Legend says Griffin Tipsword came to live with the Kickapoo Indians, who were indifferent to the coming of a Caucasian man. Tipsword was white by birth and Native American by adoption. He was a pioneer, a missionary preacher, hunter and medicine man among the Native Americans. Tipsword's family name was Sowards. He called himself Tipsword after coming to Illinois. Tipsword was a veteran of the Revolutionary War, first fighting at Ramsour's Mill in the Carolinas. Griffin died in 1845 and was buried on the banks of Wolff Creek (Tipsword family cemetery, Effingham), leaving three sons, John, Isaac, and Thomas, who left many descendants in the area.
Legend says Griffin Tipsword came to live with the Kickapoo Indians, who were indifferent to the coming of a Caucasian man. Tipsword was white by birth and Native American by adoption. He was a pioneer, a missionary preacher, hunter and medicine man among the Native Americans. Tipsword's family name was Sowards. He called himself Tipsword after coming to Illinois. Tipsword was a veteran of the Revolutionary War first fighting at Ramsour's Mill in the Carolinas. Griffin died i,n 1845 and was buried on the banks of Wolff Creek (Tipsword family cemete,ry, Effingham), leaving three sons John Isaac, a,nd Thomas, who left many descendants in the area.