Lipford / Lippford - 54th VA Infantry

Kyle Kalasnik

First Sergeant
Joined
Aug 3, 2014
Location
Potter County, PA
Richard Arthur Lipford was my 3rd great grandfather. I’m looking for any information on his service.

All I have found is from a book by my mother’s distant cousin. Attached is the page.

I am intrigued that it states there is no service record of him, and that he is only listed on the post war roster.
FB76A807-8CDA-4B26-B9DC-8015F74B46AD.png


Any other information or help pointing me in the right direction would be greatly appreciated.
 
Richard Arthur Lipford was my 3rd great grandfather. I’m looking for any information on his service.

All I have found is from a book by my mother’s distant cousin. Attached is the page.

I am intrigued that it states there is no service record of him, and that he is only listed on the post war roster.View attachment 324860

Any other information or help pointing me in the right direction would be greatly appreciated.eirant

This is all I could find. His name was indeed on the roster. For whatever reason, he apparently didn't serve. There could have been several reasons. I see his occupation in 1850 was "overseer". I believe that was an occupation that could exempt one from Military Service. Then I see his occupation in 1860 isn't listed. Did he own or inherit any land and/or slaves? There may also have been physical ailments of some sort, I'm sure a reason could be found with more digging, but his name was indeed on the regiment's rolls.

Screenshot (39).png
 
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Richard Arthur Lipford was my 3rd great grandfather. I’m looking for any information on his service.

All I have found is from a book by my mother’s distant cousin. Attached is the page.

I am intrigued that it states there is no service record of him, and that he is only listed on the post war roster.View attachment 324860

Any other information or help pointing me in the right direction would be greatly appreciated.

He has a find-a-grave page: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/43814834/richard-arthur-lipford

The regiment was sent west to the Army of Tennessee. As the war went on and casualties mounted, regiments were consolidated. His name might be on the rolls of one of the consolidated regiments?

Screenshot (42).png
 
This is all I could find. His name was indeed on the roster. For whatever reason, he apparently didn't serve. There could have been several reasons. I see his occupation in 1850 was "overseer". I believe that was an occupation that could exempt one from Military Service. Then I see his occupation in 1860 isn't listed. Did he own or inherit any land and/or slaves? There may also have been physical ailments of some sort, I'm sure a reason could be found with more digging, but his name was indeed on the regiment's rolls.

View attachment 324999
Appreciate the information.

I’m pretty sure he did inherit a few slaves from his father.

Now you said his name is on the regimental roster, but apparently didn’t serve, so is that like a modern day entry level separation, where the individual enlists and within a few days or weeks (generally while in boot camp) they are discharged for any number of reasons?
 
He has a find-a-grave page: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/43814834/richard-arthur-lipford

The regiment was sent west to the Army of Tennessee. As the war went on and casualties mounted, regiments were consolidated. His name might be on the rolls of one of the consolidated regiments?

View attachment 325009
Thanks, I have seen his grave site, and there is no marker to reflect his service (not that that is always the case).

Thank you for the advice I’m going to do some research on the 54th VA Bn.
 
Appreciate the information.

I’m pretty sure he did inherit a few slaves from his father.

Now you said his name is on the regimental roster, but apparently didn’t serve, so is that like a modern day entry level separation, where the individual enlists and within a few days or weeks (generally while in boot camp) they are discharged for any number of reasons?

His name is on the "post-war" roster. In post-war years he probably was recognized as being a member of his company (probably a Militia Company), formed before the war. They then became Company B 54th Virginia. I'm almost certain he, being a slave-owner, especially of several slaves, would have exempted him from service, particularly after the first conscription law was passed.
 
Richard Arthur Lipford was my 3rd great grandfather. I’m looking for any information on his service.

All I have found is from a book by my mother’s distant cousin. Attached is the page.

I am intrigued that it states there is no service record of him, and that he is only listed on the post war roster.View attachment 324860

Any other information or help pointing me in the right direction would be greatly appreciated.
What kind of name is Lipford?
 
Sorry to bring up an old subject, would my 3x great grandfather (Richard Lipford) be considered a Confederate Veteran?
He's on a roster at some point and he was on a veteran's list so I'd say yes. At this point it's a bit moot for any purpose other than the descendants being able to say "our great great grandfather served in the Confederate Army." If, as others have speculated, he was exempt for regular service due to having slaves to oversee, that would not have stopped him from serving locally.
 
He's on a roster at some point and he was on a veteran's list so I'd say yes. At this point it's a bit moot for any purpose other than the descendants being able to say "our great great grandfather served in the Confederate Army." If, as others have speculated, he was exempt for regular service due to having slaves to oversee, that would not have stopped him from serving locally.
I appreciate the response and your patience. You are correct in stating it is a moot point.
I really just want to make sure, instead of looking like a misinformed fool, or accused of lying and embellishing my family’s history. Again, thank you so much for help and insight.

Respectfully,
Kyle Kalasnik
 
I appreciate the response and your patience. You are correct in stating it is a moot point.
I really just want to make sure, instead of looking like a misinformed fool, or accused of lying and embellishing my family’s history. Again, thank you so much for help and insight.

Respectfully,
Kyle Kalasnik
I have a great-great-grandfather who appears on one official list as part of a group of local "partisan rangers" and no where else. He never applied for a pension. Family history is that he did not want to serve, held off as long as he could, and when asked about his service after the war insisted he had done little. I still consider him a veteran because he did serve. When I claim him I do so with all the caveats I've given you here. He's one of six direct line ancestors I have who fought in the Civil War. They all have very different stories and, to me, none is more or less valid. Together they tell a really rich story about what the war was like for men from that part of Mississippi.
 
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