Cousins Die in Camp at Cape Girardeau in 1861

More on James R. Carter who was discussed in 20 Oct 2011 and 12 Nov 2011 blogs. Recently cousin Dennis Bell was following up on some items and shared what he found.  Here is what we know about this Carter connection:

James Carter was the same age as my great uncle Thomas B. Turpin and the two appear to be cousins although we’re not sure how.  Carter was probably Thomas Turpin's grandmother's maiden name.  The Carter and Turpin families intermarried several times.

Thomas and James enlisted together to serve the Union.  James’ service record shows he was eighteen, a resident of Rippey, Iowa, and born in Indiana.  Thomas and James enlisted August 23, 1861 and mustered-in September 7, 1861.  Both died of measles, James two months later on November 3, 1861 and Thomas on Christmas Day, 1861 at Cape Girardeau, Missouri.

The regiment Thomas and James served with was equipped in St. Louis and initially moved to Cape Girardeau.  While in camp there, James Carter died of the measles. The regiment was then ordered to Bloomfield to drive out Jeff Thomson’s force, but found it gone.  They returned to Cape Girardeau and made camp for the winter.  The soldiers suffered through that winter march to camp and there were troop losses due to sickness. Thomas Turpin died from the measles in December.  

The 1860 census shows James living in Warren County, Iowa, two counties southeast of Greene County where the Turpin family lived.  He is living in the household of John and Charlotte Epps.

Going back to Owen County, Indiana, we find Charlotte’s marriage record at www.sweetowen.net:

Carter, George; Evans, Charlotte Temple.; Sep 17, 1835; Thos Johnson, J.P.

These are the parents of our James.  The family is in the 1840 census for Washington, Owen County.  James was not born until 1843 so he is not on this census.

Head of Household: George Carter

Free White Persons - Males - 20 thru 29: 1

Free White Persons - Females - 15 thru 19: 1

Free White Persons - Under 20: 1

Free White Persons - 20 thru 49: 1

Total Free White Persons: 2

Total All Persons: 2

Around 1847-52, George must have died.  A census search for George or Charlotte in 1850 is not successful.  Charlotte then marries John Epps.  They are listed in the 1860 census in Iowa as mentioned above.  But then John Epps listed himself as a widower in the 1880 census Warren County, Iowa -- so Charlotte died before 1880. 

1860 United States Federal Census Washington, Warren, Iowa

Post Office: Indianola

John Epps 31

Charlotte Epps 40

John A Carter 20

James R Carter 17

E A D J Carter 15

Wm E Carter 13 

   (William Elijah CARTER (b. Feb 1847 IN) 

   m Rebecca Ella SHACKLEE and Mary Effie FISK)

Chris Col Epps 8

Rachel Agnes Epps 7

Jos Andrew Epps 5

Mary Louisa Epps 3

Amanda Chris B J Epps 11/12

Still looking for the Carter-Turpin connection though!

Obediah, James, and John

In Early Settlers of Tidewater Virginia, Volume 3, by Elise Greenup Jourdan, Michael Turpin is shown as the father of Obediah, James, John, and Mary “Polly” Turpin.  I’ve been working to tie the James and John of Owen County, Indiana to Halifax County, Virginia and also to determine if the family shown in Jourdan’s book is mine and is correct.  

Another Turpin researcher Anne Washburn and I have put our heads, and research notes, together on this and it appears there is a light at the end of the tunnel.  (And as they say, we hope it’s not a train…)

Here is a short timeline of Turpin activity in two counties:  Lunenburg and Halifax Counties in Virginia.  The counties are tied together in that Lunenburg is the parent county.  In 1752 the General Assembly of Virginia divided it into two counties, Halifax being the new county.  In 1766, Halifax County was divided with Pittsylvania being the newly created county.   The dates are from the Halifax County website:  http://www.halifaxcountyva.gov/

1752  Halifax County is created.

1779  Obediah Turpin, age 18, enlists with Capt Worsham's Company in Lunenburg County (1840 census of Owen County IN lists him as an 81-year-old Revolutionary War veteran.)

1783  Records of Lunenburg Co., VA

Tithables list shows Michal, Obadiah Turpin, 7 property taxable, 4 tithable, 12 souls.

1785  Halifax Co., VA, Deed Bk 13, p. 181

Apr 20, 1785 from Joshua Adams of H, to Michael Turpin of the County of Lunenburg, for 500 lbs, a certain tract of land containing, by deed, about 274 acres in H on Banister River and Sandy Cr, and bounded by Chappell, Huddleston. Signed-Joshua (X his mark) Adams. Wit: James McCraw, Joseph Hunt, David Chisholm. Recorded May 19, 1785. Phebe, wife of the sd Joshua Adams, relinquishes her right of dower.

Halifax County tax lists:

1785: no Turpins [but Richard Carter was tithed; he may be Elizabeth Carter’s brother]

1786: Michael Turpin [Richard Carter was next door neighbor]

1787: Michael Turpin

         William Turpin

1788: Michael Turpin

         Obediah Turpin

1789: Michael Turpin & two sons [not named in the tax list]

         Obediah Turpin

1790: no Turpins

1791: no Turpins

1792: Michael Turpin

         Obediah Turpin

         John Turpin [appears for the first time]

1793: Michael Turpin

         Obediah Turpin

         John Turpin

         James Turpin [appears for the first time]

1794: Edith Turpin [Michael died ca. 1793/4]

         James Turpin

         John Turpin

1794  Halifax Co., VA, Will Bk 3, p. 96

Will of Michael Turpin of H, very sick and weak of body but of perfect mind,

To my wife Edith--all my stock and my household furniture and the land which lies the other side of the creek, during her natural life, and then to descend to my sons John and James. I also give my wife the mill and half the profit (the other half to son Obediah Turpin).

To my son Obediah Turpin--the remainder of the land. If the rent of the land does not pay for the land at the end of 4 years, then each of the boys before mentioned to pay equally what is due.

Executors: sons Obediah, John and James.

Signed--Michael (+his mark) Turpin. Wit--Allen Whitehead, Benjamin Clements, Josiah (+his mark) Shelton. The will of Michael Turpin dec'd was OR at H Court of Jan. 27, 1794.

Will Turpen in "Families of Rippey"

Will Turpen was the son of James Turpen and Janey (Nancy Jane) Carter, born in Virginia in 1790 and 1813 respectively.  He married the Louise Anne Turpin, the daughter of Robert Newton Turpin, referred to in this articles as "Uncle Nate". 

“Families of Rippey", 1990 reprint of the 1956 "History of Rippey”

Families of Rippey, published in 1956, pg. 107:

William Turpen was born January 20, 1844, in a log cabin in Owen County, near Spencer, Indiana, and died May 18, 1923, at his home near Rippey, Iowa. At the age of 20 he became possessed of he spirit of Greeley, "Go West, young man, go West". So he left Indiana by rail and made the trip as far as Keokuk, then traveled by stage coach to Des Moines. He started to make the rest of the way to Greene County on foot when he was overtaken by a stranger who kindly asked him to take a ride. This man proved to be "Uncle" Sammy Rhoad who was on his way from Des Moines, the nearest trading post at that time.

The first year in Greene County, William made his home with his uncle, Nate Turpen. His parents and brothers came to Washington Township the following year. With the exception of one year spent in Arkansas, Washington Township was always his home.

On March 10, 1869, he was united in marriage to Anna Turpen. To this union were born five children: James, Mary, Susie, Kate and Carrie. James died in infancy and Mary Turpen Thornley died November 24, 1895, one year after her marriage to Frank Thornley.

Susie married John Underwood and to this union were born two children, Walter and Bessie. Walter married Bertha Marks and they had two children, Beryl and Ruby. Beryl married Betty Willenen and their four children are Gari, Gretta, Linda and Billy. Ruby married Ronald Marshall and had one son, Rodney. She afterwards married Paul Metzler. (Rodney went by the Metzler name)

Bessie Underwood married Lew Martin of Rippey and now lives on the original Wm. Turpen farm 3 miles west of Rippey and is the third generation of Turpens to live on this farm. Their son, Dale Lewis Martin, gave his life in the service of his country in the attack on Pearl Harbor December 7, 1941. Kate Turpen never married and is now deceased.

Carrie Turpen married Orrie Thornburg of Rippey and they had six children; Mildred, Glen, Catherine, Raymond, Wilbur and Delmer. Glen married Reva Percell and they live in Dawson, Iowa. Catherine married Frank Cannon and they with their children, Francis and Virgene, live in Perry, Iowa. Raymond married Dorothy Alexander and they have no children. Wilber lost his life in Italy during the Second World War.

At his death Mr. Turpen owned 260 acres of well improved Washington Township land. Mr. Turpen paid for the first 80 acres of land he purchased by trapping prairie chickens and shipping them to the Chicago market. 

On July 2, 1925, Delmer Thornburg was drowned in the Raccoon River while in swimming with other boys. This tragedy took place in the Pleasant Hill vicinity near where the family lived at that time.

Remembrances of Robert Newton Turpin from "Families of Rippey"

These remembrances were passed on to the descendants of the Turpin Family living in Greene County, Iowa.  It provides us information about Newt and the family that can not be verified by primary sources.

“Families of Rippey", 1990 reprint of the 1956 "History of Rippey”

From page 106

Newton Turpen -- One of the earliest settlers of Washington Township, Greene county, Iowa, was the Newton Turpen family who settled here in 1855. Newton Turpen was born near Richmond, Virginia, June 10, 1821, and his wife, Elizabeth Lowry Turpen, was born there on January 13, 1823. They spent their youth near Richmond and were married at an early age. Early in her life Elizabeth’s father had become a slave holder, over the protests of his wife. Thus, Elizabeth, agreeing with her mother, was raised with a secret hatred of slavery.

After their marriage her dislike for slavery and her husband’s longing for a new country led them to decide to come west, so they packed their few possessions and came to Indiana by wagon train. Here they lived for some time before moving to Illinois. Not seeming to do as well financially as they wished, they again decided to move -- this time to Iowa. When their youngest child was three weeks old, they loaded their goods into wagons and set out. This was a long, hard journey, marked by the tragedy of Newton Turpen’s mother dying and being buried in a lonely grave by the wayside. They came by way of Des Moines, then a small fort, and on across country to Greene County where they built their first log house on the farm in northwest Washington Township. This farm is now owned by their granddaughter, Mrs. Ocy Dorris. Later Mr. Turpen bought a farm about a half a mile west and lived there. Besides breaking the prairie sod and farming, Newton Turpen served as blacksmith in the pioneer settlement. Mrs. Turpen spent long hours of the day at her loom weaving cloth from the wool they had taken from their own sheep. The children of the family spent many lonely days on the prairie guarding the sheep from he wolves that were always ready to prey upon them. It was not unusual for him to load what produce they might have to sell into the wagon and make the long overland trip to Des Moines to sell the produce and bring back supplies. Newton and Elizabeth Turpen raised a family of eight children, 7 daughters and one son.

The only son, Thomas Benton Turpen enlisted in the army when Lincoln called for volunteers in 1861. He was among 32 volunteers from Greene County. His brief military record on file in the State Adjutant General’s Office showed that he enlisted in Co. H., 10th Inf., Iowa Vol., August 23, 1861, was mustered into service September 7, and died of measles on December 25, 1861, on his 18th birthday. He was buried in the National Cemetery near Mound City, Illinois. Although the exact grave has not been found, officials state that he must have been buried in one of the many marked unknown. Elizabeth Lowery Turpen passed away January 26, 1872, and was buried in the Pleasant Hill Cemetery. Newton Turpen moved on west to Nebraska and was buried there.

Of this large family, only [Louise] Annie, who married Wm. Turpen, and Emmazetta, who married John Groves, remained in Washington Township to raise their families and spend their lives. The other daughters were: Margaret who married Wilson Van Horn, Sally [Sarah Jane] married Warfield Paul, [Mary] Amanda married Wm. Porter, [Nancy] Elizabeth married Joe Bell and Hannah [Catherine] married Douglas Bell.