Colonel John Tipton

26 May 1772; John Tipton, gentleman, is appointed Justice of the Peace (judge in those times) for newly formed Dunmore County in the Shenandoah Valley of the Crown Colony of Virginia by the King through his royal governor, Lord Dunmore. Thomas Marshall, father of future Supreme Court Justice John Marshall, is appointed Clerk of the Court.

The Tipton Family Association of America will host showings of “The Mysterious Lost State of Franklin” produced by Nolichucky Films at the Johnson City, Tennessee Library on October 6th in the Jones Meeting Center. The 30 minute film will be shown at 5pm, 6pm and 7pm. The showings are free and open to the public.

October 1771, Colonial Court ruled in favor of settlers including John Tipton, George Washington, Jost Hite et al in a lawsuit against Lord Fairfax. The ruling confirmed land titles in the Shenandoah Valley.

On May 18th, 1761 in Winchester, Virginia; John Tipton cast his ballot to elect George Washington to be a representative from Frederick County to the House of Burgesses. At that time, the House of Burgesses was the Crown Colony of Virginia’s legislative assembly.

will meet on October 8th at Rocky Mount Museum in Piney Flats, Tennessee. Registration will begin at 9am in the museum lobby. The program will include a showing of the film “The Mysterious Lost State of Franklin” and presentations by TFAA members. Attendance is free and open to anyone interested in the family’s history and genealogy.

Nolichucky Films has produced a new film by Buck Kahler titled The Mysterious Lost State of Franklin. It will be shown at the East Tennessee Historical Society on May 6th and appear on East Tennessee PBS on May 12th & 15th. The film is highly anticipated as it incorporates the latest research on this event and the times in which it took place.

The concise biography The Life of Colonel John Tipton by John Parrish received a very nice book review from Fran Allison Young in the Tennessee Ancestors publication of The East Tennessee Historical Society, Volume 26, No. 1, April 2010, page 55. I am proud of this recognition.

9 Oct 2010, the Tipton Family Association of America met at the Carter County Library in Elizabethton, Tennessee.  The latest research on the life of Colonel John Tipton was presented along with general information about the Tiptons.  Anyone interested in TFAA activities can contact the Association thru this website.

Yesterday, I walked in the footsteps of the Colonel in Hillsboro, North Carolina, periodic seat of that state’s government.  It was here in 1788 at St. Matthews Church that North Carolina legislators met to consider ratification of the US constitution.  With the majority, Tipton voted not to ratify because the constitution did not include a Bill of Rights.  As in Virginia, Tipton was dedicated to the rights of the citizens and represenative government.  He was now serving in the legislature of a second state.

Last week, I was in Williamsburg, Virginia.  This historic site is marvelous!

It was amazing to stand in the Virginia House of Delegates.  In that Hall, 15 May 1776, John Tipton Esquire, voted with 111 other men, to instruct the Virginia Delegation to the Continental Congress in Philadelphia to declare independence from British rule.  Virginia was the first colony to do so.  In the following weeks these Delegates, Tipton among them, dratfted and adopted a Declaration of Rights of every citizen.  The largest, richest and most populous colony in North America had moved decisively for what would become Democracy.

Tipton stood early for the rights of the colonists.  16 Jun 1774, he signed the Woodstock Resolutions in defiance of tyrannical English rule.

Note the Woodstock Resolutions follow the bio of Colonel John and there are links to Virginia Gazette articles regarding the Resolutions and John Tipton’s election.