Sixteenth Generation

44. Joshua TIPTON was born about 1750 in Baltimore Maryland.⁸ He died by an indian attach while watering his horses on 18 Apr 1793 in Jefferson Co, TN on the banks of the Little Pigeon River.^1,9 That part of Jefferson County is now in Sevier County. Sevier County Newspaper Article July 1976


JOSHUA TIPTON Forgotten Revolutionary Soldier

Somewhere along the waters of the East Fork of the Little Pigeon where he was killed by the Indians or near the site of Shield's Fort where he lived is the unmarked grave of Joshua Tipton, Revolutionary War Solider.

Research covering a period of three months and the recording of the history of Joshua Tipton, with complete documentation, has been done by Donald B. Reagan, a young historian of Knoxville, Tennessee, who is a member of the Smoky Mountain Historical Society.

In this Bicentennial year the name of Joshua Tipton should be added to the list of Revolutionary War Soldiers who lived in Sevier County.

Joshua Tipton, the second son of Mordecai Tipton, was born circa 1750 in Baltimore County, Maryland, according the records of St. Paul's Parish. He lived there with his parents until they moved to Fredrick County, Virginia, and then Shenandoah County, Virginia. His service in the Revolutionary War was probably from Frederick or Shenandoah County, Virginia.

The Secretary of War's Pension List of 1820 contains the names of all Revolutionary War pensioners residing in East Tennessee who were granted pensions under the Act of March 18, 1818. Janet Shields
Tipton filed for her husband's service in the Revolutionary War. She was granted a pension as a half-pay pensioner which was started on 20 April, 1815. Evidently payroll records proved Joshua Tipton's service as no other record was found in the National Archives, Washington, D.C.

After the Revolutionary War Joshua Tipton married Jennet (Janet) Shields on 16 August, 1785 in Botetourt County, Virginia. Janet Shields, the first child and only daughter of Robert and Nancy Stockton Shields, was born in Rockbridge County, Virginia on 7 March 1762.

John Arthur Shields in the manuscript SHIELDS FAMILIES, Minneapolis, Minnesota, December 1917 records the family traditions concerning the travels of the Robert Shields and McMahan Families (Mrs. McMahan and Mrs. Shields were sisters) from Virginia to what is now Sevier County.

At the Wautauga Land Office Robert Shields bought a tract on Middle Creek according to family tradition. The year of settlement probably was around -1786 just after the signing of the Treaty of Dumplin.

John Arthur Shields also records that "on what is now know as the T.D.W. McMahan place, on Middle Creek, a branch of Little Pigeon, they built a temporary cabin at the foot of Shield's Mountain, started a clearing and began the erection of Shield's Fort."

We have proof that the T.D.W. McMahan place was a land grant to Medy White and also it isn't located at the foot of Shield's Mountain. Thus the exact location of Shield's Fort remains a mystery. The late Jimmy Lawson, Sevier County's noted historian, stated in a letter that Shield's Fort, Lawson's Fort and Hubers' Fort were names for the same fort and it was located near the site of the present Conley Sims residence of the Middle Creek Road. Historically, the only reference to either of the three forts is in the John H. Reagan Memoirs in which he stated that Timothy Reagan helped to build Lawson's Fort. John Arthur Shields described the fort as follows:

"Shield's Fort when completed, was a long building, 16 x 100 feet with low ceiling and attic. It was constructed of heavy logs with a fireplace at each end. There were four outside doors, several window openings without glass, and numerous portholes at convenient places, upstairs and down. The original building contained living quarters for six families, with a large common kitchen at one end, a comnmon living room at the other. The building was in the midst of an
oblong yard of about a quarter-acre, surrounded by walls 12 feet high. The walls consisted of double rows of logs standing on end, closely spaced, sharpened at the top, and fastened together with wooden pins -- the spring was within the enclosure, as were the stables for stock, and all other buildings. -- Fortunately for the Shields Family the fort was a dozen miles off the regular Indian trails and it was never attacked by large war parties. It was frequently disturbed by small, roving bands of two or three Indians, who might fire from ambush at those working in the clearing.

Nearly four years were required to complete the original structure. It was in the Fort that Robert Shields and his children and grand- children, lived nearly 20 years. Seven of his sons brought wives to the stockade (and it) was increased. Eventually the McMahan, and some of the Shields boys moved into their own separate quarters nearby. Both Robert Shields and his wife, Nancy Stockton, died at this Fort, about 1805, exact date unknown, and were buried in unmarked graves on a nearby hillside."

A Nancy Shields was listed as a member of the Church-in-the-Forks in 1807 and also Jennet Tipton, Rhoda Tipton, William Shields, Peggy Shields, Sabra Shields, Mathew Shields.

It is assumed that Joshua Tipton and his wife, Janet Shields lived at the Shield's Fort and it was there that their first child, John Tipton, was born 14 August 1786. Three more children were born thereafter.

At the time Sevier County was Greene County. From the Greene County Court Minutes 1783-1796 on page 240, it is found that Joshua Tipton served as a juryman in the case of "United States vs. Jas. Temple."

Killed by the Indians

Haywood's History of Tennessee on page 297 gives the follo1ving account: On the 18th day of April, 1793, on the East Fork of the Little Pigeon River in Jefferson County (now Sevier County), Tennessee, 30 miles from Knoxville, Joshua Tipton was killed by the Indians, and also a man by the name of Matthews and another by the name of Shields was wounded.

In the Knoxville Gazette (Vol II, No 14), Saturday, May 4, 1793 it is recorded as follows: "On the 18th Ultimo, on Little Pigeon, Jefferson County, 30 miles from the place, Joshua Tipton and Matthews were killed, and Shields was wounded by Indians, as they were watering their horses from the plough."

The Shields family experienced a similar tragedy in the same year in the death of Thomas Shields, brother of Janet Shields Tipton. In 1793 Thomas Shields and his two small sons were boiling sap in the sugartree orchard on Bird's Creek when he was shot from ambush and mortally wounded. Ordering his sons to run, he rolled behind a log within reach of his rifle. A marauding party of 12 Indians rushed into the clearing and he shot one Of them. While they parlayed the boys escaped. They saw the Indians tomahawk mutilate and scalp their father.

Janet Shields Tipton

In Will Book I, 1792 - 1810 of Jefferson County, Tennessee is an inventory and sale for Estate of Joshua,Tipton, Dec'd administered by Jennett T1pton "dated August 1793. It indicated that Joshua Tipton died intestate and the Jefferson County Court appointed his wife, Janet Tipton as Administratrix of his estate.


Due to the loss of public records for Sevier County prior to 1856, we don't really know what Janet Shields Tipton was doing during 1793 to 1807. During a 14 year period, she raised her family to maturity amidst Indian troubles and hardships of the frontier. In Tennessee State Library, there is found a land grant to Jennett Tipton surveyed 23 February 1807 and granted 5 May 1810. “ ...granted by the said state of Tennessee unto Jennett Tipton, a certain tract or parcel of land, containing one hundred seventy two acres and twenty nine poles lying in the County of Sevier, in the district south French Broad and Holston on Middle Creek. There being due and chargeable on said land, the sum of one hundred seventy two dollars, eighteen three fourth cents, with the Interest due thereon. (Note in margin: "The grantee has paid $172.18 cents the amount of all the Installments due Check No. 925") ……….

According to Shields family tradition and her son, John Tipton, Janet Tipton moved with her own family to Indiana in the fall of 1807. They settled at Brinley's Ferry, Harrison County, Indiana. Then she moved to the fort, located Just north of Seymour, Indiana, commanded by her brother, James Shields. She resided at this location until her death 17 February 1827.

Joshua TIPTON and Janet SHIELDS were married on 16 Aug 1785 in Botetourt County, VA.¹⁰ Joshua TIPTON and Janet SHIELDS had the following children:

+67	i.	John TIPTON.
68	ii.	Rhoda TIPTON1 was born in 1788. She died on 7 Jul 1837.
69	iii.	Elizabeth TIPTON1 was born in 1791.
70	iv.	Agnes TIPTON1 was born in 1793.