. TIPTON has a fine residence at 1027 Fifth Avenue, where he resides. He has done much toward promotion the growth and progress of Council Bluffs since he has been a resident of this city and is esteemed as a worthy and enterprising citizen. The father of the subject was a native of Maryland and of Scotch Irish ancestry. When an infant, he was taken by his parents to what is now Columbus, Ohio, where he was reared and learned the trade of carpenter. He assisted in building the first State House in the city of Columbus. There he married his wife, whose maiden name was Eliza CRAWFORD.
In 1840 he removed to Fulton County, Illinois, where he took up a homestead, which he improved and on which he lived until his death, which occurred as already stated. He was an honest, upright man and a worthy citizen, and while not a member of any religious body, was ever liberal in support of the church. He was a man of decided views on the chief issues of the day, and was much in public life. He was at one time Treasurer of Fulton County and was for many years a member of the County Board of Supervisors. Besides the surviving children of John TIPTON and wife already mentioned, several are deceased: Thomas, at Columbus, Ohio, before the family removed west, dying at the age of 9 years; Eliza Jane and Elizabeth in infancy. Isabel married John DYER and died in Fulton County. Samuel, the eldest son, was a soldier in the War of the Rebellion, as a member of the 103d Regiment, Illinois Volunteer Infantry. He was Adjutant, and for a time served on the staff of General Grant.