James C. Tipps, a popular citizen of Moore County, and one of six surviving members of a family of twelve children born to Michael and Leah (Seivalley) Tipps, was born August 6, 1839, on the farm he now owns, near Marble Hill, Moore County. The father of James C. was a native of North Carolina, born 1809, and came to Moore County (Franklin) when four years of age. He was a tiller of the soil and magistrate for several years. He died in 1883. The mother, a native of Moore (Lincoln) County, was born January 24, 1810, and is still living.
At the age of nineteen our subject left home, and September 2, 1858, was married to Mary Stoball, native of Coffee County, Tennessee. Eleven children were the results of this union, all of whom are living. At the time of his marriage he began farming for himself and continued this occupation till the commencement of the late war, when he enlisted in the Forty-first Tennessee Infantry, with which he remained till the close of the war. He then returned home, and in partnership with John Seivalley was engaged in merchandising from 1875 to 1880. He was constable for four years, beginning 1866, and deputy sheriff for two years. He was appointed postmaster of his village in 1875, and still holds that position. Mr. Tipps has in his possession a deed written by Gen. Jackson, conveying land to our subject’s grandfather. Mr. Tipps and family are members of the Lutheran Church.