Virginia Records for James Turpin (brother of John Turpin)

This is from Anne Washburn of North Carolina.  Anne has researched the tax records from the time period our Turpins were in Halifax County, Virginia.   The following is information for James (the elder who is a brother of our John Turpin, not the younger one who is the son).  Thank you Anne! 

1796

Halifax Co., VA, Deed Bk 16, p. 632, Jun 24, 1796 from James Tirpin [Turpin] to Robert D. Milner, both of H, for 10 lbs 10 shillings, about 7 acres in H on Sandy Cr near the Mouth, and bounded by James Powell's gate on the New Sandy Creek Rd, sd Robert D. Milner, sd Powel's Tobacco ground below sd Powels Spring. 

Signed--James Tirpin. Wit: J. Eastham, Reuben Smith [brother-in-law of James Turpin], Benjamin Clements, Elisha (x his mark) Towlin. Recorded Jun 27, 1796.

1801

Halifax Co., VA, Deed Bk 19, pp. 159-60, 6 Oct 1801, James Turpin to James Smith, for 50 pounds current money…lying in Sandy Creek…devised by John Turpin and the same James Turpin jointly in and by the Last Will and Testament of their deceased father Michael Turpin…

p. 160, James Turpin…for the consideration of two hundred and sixty pounds current money to me in hand paid have this day bargained and sold unto James Smith of said County & state the following property to wit, one bay stud horse, one wagon & five horses, one white, one sorrel & three bays, and one negro girl named Amy, the right of which said property I, the said James Turpin, do bind myself, my heirs, etc., to warrant and forever defend unto the said James Smith his heirs and assigns forever. In witness whereof I the said James Turpin have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this sixth day of October one thousand eight hundred and one. 

Ack’d in presence of Arm’d Watlingotn Jr., Henson Hardy, Samuel Williams. 

At a Court held of Halifax County, the 26th day of October 1801. The within written Bill of Sale was proved by the oaths of three witnesses thereto subscribed to be the act and deed of the within named James Turpin party thereto & ordered to be recorded. 

Teste John Wimbish C.H.C. Truly recorded Berryman Green D.C.H.C.

From Anne:  James Turpin sold his land and all personal possessions to (likely) his brother-in-law, James Smith (as opposed to his father-in-law who died the next year). No mention of Mary being examined privily to confirm willingness to sell, relinquishing dower, etc. Elizabeth Carter Turpin was routinely party to her husband’s legal actions. Notice that this was a Bill of Sale and not the Deed of Trust (mortgage) that James (the younger and probably the son of our John Turpin) & Jincy [his wife Jane Mills] executed later in 1829. The older James started selling off land he inherited from his father almost as soon as he got it. Selling off everything usually indicated that the person was moving away, often west. But, James was mentioned in a land dispute arising after the death of James Powell. James Powell and Polly Turpin were married in 1788 and Obadiah Turpin was the bondsman. 

1802

Halifax Co. Pleas no. 22, p. 124, David Tucker v. James Turpin, James Smith & Polly Powell, widow of James Powell dec’d, John, Joshua, Cary & Polly infants under 20 and children of said James Powell, Nov. Ct 1802...land dispute.

  

And of course, he was also mentioned with wife Mary in the 1802 estate settlement of her father, James Smith Sr. That doesn’t necessarily mean that Mary was still alive OR that he was still in VA. However, “a” James Turpin appeared in the tax records, on and off, until 1812.  I think these earlier records were James brother of John. 

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.