John Tipton
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John Beresford Tipton (August 14, 1786 - April 5, 1839) was an American politician.
Tipton was born in what is now Sevier County, Tennessee. His father, also named John, was a prominent man in the area. When he was an infant, his family's house was besieged by supporters of an attempt to create the 14th state in Northeastern Tennessee called the State of Franklin.
At the age of 17, Tipton moved to Harrison County, Indiana. He became a farmer, and joined a militia which protected himself and other settlers from Native American tribes. He commanded a militia unit in the Battle of Tippecanoe campaign in 1811.
Tipton eventually entered politics. He served as a member of the Indiana State House of Representatives from 1819 to 1823. During this time, he participated in commissions to establish a new state capital for Indiana and to set the boundaries between Indiana and Illinois. In 1823, he became the United States Indian agent for the Potawatomi and Miami tribes.
In 1831, Tipton was elected by the state legislature to a seat in the United States Senate from Indiana to fill the unexpired term of James Noble who had died. He was reelected to a full term in 1832. He was a member of the United States Democratic Party and a strong supporter of Andrew Jackson. He served as chairman of the committees on roads and canals and Native American affairs from 1837 to 1839. He declined to run for reelection due to poor health, and his term expired a month before his death. He died in Logansport, Indiana, a town that he helped to found. The town of Tipton, Indiana and Tipton County, Indiana are named after him.
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| Preceded by Robert Hanna |
United States Senator (Class 1) from Indiana 1832–1839 Served alongside: William Hendricks, Oliver H. Smith |
Succeeded by Albert S. White |
