George Washington Turpen, #7

George is my favorite child in Jim and Janey’s family because he helped make one of the Turpin connections.  George's son Homer and my mother Letha met up in Iowa and looked for the tie our families.   What were the chances that the Turpens of Greene County, Iowa were NOT related to the Turpins of Greene County, Iowa?   How we were connected was the question. (I think the question is answered by recognizing Jim Turpen as the older brother of Robert Newton Turpin.)

George was the seventh child in his family. He was born 26 December 1856 in Owen County, Indiana.  Their part of the family had not yet left Indiana.  But we capture him in the 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, and 1930 censuses in Greene County, Iowa.  In the last census, he is living with his son Homer Turpen.

George married Mabel Davis on 30 June 1887.  George and Mabel farmed in Greene County. Their family included Clarence A., Pearl, Verna, Homer D., Gladys, and Florence. Homer Turpen had a son Duane R. Turpen of Kansas City, Missouri.  I have not followed up on the other children.

In the 1910 census, George’s mother Janey is still alive at age 94 and living with him.   The census listed her birth year as 1816.  Many censuses confirm that she was born a Virginian but the 1910 census leaves us with a question -- what does it say???

Janey Turpen's birthplace of Virginia is crossed out and replaced by...something.

George Turpen died 13 April 1932.  Mabel died a few years before in 1929.  George and Mabel are buried in the Pleasant Hill Cemetery where so many other Turpins were laid to rest.

Samuel Allan Turpin, the Sixth Child

Before I tell about Samuel, I want to point out something about the times in which Jim and Janey Turpen's family lived.  You'll notice that some of their children went to the west coast.  Samuel and his wife Lydia "stayed put" in Iowa.  Even Samuel's brother-in-law John Thornton moved west.  

Jim and Janey’s sixth child was Samuel Allan Turpin. Samuel was born 5 March, 1854 near Spencer, Owen County, Indiana.  He remembered moving to Iowa when he was seven years old.   He farmed southeast of Jefferson, Greene County, Iowa most of his life and was a well-respected citizen.  

Samuel married Lydia Jane Thornton on 7 February 1879.  Lydia was born and raised in Greene County, Iowa.  She was born 3 January 1857 to James and Jane Parker Thornton.

Samuel died 2 January 1927 shortly after the death of his older brother Henry W. Turpin of Fowler, California.  Lydia, Samuel’s widow, lived until 26 July 1950.  She had a brother who survived her, James Thornton of Walla Walla, Washington.

Samuel and Lydia were members of the Central Christian Church of Jefferson and after Samuel’s death Lydia gave the church a Moller pipe organ in his memory.  While they had no children, they were remembered in their obituaries in the Jefferson Bee newspaper.

Isaac Newton Turpen, 4th Child

Isaac was the fourth child of Jim and Janey Turpen.  Born in May 1847, he lived in Owen County for just a few years before the family left.  He probably had no recollection of what it was like there.  By age 22, the family had settled in Jefferson, Greene County, Iowa but Isaac did not stay long.  He was in Iowa in 1870 and by 1880 he was in the Unorganized Territory of Holt County, Nebraska, living near his Uncle Newt Turpin and the other Nebraska Turpins.  In the 1885 State Census of Nebraska, he had moved to Long Pine in Brown County, Nebraska.  That is west of Holt County.  Finally, Isaac landed in California.  He was listed in Fresno in the California Voter Registrations in 1896.

1896  - California Voter Registration with Isaac N. Turpen

Isaac spelled his last name both ways – Turpen and Turpin.  He normally used his middle initial, but not always. And he was not afraid to move on to new places.  It makes the search interesting, Isaac!

No marriage records have been found.  But by the time of the 1900 census, he is living with his wife Martha A. who was born in October 1868 in Nebraska.  They had been married about 10 years.  That marriage could have happened anywhere from Nebraska to California.  Martha was about 20 years younger than Isaac.  They had no children so there are no families saving Isaac and Martha's history. 

Isaac was engaged in farming and one of the censuses listed him as a fruit grower.  The 1901 Fresno City Directory listed him as an orchardist residing in Easton.  As early as 1911, the directory showed him residing on Effie Street with no occupation listed.    

Later in 1916, the directory still had him living on Effie Street.  He would have been 69 years old.  In 1916, Martha was listed in the Long Beach, California City Directory as a widow of I. N. Turpin living on 238 Elm Street.  That could mean that Isaac died that year and she relocated.  In 1918, she was back in Fresno on Effie Street.  Likewise in the 1920 census, Martha was living on Effie Street and listed as a widow aged 51.

After that both are gone.   I have not found Isaac or Martha in obituaries or cemetery listings.  

Luke Turpen, 3rd Child

Luke Turpen was the third child of Jim and Janey Turpen.   He was born in May 1848 in Indiana.  On 16 April 1871 he married Emily J. Babb, the oldest daughter of Valentine Servier Babb and Lydia Crumly.  Emily was born in Iowa in Dec 1847.  Both of Emily’s parents were born in Tennessee and came to Iowa before 1847.

Luke and Emily lived in Greene County, Iowa.  They farmed in the Squirrel Hollow area and put up ice from the Raccoon River during winters.

Luke and Emily had a daughter, Emily C, who was born about 1877 and died young. 

Emily died in 1924.  Luke died a few years later in 1927.  Both are buried in the Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Greene Co., IA.  Since there were no children surviving Luke and Emily, it makes you wonder if anyone has a photograph of them!  I have old photographs from the Turpin family with no names written on the backs to identify people.  

Location of Pleasant Hill Cemetery

James’ Children - Susa,1st Child

I plan to blog what I’ve found on the known children of James Turpen.  This is a first post on his children.

From the www.sweetowen.net website, Nancy Jane Carter -- is this Jim and Janey?

Susa was the first child of James and Janey (Carter).   Susa was probably born about 1838 and is indicated in the 1840 census records of Owen County, Indiana as a daughter less than five years of age.  She is a 12-year-old in the 1850 census.  Since James and Janey cannot be found in an 1860 census, when Susa would have been 22, she drops from sight in that big time gap of 20 years.  That presents a research challenge.

Her name appears once, on a single census so it could be misspelled or shortened by the census taker.  Susa could have died.  She might have gotten married in Owen County, Indiana or Greene County, Iowa but there doesn’t seem to be any clues in the marriage records.  We don’t know where the family lived in Arkansas but we might find traces of her there someday.  It's an open project!

James of course had a son before he married Janey Carter.  When he was married to Jane Mills in Virginia, they had a son.  Both Jane and son are gone from records after 1830.  The most likely explanation is death but this is another open project. 

James Turpen Summary

James was born about 1806 and could definitely be a child of John Turpin and brother to Newt Turpin.  He moved from Virginia to Indiana with John’s family, then from Indiana to Iowa with Newt’s family.  He and his children sometimes spelled their name with an “e” and sometimes with an “i” but it’s the same family.  Some descendants of this Turpen branch still live in the Rippey, Iowa area.

Jim’s tombstone says he was born in 1790 and died 6 Dec 1886.  It’s doubtful that James was born before 1800.  John and Elizabeth were married 1797.  Also, various census records estimate James’ birth in a number of different years but very likely he was born about 1806 in Halifax County, Virginia.  

Jim can be detected in the John Turpin household in Marseilles, Halifax County, Virginia in the 1820 census by his age – there is a son listed who is 10-16 years old.  In 1827, he married Jane Mills.  By 1830, he is listed as living next to John Turpin with his wife and a son under five years old.  At this point, Jim is 20-30 years old.  Within a few years, his wife Jane and his son appear to have died. I’ve found no death or cemetery records for Jane or the son. Then Jim and others in the family leave Virginia to settle in Owen County, Indiana sometime in the 1830s. 

In Owen County, Indiana, Jim met Jane Carter and they marry in 1837.  Nancy Jane Carter was born 10 Mar 1813 in Virginia. (I'm guessing that she ties into all the other Carters in the family.)  The 1840 census lists him as 30-40 years old, with his wife who is 20-30 years old, and a daughter under five years old.  By the time of the 1850 census, Jim’s family had grown with children Susa, William, Luke and Isaac N.  Janey’s mother, Sucky Carter also is living with them.  (Sookie, Suky is a nickname for Susan or Susanna.)

Now is when the Turpins begin to drift out of Owen County.  Newt Turpin goes to McLean County, Illinois and then on to Iowa.  Newt is in Greene County, Iowa in 1860 but Jim is not.  He isn’t on a census in 1860 (that I can find).  It’s said that around 1864 Jim and Janie moved from Indiana to Iowa, then to Arkansas in about 1869.  Three years later they returned to Rippey in Greene County, Iowa. However, Jim is listed in Greene County, Iowa in the 1870 census.  It seems the estimated years of James’ travels may be off by a few years but the details of where he went are probably accurate.  

Jim stayed in Greene County the rest of his life.  He and Janey added Henry, Samuel, George, and John to their family.   Jim died 6 Dec 1886  and Janey died 23 May 1910.  Both are buried in Greene County, Iowa.  Janey’s tombstone has her name engraved as Nancy J. Turpen.

R. N. Terpin and Mary L. Lenord Marriage

I was looking at Turpin marriages this week after cousin Dennis Bell shared a great find.  He was researching in FamilySearch and came across an Iowa marriage index that now contains something that we've been wanting -- evidence of R.N. Turpin's marriage in Pottawattamie County, Iowa.

Here’s the story:

Newt Turpin’s first wife Sarah died suddenly in 1872 after being ill for only 42 hours.  Newt and Sarah had nine children together, most of them grown by the time of her death.  Three young daughters remained at home:  Emma Zetta, Nancy, and Hannah.   Sarah is buried in the Pleasant Hill Cemetery which is northwest of Rippey, Greene County, Iowa. 

Mary Ellen Leonard’s family moved to Hardin Township, Greene County, Iowa sometime between 1870 and 1873.  They had lived in Grafton County, New Hampshire and in Cedar County, Iowa.  Her father was employed as a railroad worker and a farm laborer.  After living in Greene County just a short time, the 17-year-old Mary Ellen met Newt Turpin who was about 52 years old and raising his three youngest daughters.

On September 16, 1873 Mary Ellen and Newt married according to Pottawattamie County, Iowa marriage records.  The marriage records list them as R. N. Terpin and Mary L. Lenord.   The marriage is recorded in the family Bible and according to family they were married by Justice of the Peace Washallkey.  

Turpin Family Bible Record

It appears Newt and Mary Ellen remained in Greene County or at least in Iowa for more than a few years after their marriage.  Mary Ellen gave birth to her first three children in Iowa.   Francis, their first, was born in 1874.  Their third child, James, was born in Iowa in April 1877.

Going back to Newt’s first marriage with Sarah Elizabeth Lowery, their marriage record is found in the Owen County, Indiana records:  Robert Newton Turpin to Sarah Elizabeth Lowery, 1 May 1842.  He would have been 21 years old then.  Newt was born in Virginia in 1821, so we can place the Turpin family’s arrival in Indiana between his birth in 1821 and 1839 when Elizabeth bought their land.

As for Newt’s father, there is a marriage bonds record for a John Turpin and Elizabeth Carter in Halifax County, Virginia dated 27 February 1797.  A History of Halifax County (Virginia) by Wirt Johnson Carrington shows the actual marriage taking place 8 March 1797 or 8 March 1798.  

See also TurpinTraces, 11 December 2011 for more about Mary Ellen: http://turpintraces.blogspot.com/2011/12/mary-ellen-leonard.html

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.

James Turpen Family

In previous posts, I have mentioned another Turpin who seemed to migrate with my great great grandfather John Turpin.  John and James are in Halifax County, Virginia and Owen County, Indiana.  After John died, John’s son Robert Newton “Newt” Turpin and James move to Greene County, Iowa. This family used an “e” instead of an “I” in their surname frequently.  

Here is an outline of what I’ve learned about James’ family.   

James TURPEN

Born:   6 April 1790   in Virginia

Marr:   2 Feb 1837    

Died:   6 Dec 1886  

Bur:     Greene Co., IA 

married

Nancy Jane CARTER (known as Janey)

Born:   10 Mar 1813, in Virginia

Died:   23 May 1910   Greene County, IA 

Bur:     Greene Co., IA 

Their children:

1. Susa TURPEN, born about 1838 IN

2. William TURPEN, born 1844 IN and married Newt's daughter Louise Ann Turpin

3. Luke born 1848 IN and married Emily Babb 

4. Isaac Newton TURPEN, born about 1848 in IN.  Followed Turpins to Nebraska

5. Henry Watson TURPEN, born about 1852 IN married Emily Marie "Emma" Bennett

6. Samuel Allan TURPEN, born Mar 1853 IN, married Lydia Jane Thornton

7. George Washington TURPEN, born 26 Dec 1856 IN, married Mabel Davis 

8  John TURPEN

James and Janey are supposedly buried in Pleasant Hill Cemetery, however Find-a-Grave does not list them.  I may need to revisit that topic to see if I can locate them.  

Warfield and Sarah Paul Obituaries from Jan Hensley

Sarah Jane Turpin Paul tombstone in Franklin Twp Cemetery of Greene County, IA

Warfield Paul tombstone in Franklin Twp Cemetery of Greene County, IA

Warfield Paul's Life
Exemplary Citizen is Gone
End Comes After Week's Severe Illness at His Home in Jefferson on Wednesday

Warfield Paul, resident of Greene county for about seventy years, died at his home shortly after six o'clock last Wednesday evening. He had been seriously ill for about a week with diseases incident to old age. The funeral was held on Friday, with services at the M. E. church in Cooper at 2 o'clock, conducted by Rev. Swick, of Jefferson. Interment in the Cooper cemetery.

Warfield Paul was a native of Old Virginia, having been born on August 7, 1851, and passed away at his home in Jefferson January 23, 1929, having lived more than 77 years.

His mother died when he was a baby, and he was raised by his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Hall. They moved west and settled a mile southwest of Rippey when Warfield was a small boy.  Mr. and Mrs. Hall were the parents of J. B. Hall, or "Brown" Hall, as he was familiarly known in later years, Mrs. H. R. Myers and Mrs. Philip Lock, former residents of Green county, were aunts of Mr. Paul.

He was married on December 22, 1871, to Miss Sarah Turpin, who was a daughter of Newt Turpin, one of Greene county's early residents. They went to housekeeping on a farm about a mile west of what was formerly the Brand school house in west Washington township. With the exception of one year they resided in Nebraska, in the late "seventies," all their married life was spent in Greene county.

To them were born four children, one of whom died in infancy. The surviving children are: Mrs. Ella Paul Morden and John Paul, both of Jefferson and Dolly Paul Wiggins, of Cooper.

Owing to failing health Mr. and Mrs. Paul moved to Jefferson eight years ago. Here they have formed a highly honored part of Jefferson's citizenship. Mr. Paul became a member of the United Brethren church 42 years ago, having joined that body during the pastorate of Rev. Hicks, who conducted services at the Union school house, east of Cooper. He remained devoted to the beliefs and ideals as taught in the Holy Bible, and his life has been an exemplification of his faith. He was careful in speech, quiet in demeanor, never given to anger, and to know him was to be his warm friend. He made it his daily duty to be honorable in all his dealings, faithful to friends and to his God, and leaving to earth a record for devotion and service that is rarely equalled. He never held public office, but did his part as a man and citizen to make the world a better place to live in. He was a member of the Modern Woodman lodge, and the members of this order, together with countless, friends, and also those near and dear to him, now sorrow deeply at his passing.

He is survived by his wife, and his children mentioned above, and 23 grand children and great grand children.

Jefferson Bee, January 30, 1929, Page 1

Death of Mrs. W. Paul
Occurred at Home Saturday

Highly Respected Lady Answers Final
Summons After Long Illness,—
Funeral Held Monday.

Mrs. Warfield Paul, one of the community's oldest and most highly respected citizens died at her home in this city Saturday afternoon from illness incident to her advanced age.  Services were held at the Methodist church in Cooper Monday afternoon in charge of Rev. W. J. Fowler of Jefferson.  Burial was in the Franklin township cemetery.

Sarah Jane Turprn, daughter of Newton and Elizabeth Turpen, was born October 9, 1848, in Indiana. She come to Greene county, Iowa, at the age of six years and has made this county her home since that time with the exception of one year spent in Nebraska.

On December 22, 1871, she was married to Warfield Paul. They went to housekeeping on a farm a mile west of what was formerly the Brand school house in west Washington township, To Mr. and Mrs, Paul were born four children, one of whom died in infancy.  The surviving are Mrs. Ella Morden and John Paul, both of Jefferson, and Mrs. Dolly Wiggins of Cooper.

Mr. and Mrs. Paul moved to Jefferson fourteen years ago, where Mr. Paul preceded his wife in death on January 23, 1929. Mrs. Paul was a member of the United Brethren church, having united with that faith in Cooper in young womanhood. She leaves suriving her three children, twelve grandchildren, fifteen great grandchildren besides other relatives and many friends.

Jefferson Bee, March 5, 1935, Page 1.

Turpin Land Records in Owen County, Indiana

Back in an October 2011 blog, I mentioned the relationship of John and James Turpin.  

I’m sure they are related but I don’t have original documents that say what the relationship is.  One source that is a compiled history of some Virginia families states they are brothers but provides no evidence.  But John and James stick together over the years.   They are listed next to each other as Heads of Households in the 1830 Halifax County, Virginia Census.  They show up in the 1840 and 1850 Census in Owen County, Indiana.   After John’s death, his son Robert Newton Turpin and James Turpin both moved to Greene County, Iowa.  That is where James died and is buried, but Newt Turpin moved on to Nebraska.

The property where John and James lived in Indiana is on adjacent land south of the town of Spencer.  There are patents for these pieces of land, digital copies of which can be found at the Bureau of Land Management’s website with General Land Office records:  http://www.glorecords.blm.gov.  (If you have not used this website for genealogical research, it's quite useful -- take a look at it.) 

John lived on land that was patented by his wife Elizabeth, specifically from the 2nd Prime Meridian, Township 9 North Range 3 West,  SW 1/4 NW1/4 of Section 5.  James' land was Township 9 North Range 3 West, NW 1/4 NW1/4 of Section 5.

They were next door neighbors in Indiana just like they were in Virginia. 

Elizabeth Turpin's Land Patent in Indiana in 1839

James Turpin's Land Patent in Indiana in 1852

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. 

Thank You Julie!

This is a good way to end the year--a photo of some of the sisters in the first Robert Newton Turpin family.

A big thanks to Julie Gerren, another Turpin researcher, who remembered she had an old photo of these ladies. This picture is probably taken between 1926-1935.

Noted on the back -- left to right:  Emma Zetta, Sarah Jane, and Hannah Catherine

Emma Zetta (#7) 1858-1936 
Born in Greene County, Iowa.  She married John Abraham Groves.  

Sarah Jane (#3) 1848-1935
Born in Owen County, Indiana. She married Warfield Paul.

Hannah Catherine (#9) 1864-April 1939
Born in Greene County, Iowa.  She married Douglas Bell.

In trying to calculate when this photo was taken, it helps to know that sisters Margaret Golden (#2) died in 1926, Martha Ellen (#4) died as an infant, Louise Anne (#5) died in 1880, Mary Amanda (#6) in 1912.  Nancy Elizabeth (#8) lived until December 1939 but is not in the photo; perhaps too ill to get together with the rest of the sisters. 

Julia Turpin Jurges

Julia Turpin Jurges

Julia was another of the Iowa-born children in Robert Newton Turpin’s second family.  She was born 11 October 1875 in Grand Junction, Greene County, Iowa per her own handwritten notes.  Her obituary claims that the town of Jefferson is where Julia was born. 

Julia married a young German immigrant, Charles Jurges, on 15 March 1899 according to Rock County, Nebraska marriage records.  Charles was born 15 March 1876 in Hamburg, Germany, the son of Frederick H. Jurges and Johanna Wilhelmina Louisa Ilsemann according to German emigration records and his marriage record. Charles immigrated in 1892. He would have been about 17 years old. 

Mary Ellen Leonard

Mary Ellen Leonard Turpin

Back to Newt Turpin’s family…  

Newt and Sarah had a family of nine children and we understand from family tradition that Sarah died suddenly in 1872 after being ill for only 42 hours.  At the time of her death, most of the Turpin children were grown.  Several had died and only three daughters remained at home:  Emma Zetta, Nancy, and Hannah.  Sarah is buried in the Pleasant Hill Cemetery northwest of Rippey, Greene County, Iowa. 

The story then strays into a soggy research area….it says that Newt and Mary Ellen Leonard got married in Pottawattamie County, Iowa by Justice of the Peace Washallkey on September 16, 1873.   No records exist for that marriage or a Justice with that name.  And why would they get married in Pottawattamie County, across the Missouri River from Nebraska, instead of in Greene County?  But I don’t see a marriage record in Greene County either.

#9 Hannah Catherine Turpin - Another Adventurer

Hannah Catherine
Turpin Bell

Hannah Catherine Turpin was the youngest child born to Sarah Elizabeth Lowery Turpin and Robert Newton Turpin.  

We are so fortunate that Hannah left her story for others to read. She chronicled her pioneering adventures for the Williston Daily Herald and it is an amazing story.  It reminds us that we need to write our own stories to share with others in the family. Of course Hannah’s example could intimidate us into wondering what anyone would find fascinating about our own lives.  But don’t you think that Hannah was a bit like us though?  She probably thought her own life was somewhat normal…until the newspaper wanted to do a story on her.

Hannah was born 25 December 1864 in Greene County, Iowa.  She arrived in Nebraska with her father and step-mother.  Her step-mother was almost the same age as she was.  Soon after coming to Nebraska, she married Douglas Bell.  I have the marriage date as Oct 12, 1880 and the marriage records should be in Holt County, Nebraska.  I found Nancy and Joe’s marriage but not this one.

#8 -- Nancy the Adventurous Daughter

Nancy Elizabeth Turpin was born 25 February 1861 in Greene County, Iowa.  Nancy was one of the daughters who moved to northern Nebraska with her father Newt Turpin and his new wife Mary Ellen Leonard.  

Nancy and her younger sister Hannah were married on 12 Oct 1880 -- just a few years after arriving in Nebraska.  Nancy married Joe Bell; Hannah Catherine married Douglas Bell, Joe's brother. Like Nancy and Hannah, the Bell brothers had Iowa roots.  

The sisters and their husbands soon moved to Williston, North Dakota.  The first to head towards the Dakota territories was the father-in-law Jacob Bell and his son Bent. They were looking for land and hunting buffalo.  Then it seems Hannah and Douglas followed.  Eventually Nancy and Joe must have joined them. 

Sixth Child Mary Amanda Turpin – A Nebraska Pioneer

Robert Newton Turpin arrived in Nebraska in April 1878 and settled in what is now Rock County, Nebraska.  However one of his daughters, Mary Amanda Turpin Porter, arrived earlier!  Known as Amanda, she was born on 14 Oct 1855 while the Turpins were still in McLean County, Illinois.1 

Amanda was the sixth child.  According to the marriage records, she married 25 October 1871 in Greene County, Iowa “on consent of Mary's mother” to William Cassius Porter.2  The Porter had eight children:  Charles A. Porter, Josephine Amanda Porter Mahoney, Leona A. Porter Howard, Frederick A. Porter, Louisa I. Porter Converse, Mary E. Porter Holmes, William E. Porter, and Daniel O. Porter.3

Louise Anne “Anna” Turpin, Fifth Child

Anna Turpin was born 25 Dec 1852 in Illinois (or Indiana according to the 1856 Iowa Census).  At a young age, she married Will Turpen who was about 25 years old.  They married 10 March 1868 in Greene County, Iowa.

When Will first came to Greene County from Owen County, Indiana, he reportedly lived with his Uncle Nate.  I believe Uncle Nate is actually Newt.  Robert Newton Turpin was known as Newt -- many in the Turpin family were known by their middle name or a nickname. 

Will is almost definitely the son of  Jim Turpen and his wife Nancy Jane Carter who followed the Turpin clan from Owen County, Indiana to Greene County, Iowa.  Their son Will was born in 1844.  Anna's husband Will would have been born approximately 1843-44.  This would make Anna and Will first cousins.

Iowa 10th Infantry Regiment, Company H

Using ancestry.com’s American Civil War Regiments records, I did some follow-up research on the regiment Thomas Benton Turpin joined. That set of records consists of four sections: regiment records, soldiers, battle histories, and officer records.

Thomas only served a few months before he died however I wanted to check to see who else might have enlisted with him.

After searching for the Iowa 10th Infantry Regiment, I reviewed the three year history of the regiment. I see that 10 companies were mustered in during September and October.

“The regiment received its equipment at St. Louis and moved to Cape Girardeau, where it went into camp. In early November it was ordered to Bloomfield to drive out Jeff Thompson's force, but found it gone on its arrival. Taking possession of a large amount of property left by Thompson, it returned to Cape Girardeau, and in December went into winter quarters at Bird's Point.”