John George Lipford was born in 1845 in Chester, SC. He was the son of John C. Lipford (1814 - 30 April 1866) and Elizabeth Carter (1825 - 13 June 1879). John C Lipford was a wealthy merchant and slave trader in the Chester area. Elizabeth was his second wife. John sold off most of his land, slaves and holdings to raise money for the war effort in SC. By the time the war ended John C Lipford was standing at security on a $30,000 note and was being pressured to pay. According to the Lipford Family History written by Ralph Lipford, John C. had gone to Major Sanders about borrowing the money for the note but couldn't get it. This pressure coupled with having lost 2 sons in the war was too much and he rode home and hanged himself in the barn. April 30, 1866...5 days after his son, John George Lipford, married Charlotte Higgins Rook.
Now, John George and Charlotte had 3 sons; John William 1867, Charles Lipford 1869, and Walter Lipford abt. 1871.
According to the Laurensville SC Herald on November 30, 1871 "A day or two ago, J.G. Lipford was shot by D.H.A. Mason. The wound may be mortal."
At some point in this time Charlotte divorces John George. According to the Caldwell/Higgins/Rook descendants by Lalla Rook Simmons it states that she went to Atlanta to get a divorce after he started beating on her older children by her 1st marriage. As a low blow - they called him a Yankee carpetbagger.
I assume it must have been in this time frame because he is back in the Chester area on August 8, 1873. The New Hope Methodist Church (Chester, SC) records state "John George Lipford received a profession of faith."
Later, "JOhn George Lipford - removed without certificate and name crossed by order of Church Conference Nov 1st, 1874." His name was not listed after this entry.
In 1876 he married Amanda Joyner, daughter of Nelson and Sara Eliza Joyner of Marion County, FL, District 4. Her father did not want her to marry him because he had been divorced. I don't know if they married in Ocala or if they ran off.
At any rate, on 15 April 1878 their first daughter, Alice Louise Lipford, was born in Marion County, FL.
On June 13th, 1879, John George Lipford's mother, Elizabeth, died in Chester, SC. In her will written 2 weeks before she died "I give and bequeath to my son, John George Lipford , five dollars." She left the balance of her estate to her other children and grandchildren.
On Jan 31, 1880 their second daughter, Georgia Ann Lipford was born in Florida. I thought he was gone by the time she was born but after reviewing my notes I find that he was there.
It was said in our family that John George bought a team of mules from a man and he tried to steal them back. John George shot him and then fled to the Tifton, GA area to avoid trouble with the law. Before he left he sent Amanda and the girls to stay with a Mary Voight ( a relative) in the Providence area, Holly Hill, Orangeburg, SC. Her father made her go. I don't know if Voight was a relative of the Joyner or Lipford family. Amanda and the girls lived and died there. All are buried in the Holly Hill Cemetery.
John George did send for Amanda to visit him in Jacksonville, FL one time. Supposedly he had a son or sons living there from a previous marriage. This might explain why Walter Lipford, his youngest son with Charlotte, appeared on the 1880 census living with the James Carter family in Marion County, FL, District 4 at the same time that Amanda and the girls appeared in the same area. (Note: John George's mother was a Carter).
Charlotte appears in the census living with her oldest daughter, Elizabeth, and son-in-law, Dick Brown, in Laurens, SC with the 2 oldest boys William (John) and Charley. She listed the boys last names as Rook not Lipford.
Amanda supposedly divorced him but I have no record of that. She never remarried.
Charlotte kept the Lipford name until she died - her tombstone reads Rook not Lipford.
Lastly, the youngest daughter was named Georgia Ann Lipford. Supposedly, Ann came from "Ann Hill Carter", Robert E Lee's mother. This was supposed to have been a relative of the Lipford family. John George Lipford's mother, again, was a Carter. I haven't made the connection between these 2 Carter lines yet.
Did you check to see if Charlotte had drawn a pension from her 1st husband Samual L. Rooks?
Jacksonville is very close to Clay County, FL where Charlotte filed the pension. Maybe he was staying in the area new the boy or boys.
Alice and Georgia Lipford were both tall women. Their children as well.
Could Calvin Gibson have certified John George's service and rank and not so much his death?
Please forgive the overwhelming amount of info here. I have been tracking this man for years. Let me know what you think?