John and James

In the previous post, I included a clip of the 1830 Halifax Co., VA census showing John Turpin and James Turpin recorded next to each other.   John was 50-60 years of age with a wife and family.  James was 20-30 years of age with a wife and a son under age 5.

John and James can be traced through 3 censuses – 30 years.  The ages are consistent.  The families are generally consistent.  Besides a marriage record for a John Turpin and Elizabeth Carter in Halifax County, Virginia, this is the best evidence I have to tie our Turpins to Halifax and to tie John Turpin to James Turpin/Turpen.  It’s indirect evidence but it seems fairly solid.

In the 1840 Owen Co., IN census shown below, John and James are recorded next to each other.  John Turpin is now 60-70 years of age and his wife has also aged 10 years.  Others in the family:

Males

1              15-20

1              20-30

1              30-40

Females

1              <5

1              20-30

James is now 30-40 years of age and his wife has also aged 10 years.   The census shows a single male child under the age of 5. 

1840 Owen County, Indiana Census

In the 1850 Owen Co., IN census shown below, John Turpin Sr. has died.  John Jr. is living with his 75-year-old mother Elizabeth Turpin.  Robert Newton Turpin is living nearby with his family as is James Turpin and family.  James is 44 years old and his wife is 33.

1850 Owen County, Indiana Census

James lived until 1886 and is buried in Pleasant Hill Cemetery in Greene County, Iowa.

I am so anxious to find some sort of confirmation of how John and James are related.  They could be brothers, cousins, or uncle-nephew.  They could be father and son.

Jim’s second son William Turpen (1844 IN–1923 IA) married Louise Anne Turpin (1850s IN–1880 IA), the daughter of Robert Newton Turpin on 10 March 1868 in Greene County.  Supposedly when Will first came to Greene County from Owen County, Indiana, he lived with his Uncle Nate.  I think Uncle Nate might have actually been Newt.  It was said that Anna and Will were first cousins. I don't know how reliable that information is or if the source was speaking in specific or generic terms in the use of the terms uncle and cousin.  If Newt was truly Will's uncle and Louise and Will truly were first cousins, that would make Jim and John Turpin brothers.