Maj. Jonathan Tipton

A Patriot of the American Revolution for NORTH CAROLINA with the rank of MAJOR.

DAR Ancestor # A115933

• from A history of Tennessee and Tennesseans: the leaders and ..., Volume 8 By Will Thomas Hale, Dixon Lanier Merritt Pg.2596-2608

TIPTON FAMLY IN TENNESSEE.

"Colonel John Tipton was born 1732-5 in Baltimore county, Maryland, of honored lineage, his ancestors having settled in that province before 1700, and from which province as a nucleus all branches of the Tipton family in United States today appear to have radiated. All the early records show conclusively that the Tiptons were English, eminently so; tradition says three brothers came to Maryland; some say by way of Scotland, others by way of Ireland but ultimately from the city of Tipton, Staffordshire, England, centuries old and whose parish records date from 1513. The Land Office at Annapolis records the arrival of Edward Tipton as 1668 on the ship "Friendship" of London, while the Annapolis Gazette of January 27, 1757, recites the death of Jonathan Tipton in Baltimore county, early in that month at the age of one hundred eighteen years. It further states that he was "born in Kingston on Jamaica which place he left while young and has lived almost ever since in this Province"--his youngest sons being reckoned among the oldest men of Baltimore county. Here the land and church records for one hundred and fifty years attest convincingly the prominence and loyalty of this family.

The entry of the Tipton Family in Tennessee history dates back to the year 1775, when the name of Jonathan Tipton appears among the first patentees in the Watauga Settlement under the authority of Charles Robertson's purchases from the Indian. (Ramsey, page 129.) The same of following year Jonathan Tipton is one of the signers petitioning North Carolina to annex the Watauga Settlement. As early as 1784 three Tipton brothers--Colonel John, Joseph and Major Jonathan are settled in the district of Washington and identified actively as leaders in its military and political life. Colonel John Tipton, the eldest, was born in Baltimore county, Maryland, 1732-5, from which Province he removed with his father about 1750 to Frederick county, Virginia, and settled on Cear Creek five and one-half miles southeast of Woodstock. Here his brother Jonathan, was born, 1750. So far as the writer can learn there were four sons, Colonel John, Joseph, Mordecai and Major Jonathan, though the father was married twice, and there were doubtless other children (Joshua Tipton who was in Tennessee as early as 1786, and who was killed on the Little Pigeon River by the Indians, April 18, 1793, was another brother or the son of Mordecai, since his son Senator John Tipton of Indiana stated that Colonel John was his Uncle). While some authorities claim that the father died in Frederick county, Virginia, Mr. Nelson is of the opinion that the Jonathan Tipton the first to come to Tennessee was the father and not son, Major Jonathan. Be this as it may Major Jonathan and his brother Joseph were in the Watauga Settlement previous to 1777, but it was not until 1783 that Colonel John removed from Virginia."......

"Joseph Tipton, one of the pioneer brothers of that name is believed to have come to the Watauga settlement with his brother, Jonathan, about 1775. At any rate as early as September and December, 1774, Joseph and his wife, Elizabeth, had signed the lease and released deeds respectively of their lands in Shenandoah county. "About 1809, he sold his three large tracts of land, grants from North Carolina, subsequently went to Warren county, Tennessee, where he died, prior to 1842."

The third of the pioneer brothers was Major Jonathan Tipton, soldier in the Revolutionary War, and second in command under General Sevier at King's Mountain. He was born in Frederick county, Virginia, 1750, but was early a member of the Watauga settlement." "His pension declaration further states that he lived in Washington county, in North Carolina, until seventeen years after the war, then moved to Buncombe county, North Carolina, and lived there about twenty-seven years, then moved to Overton county, Tennessee, where he lived at the time of his death, January 18, 1833. Major Jonathan was married in April, 1810, in Buncombe county, North Carolina, to Levina Stephens who in 1853 was in White county, Tennessee, aged sixty-seven years and was drawing a widow's pension. In Jonathan's declaration he mentions two sons of a former marriage--Samuel and John (who is said to have been the Tipton who married the widow of Robert Sevier)--and in 1832 he had a son, name not given, living in Buncombe county, North Carolina, Major Jonathan's first wife is said to have been a Robertson. How many children Major Jonathan had is not known; they are variously given as Samuel, John, Jonathan, Wiley, David, Jacob, Joseph, Betsy, Kennedy, William and Esau."...."Two grandsons, Jacob Tipton and a brother living 1908 in Mitchell, North Carolina county, were in the Mexican war; two grandsons, Jackson Tipton and Joe Tipton, four great-grandsons, Sid, David, of 3d North Carolina, Captain John D. in Geo. Kirk's Tennessee Regiment and Lafayette Tipton of Company D, 8th Tennessee Cavalry, and later Leieutenant of Company A, 3d North Carolina Mounted Infantry, all in the Federal army."

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Lord Dunmore's little war of 1774: his captains and their men who opened up ... By Warren Skidmore, Donna Kaminsky

http://books.google.com/books?id=12H2EVqQc2QC&pg=PA55&lpg=PA55&dq=M...

Pg.55

ABOUT JONATHAN TIPTON'S BROTHER JOHN TIPTON.

Captain Tipton was born on 15 August 1730 in St. Paul's Parish at Baltimore, a son of Jonathan & Elizabeth (Edwards) Tipton. He married firstly Mary Murray about 1747 at Baltimore, then Mary, a daughter of Thomas Butler in 1753 at Cedar Creek in Shenandoah County, Virginia, and lastly Martha, a daughter of Abraham Denton II (and the widow of James Moore) on 22 July 1777 in the same county. He was a Gentleman Justice and Vestryman for Beckford Parish, served on the Resolution Committee in June 1774, and the Virginia Contitutional Convention of 1776 for what is now Shenandoah County. He was also the Sheriff and County-Lieutenant, and represented it in the House of Delegates (when Dunmore) in 1776-7, and as Shenandoah in 1778-81. He went soon after to Washington County, Tennessee (then North Carolina) which he represented in the Jonesboro and Franklin Conventions in 1784 and 1785. He also served in the North Carolina Senate, and represented the county in the 1796 Tennessee Constitutional Convention. Colonel Tipton died on 9 August 1813 at his homestead on Sinking Creek in Washington County, Tennessee but was buried at Elizabethton, Carter County, Tennessee.

Major Jonathan Tipton III fought in 13 battles during the Revolutionary War.

Sources

• "The Tipton Family of Washington County, Tennessee" <http://www.anamericanfamilyhistory.com/TennesseeFamilies&Places/Tip...> Accessed September 22, 2016.

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1. 12 in "The Tipton Family History," W. Hord Tipton (notation by Edward John Tipton, 6/11/18)

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https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/53654735/jonathan-tipton

I was doing research today on Jonathan Tipton and I saw where according to "Kings Mountain and Its Heros by Lyman Draper that Jonathan died Jan. 18, 1833, in his eighty-third year. He said he died in Overton County, TN but that was his residence. According to his widows pension papers in the collection of Boutwell Dunlap it states he died in Cumberland Co., KY.
Joyce Tinsley

The following information was provided by Connie L Cantrell

On October 7, 1780 the foundation that would forever change the world was established. Fewer than one thousand American Heroes, through skill, luck, and the leadership of cunning strategists, defeated a brilliant star of the British military might. Major Jonathan Tipton, DAR Ancestor Number A115933, was one of those Heroes.

His participation in the Battle of King's Mountain was documented by his Application for Revolutionary War Pension, W10981. The application was transcribed by Will Graves.

(Parenthetically, historians, genealogists, and descendants owe thanks to Will Graves for his hours spent transcribing the pension applications of American Revolution veterans. These papers were fragile and difficult to read, so this was a most difficult task, but so many people benefit from his efforts. Thank you, Will Graves.)

Southern Campaign
American Revolution Pension Statements
Pension application of Jonathan Tipton
W10981 Lavina f65NC

Transcribed by L. Terry Rich
& Will Graves rev'd 2/20/12
Transcribed by L. Terry Rich
[f p. 19]
State of Tennessee, Overton County:
October Session of the County Court 1832

On this 29th day of October 1832 personally appeared in open Court, it being a Court of record, before the worshipful Patrick Pool, Dempsey Moore & John Mougald, Esquires, Justices duly commissioned to hold said Court in and for the County of Overton in the State of Tennessee, Major Jonathan Tipton, a resident Citizen of the County of Overton and State of Tennessee, aged Eighty two years, who being first duly sworn according to laws of the land, doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7th, 1832.

He entered the service of the United States as a 1st Magr [Major] as a volunteer under the following named officers and served as such, he states that as he now recollects, that in February 1777 he was commissioned 1st Magr [Major] in Washington County, then the State of North Carolina now Tennessee, the place of his then residence. He took the command of the Companies commanded by Capt. Gibson and Capt. Trimble. He was placed under the command of Col. Carter, that he was engaged in guarding the frontiers of North Carolina, that Colonel Carter was shortly thereafter promoted to the command of General. That he continued under the command of General Carter until the year 1780. He commanded an expedition against the Indians, and had a battle at the mouth of the Flat Creek on Chucky River [sic, Nolichucky River], killed three Indians & wounded many others. Took from the Indians forty-two horses, he still continued scouting upon the frontiers and skirmishing with small parties of the Indians. He was then placed under the command of General Campbell [sic, Col. William Campbell] and marched to King's Mountain, and was in that battle, he thinks it was fought in the fall of 1780. General Campbell commanded at that battle. General Isaac Shelby, General John Sevier, General Cleveland [sic, Benjamin Cleveland] were also in command at that battle with all of whom he was acquainted [Shelby, Sevier, & Cleveland were actually Colonels during the Revolutionary War].

He was then placed under the command of General Sevier and marched to the head of Boyd's Creek, where the army met a large body of Indians with whom an engagement took place, killed twenty-seven Indians and wounded a great number, kept the ground four days, at which time General Campbell [sic, Col. Arthur Campbell] came up with a reinforcement. He was wounded in that battle in the left arm. He marched against the Indian Towns and when we got to Chota Town, burnt that town. He was sent with a detachment of three hundred men to Tellapa Town and on his march, met with a party of Indians, killed seventeen and took some prisoners, could not cross the River at Tellapa but turned down the River and went to Chilhowee and burnt the Town and took thirty-seven prisoners, he then returned back to main body of the Army at Chota. He then marched to the aid of General Green [sic, Nathanael Greene] in South Carolina under General Sevier. We joined General Green's Army at Santee River and remained there until the capture of Cornwallis in September 1781.

He was acquainted with General Green, General Marion, General Mayham, General Sumpter [sic Thomas Sumter], General Lee [Henry "Light Horse Harry" Lee], Colonel Morgan [Daniel Morgan] and Colonel Valentine Sevier. He was there discharged in the latter part of September 1781, his discharge was signed by Generals Green & Marion having continued to serve in the army of the United States as Major from the time he first entered until he was discharged. His discharge, with various other papers were stolen from him about ten years ago. That he has no documentary evidence of his service. That hecan prove substantially his services as herein stated by Abraham Sevier2 and Smith Ferrell3 [almost illegible in original]. I hereby relinquish every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declare that my name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any State.

Where and in what year were you born?
In Frederick County in Virginia in the year 1750.

Have you any record of your age and if so where is it? There is a record of my age at my son's in
Bunkum [sic, Buncombe] County N. Carolina in my father's old Bible.

Where were you living when called into service, where have you lived since the Revolutionary war, and where do you now live?
I lived in Washington County, then North Carolina, where I continued to seventeen years after the war, I then moved into Bunkum County N. Carolina and lived there about twenty seven years. I then moved to Overton County where I have lived ever since.

How were you called into service were you drafted or did you volunteer? Were you a substitute? And if a substitute? For whom?
I was a volunteer as before stated.

State the names of some of the regular officers who were with the troops where you served? Such Continental and militia regiments as you can recollect and the general circumstances of your service.
For answer I refer to the Statement made in the foregoing declaration.

Did you ever receive a discharge from the service and if so by whom was it given and what has become of it?
For answer I refer to my Statements in the foregoing declaration.

Did you ever receive a commission, and if so by whom was it
signed?
I was commissioned a Major, it was signed by Richard Caswell, & it was, with other papers and money, stolen from me at Babb's in Green County Tennessee.

State the names of persons to whom you are known in present neighborhood? And who can testify as to your character for veracity and good behavior, your services as a soldier of the revolution?

Smith Ferrell, Abraham Sevier, Stephen Lowell, Jacob Linton Esquire attorney-at-law, Joseph Griffin.

Sworn to and subscribed in open Court the 29th day
of October 1832
S/ William Gore, Clerk
S/Jonathan Tipton

We Smith Ferrell and Abraham Sevier residing in the County of Overton State of Tennessee hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Maj. Jonathan Tipton and have been for upward of sixty years who has subscribed and sworn to this above declaration.

That we believe him to be eighty two years of age. That we know him to have served more than two years as a Major in the Revolutionary War the said Sevier states that he served under him as a soldier for at least three years and the said Smith Ferrell states that he served under Major Tipton for near two years and states positively that he served his
Country in the Revolutionary War faithfully.

Sworn of us in open Court the 29th day of October 1832 Smith X Ferrell His Mark
S/William Gore, Clerk Mark
S/Abraham Sevier
2 Abraham Sevier S1589
3 Smith Ferrill (Ferrell) S1513

Additional materials from W1098 transcribed by Will Graves
[Methodology: Spelling, punctuation and/or grammar have been corrected in some instances for ease of reading and to facilitate searches of the database. Where the meaning is not compromised by adhering to the spelling, punctuation or grammar, no change has been made. Corrections or additional notes have been inserted within brackets or footnotes. Blanks appearing in the transcripts reflect blanks in the original. A bracketed question mark indicates that the word or words preceding it represent(s) a guess by me. Only materials pertinent to the military service of the veteran and to contemporary events have been transcribed. Affidavits that provide additional information on these events are included and genealogical information is abstracted, while standard, 'boilerplate' affidavits and attestations related solely to the application, and later nineteenth and twentieth century research requests for information have been omitted. I use speech recognition software to make all my transcriptions. Such software misinterprets my southern accent with unfortunate regularity and my poor proofreading fails to catch all misinterpretations. Also, dates or numbers which the software treats as numerals rather than words are not corrected: for example, the software transcribes "the eighth of June one thousand eighty six" as "the 8th of June 1786." Please call errors or omissions to my attention.]

[f p. 10]
Irvine Estill County Kentucky
2nd September 1834

Sir

We are informed that our Father Jonathan Tipton late of Cumberland County was entitled to a Pension as a revolutionary Soldier and that since his death a woman that named Vina Stevens who called herself his wife and that she was legally married to him 18 years ago – has drawn the money or the greater part of it – this woman was not the wife of Jonathan Tipton neither was she ever married to him, and died without any wife and had none for some years before his death and that only legal heirs he had lived in this County, all these facts can be authenticated beyond out – please let us here from you.

Yrs with Respet
Samuel Tipton
John Tipton

[f p. 15: On June 6, 1853 in White County Tennessee, Levina Tipton, 67, made application for a widow's pension under the 1853 act stating that she is the widow of Major Jonathan Tipton, an officer and pensioner of the United States for his service in the revolution at the rate of $300 per annum; that she was married to him on the __ day of __ 1810 or 1811 at the house of Major Jonathan Tipton in Buncombe County North Carolina by Colonel James Poteet an acting Justice of the Peace for said County; that her name prior to her marriage was Levina Stephens; that her husband died in Cumberland County Kentucky January 18, 1833 as well as she recollects; that she can prove the marriage by the testimony of William Stephens and Esau Tipton, I witnesses to the ceremony. She signed her application with her mark.

William Stephens, about 46, and Esau Tipton about 54, gave a supporting affidavit.]

[f p. 13: On September 8, 1855 in White County Tennessee, Lavina Tipton aged sixty-seven filed for a widow's entitlement for bounty land as the widow of Major Jonathan Tipton, a revolutionary war pensioner; she identifies herself as the identical Lavina Tipton who is pensioned under Certificate No. 1670 issued September 1 1853; she states that she married Jonathan Tipton in May on the 6th or 7th day, 1813; that they were married by one James Poteet in North Carolina, Buncombe County and that her name prior to her marriage was Lavina Stephens; that her husband died January 19th, 1833 in Cumberland County Kentucky; that her husband never received any bounty land for his services in the revolution. She signed her application with her mark. Her application was supported by an affidavit given by Esau Tipton and William Stephens, residents of White County Tennessee.

[Facts in file: The widow moved in the fall of 1860 2 Reynolds County Missouri, to live with her son, William Stephens who was then about 50 years old; the veteran had been previously married although the file does not indicate the name of his 1st wife.

[Veteran was pensioned at the rate of $300 per annum commencing March 4th, 1831, for service as a Major in the North Carolina militia. His widow was pensioned in a like amount.]

Born to Jonathan Tipton (1699 – 1779) and Elizabeth Edwards (1699 – 1734), he was thrice married. His first wife was Frances Perlina Daugherty with whom he had several children.
Those proven by the DAR were:

William Hannibal Tipton married Polly Shearer
Samuel Tipton married Mary Schultz
John Tipton married Betsy Hall
Hannah Tipton married Robert Rogers

Frances Tipton died in 1780 and the Major took a second wife, Keziah Robertson Sevier, widow of Captain Robert Sevier, one of the twenty nine Heroes who died at the Battle of King's Mountain in 1780. She brought two children to the marriage and she and Major Tipton had additional children:

Jonathan Tipton 1783 – 1850
Jacob Tipton 1791 – 1850
David Tipton 1794 – 1868 md Ellender Patterson
Esau Tipton 1798 – 1864 md Nancy Jane Choate
Ellendor Tipton 1800 – 1860
Wiley Tipton d1844 md Anna McKinney
Joseph Tipton md Anna Bennett

After the death of his second wife, Major Tipton took a third wife, Lavinia Stephens. There were no children born to that union.

While the actual burial site of Jonathan Tipton remains unknown, there is a Memorial Stone honoring him in the Cantrell Gilliand Memorial Garden. May this memorial serve as an expression of the gratitude we owe him for risking his life and braving the unknown to help build a new country: our America.∼He died while visiting his younger sister Elizabeth Tipton Renaeu in Cumberland County Kentucky* Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Aug 30 2022, 14:36:02 UTC