Born in Whitehall, a neighborhood in NE Philadelphia, according to his Navy enlistment record. This section is now known as Bridesburg. A 1850 US Census record shows him as a child of 9, living with William Wiser and Phebe Wiser. The other children in the household have the Wiser surname. No records have been found to establish whether Phebe was his mother by a previous husband. Since John and Lavinia named one of their sons William Wiser Hipple, it seems likely that this is the family where John Hipple lived from age 9 until about age 17. His 1880 census record says his father was born in Germany.
The 1860 US Census has a possible record for him as a 17-year-old "apprentice" living with a farmer named Charles Dyer in Southampton PA, just north of Philadelphia. This Dyer might be a relative of John's eventual father-in-law, John Dyer.
He served in the Civil War from 8/6/1862 to 5/29/1865, as a Private in the 114th Regiment PA Infantry, Company I, known as Collis' Zouaves. He enlisted at Philadelphia, completing a standard 3-year term of service. John completed his enlistment without any known illnesses or injuries. He was mustered out when the unit disbanded outside Washington, D.C. at the end of the war.
The 114th Infantry Regiment was first organized in Philadelphia in August 1861 by Col. H.T. Collis. After serving with distinction in early engagements of the war, the unit held a 5-week recruiting drive in the Philadelphia area, beginning in August 1862. This is when John A. Hipple, then 18 or 19, enlisted in one of the 9 new companies formed at that time.
The 114th started out using a Zouave style uniform, with uniform material purchased from France. (The French used this uniform for their North African troops and later for their European troops serving in North Africa.) The distinctive uniform items became less common as the war progressed. However, there are photographs of companies from the 114th Infantry wearing their "Zouave D''Afrique" uniforms, including fezzes and turbans. They were also frequently assigned to lead parades or serve at headquarters because their uniforms were eye-catching. There is a well-known monument to the 114th Infantry at Gettysburg Battlefield with a life-size bronze statue of a soldier in Zouave dress loading his musket.
The 114th fought at the battles of Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg (Round Top, Cemetery Hill, Little Round Top), Wilderness, Spotsylvania Court House, plus the siege and battle of Petersburg and Richmond during the time John Hipple served. From winter 1863 when Grant took command of the Union forces, this unit was often used for special guard duty at the headquarters of General Meade (who was from Philadelphia) and also General Grant. Meade is reported to have preferred their regimental band. They were one of the units that led the Grand Review parade in Washington D.C. on May 23, 1865 only a few days before they mustered out.
On 9/19/1867 he enlisted in the US Navy for 3 years at Philadelphia. His occupation was listed as a laborer. The recruiter noted he had hazel eyes, a dark complexion, a height of 5 feet 9 ½ inches and a scar on his patella (kneecap).
12/7/1867 Assigned to North Pacific Squadron. His original rating was as an unskilled crewman. Later he was a Ship's Cook, eventually attaining the rating of Captain's Cook.
1/1868 Assigned to USS Mohican through 1/1869 (13 months). This was a 3rd class screw steamer with a crew of 213 and 9 guns. Probably joined the ship at San Francisco. Three months patrolling the west coast of South America before the ship began decommissioning/refitting from 3 April 1868 – 7 June 1869 at Mare Island Navy Yard. He was at the Navy Yard for 10 months of his assignment to this ship.
2/1869 Assigned to USS Mohongo, one month. Ship slated for permanent decommissioning.
3/1869 Assigned to USS Pensacola and USS Resaca through 12/1870 (22 months). Not clear how much time he spent on either ship.
The Pensacola was the 1st of 4 US Navy ships of that name, a screw steamer with 13 guns. During this period her cruising ranged from Chile to Puget Sound and west to Hawaii. Sometimes she served as the flagship of the North Pacific Squadron. From February 1870 through January 1871 this ship was out of service for repair or maintenance. John Hipple possibly spent all or part of this period on the USS Resaca.
The Resaca was a 3rd class screw steamer with a crew of 213 and 9 guns. Proceeding from California to Panama on 23 November 1869, the Resaca continued south to Callao, Peru, before commencing a long Pacific cruise on 16 May 1869. If he was detached from the Pensacola during her refit, John Hipple may have joined the Resaca's Pacific cruise at some point after the ship left South America – perhaps meeting the ship in Hawaii? Sailing westward, she passed through the Marquesas, Society, Friendly, and Fiji Islands before reaching New Zealand. On the return voyage she called at Tahiti on 15 June 1870 before arriving at Valparaiso, Chile, on 24 November 1870. Soon afterward she proceeded to Callao for a refit and change of command before being detached from squadron duties in January 1871.
1/11/1871 Discharged at Recruiting Station New York.
He married Lavinia on February 13, 1871. They were married in a civil ceremony performed by a Philadelphia city alderman, according to John's military pension records.
The 1880 US Census shows him the head of a household in Philadelphia. Others living there were his wife Lavinia, his stepdaughter Ida May and his 2 young sons with Lavinia – Robert and Thomas. His occupation is listed as a worker in an iron mill.
In 1891 he and Lavinia had their last child, Elizabeth, who died at 9 months. In 1891 John was listed as drawing a Civil War pension, with his wife as his beneficiary. He and Lavinia died less than 3 months apart in 1894. At the time of their deaths their living children were 9 (William), 13 (Henrietta), 16 (Thomas) and 20 (Robert) years old.