Transcribed from Goodspeed’s History of  Tennessee from the Earliest Time to the Present; Together with an Historical and a Biographical Sketches of from Twenty-Five to Thirty Counties of East Tennessee, Besides a Valuable Fund of Notes, Original Observations, Reminiscences, etc., etc. (Chicago and Nashville:  The Goodspeed Publishing Co., 1887), pp. 962-987.  See footnote below for on-line access.

William Sharon TIPTON, a prominent citizen of Cleveland, was born at Morganton, Monroe (now Loudon) Co., Tenn., September 12, 1851. A few years later he moved to Bradley County four miles east of Cleveland in the Little Chatata Valley. His education was received in the county schools. He was deputy circuit court clerk six years and deputy postmaster eight years, under A. E. BLUNT, P. M., during President Grant’s administration. In June, 1870 he organized the Republican party, and for seventeen years has served as the chairman of the county committee, always attending the State, county, and congressional conventions. January 1, 1872, he was elected city recorder, and served four terms. September 17, 1874, he founded the Cleveland Herald, which was enlarged to thirty six columns, January 1, 1886, under a $6,000 stock company. The paper has a circulation of 2,000. In 1880 he was a member of the Chicago convention which nominated Garfield and Arthur. He was one of the 306 men who continued to vote for Grant. He now has one of the Grant medals, sent him by Senator Don Cameron, of Pennsylvania. March 25, 1881, he was appointed postmaster at Cleveland, by President Garfield. He served one term as alderman for the Second Ward, and was chairman of the street committee. September 15, 1881, he married Miss Lizzie, daughter of Dr. G. C. SANDUSKY, of Shelbyville, Tenn. A daughter, Cecil Sharon, was born to this union, December 2, 1883, and a son, William Sandusky, born April 13, 1887; their eldest, Nellie, having died when an infant.

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This biography was transcribed by Sherry Pollard. We thank her for transcribing all the Goodspeed’s biographical sketches.

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