A Dislike for Slavery and a Longing for a New Country

The recent emails with Rich Swearingen and a discussion about Goochey's claim that Newt Turpin might have been a "rebel sharpshooter" took me back into my early research files for this excerpt from a 1956 Greene County, Iowa publication. 

Their aversion to slavery, their residence in northern Iowa, and their son serving for the Union Army would point away from any rebel ties.  Newt was in his 40s during the Civil war and raising a large family. 

But Newt indeed may have had the skills of a sharpshooter.  After all, he survived a lot of frontier experiences.  In the case of Goochey, he just didn't expect his neighbor to walk over and shoot him with a musket. 

More on the “shooting affray” from Rich Swearingen

Louis Hiram Goochey

This weekend I had an email from a genealogist related to the Goochey family.  Newt Turpin was shot by Louis Goochey in 1893.  Rich Swearingen wanted to confirm which Louis Goochey was involved in the shooting.  See A Shooting Affray.

John Michael Turpin #14

As I go back through the various records trying to trace old John Turpin Sr. to his parents, it appears that his father could be Michael.  But there are SO MANY Turpins and they were all Michaels, Johns, James, Roberts, Henrys .... there are even multiple Obediahs.  (Obviously the Turpins LOVED FAMILY or else had no desire to be original. If my mother was any measure, it was surely that they LOVED FAMILY!)

Anyway, it makes my head spin after a few hours of reading records. I go around and around.  I wish Newt Turpin had left some record of what he knew about his family. I wish I could channel his spirit and ask three questions!

Since it appears neither of those wishes are to come true, I tend to look for signs to guide me through the evidence.  And John Michael could be a sign.  Could be.  His name would be the combination of Newt's father's and grandfather's names.  But why wait until your 14th child to commemorate your ancestors? 

Newt!  Are you out there?

I have not been in touch with John's family for quite a while.  But I collected quite a bit on them in the 1980s.  A synopsis is below.

John M. and Cora Turpin and family

John Michael Turpin was born in Nebraska on 6 March 1882 according to the Family Bible pages.  He was married on the 1st of July 1908 to Cora Ellen Hall.  Cora was the daughter of Henry Clay Hall and Mary Ellen “Molly” Murray.  Cora was a middle child in their large family.  Cora was born on 1 November 1889 in Fillmore County, Nebraska.

According to son John Harlan Turpin's obituary in the O'Neill, Nebraska newspaper, John and Cora had a family of 10 children:  Hazel Ester, Helen Edith, Hester Irene, Harold Clinton, Hope Lucille, Doris Elaine, Opal Genevieve, Marold Keneston, John Harlan, and Robert Dean.  Some of their descendants still live in the area of northern Nebraska.

John died 3 March 1945 in Bassett, NE. Cora died in 1965.

Susan Turpin, 13th Child

Susan "Susie" Turpin Brown

This is one of the heart-breaking stories in the Turpin family and I found myself procrastinating when it became Susan’s turn to have her story posted in the TurpinTraces blog. 

James Robert Turpin - Cloyd and Delbert’s Dad

James Robert Turpin

James Robert Turpin was the last of the Turpin children to be born in Iowa.  He was born 9 April 1877 and spent his first birthday in Nebraska as the family relocated. 

Not much is known about his youth, but at age 18 (a few years after his dad's death) James went to work at Carns in Keya Paha County, Nebraska in the A.O.U.W. (Ancient Order of United Workmen).  He was living at home in the 1900 census and his brother Charles and family are living next door.  In 1900, his father Newt Turpin was no longer alive and his mother Mary Ellen had not yet remarried.  James was listed as a farmer and I’m sure that at 23 years of age, he was helping his mother with the farming as she raised the family – there were six other kids living at home in 1900.