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Below is a family biography included in The History of Lake County, Tennessee published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1887.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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James W. Tipton, a leading farmer and stock trader, of Lake County, is the son of Rev. Joshua and Rebecca A. (Rider) Tipton. The father was born in Wilson County, Tenn., in 1817, and the mother in the same county, in 1819. They married and lived in Wilson County until 1843, when they moved to Carroll County, and in 1845 to what is now Lake County, where they remained until they died. They had ten children, six sons and four daughters. Both belonged to the Methodist Church. While living in Obion County, he was deputy sheriff, and when Lake County was organized, he was the first sheriff of the county. He was a farmer, but was for a while also a merchant of Tiptonville, the first post office at that place being kept in his store; he also owned a large wood yard, and was a local preacher for twenty-five years. Our subject, J. W. Tipton, was born May 7, 1847, and when only sixteen years of age, went into the army. When seventeen, he took charge of his father’s farm of 200 acres. August 5, 1869, he married Miss Tennessee A. Snow, born April 9, 1847, in James County, Tenn. He also cast his first vote on the 5th of August. They had seven sons and one daughter. Mr. and Mrs. Tipton are both Methodists. He is a Democrat. He has always been a farmer, and for twelve years past has run a grist-mill, and cotton-gin; he owns 400 acres of good land; and has been a resident of the county for thirty-nine years, being a good farmer, an honest man and a useful citizen. His mother died in 1870, and his father afterward married Miss M. J. Smith, by whom he had one child. He died in 1877.

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This family biography is one of 40 biographies included in The History of Lake County, Tennessee published in 1887.  The History of Lake County was included within The History of Gibson, Obion, Dyer, Weakley & Lake Counties of Tennessee. For the complete description, click here: History of Gibson, Obion, Dyer, Weakley, and Lake Counties of Tennessee

To view additional Lake County, Tennessee family biographies, click here

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