James N. Lipscomb Annals of Newberry, Part Two by John A. Chapman, page 649-51 James N. Lipscomb Col. James N. Lipscomb was born at White Hall, in Abbe­ ville County, April 11, 1827. His father was John Lipscomb. He received his academical education at Edgefield Court House and at Greenwood Academy in Abbeville County. He graduated from the South Carolina College in December, 1847. Colonel Lipscomb was aide to General Bonham and Captain of the College Cadets at eighteen years of age. In January, 1848, he was married to the eldest daughter of Gov. F. W. Pickens. He was thrice married. His second wife was a Miss Simmons, and his third Miss Ella Motte; all or whom preceded him to the grave. In 1849 he removed to Florida, but returned to South Carolina in 1855 and settled in Newberry County. He was elected to the Legislature in 1860, being chairman of the delegation. In 1861, he was Adjutant-General on the Staff of Major­General M. L. Bonham, who commanded the military forces raised by Act of the Legislatllre in 1860. After the surrender of Fort Sumter, he went to Virginia with the first brigade that entered the Confederate service, with a commission as its Lieutenant of Cavalry, as aide to General Bonham, in which position he served during the campaign of 1861. He joined the Second South Carolina Cavalry, and served seven months as acting Quartermaster. He was afterwards Assistant Adjutant-General to Gen. M. C. Butler with rank of Captain, and was afterwards promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel on Major-General Butler's staff, where he remained until the close of the war. He then returned to his home near Chappell's Depot where he engaged in farming. He was one of the original advocates of the nomination of Hampton and contributed largely to the success of the party. Few men were more effective in their appeals to the Democracy than he. He was elected State Senator from Newberry County from 1877 to 1880. He was elected Secretary of State in 1882 - re-elected in 1884. He was made Master of the State Grange in 1874 or 1875, which position he held continuously - re-elected year after year - until his death. He has one bruther, M. B. Lipscomb, living at Ninety-Six, and another, Col. Thos. J. Lipscomb, who was several years Superintendent of the State Penitentiary, living in Columbia. He has several children living. He died at the home of his son-in-law in Bryson City, N. C., June, 1891. He was a good and useful man and died regretted by all who knew him.