The Long Line

1870s Nebraska with unorganized territory

This week's challenge for 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks is "Long Line."  For the Turpin family, the Long Line is one drawn on a map of the United States, stretching from Virginia to Nebraska and then beyond.  

My great grandfather Newt Turpin (Robert Newton Turpin) hailed from Halifax County, Virginia.  He was born there in 1821 when the Louisiana Purchase and the expedition of Lewis and Clark could have been considered “old news” by many.  Yet America was still a nation composed of unconnected pieces.  Linking the colonial settlements to that newly added area was a huge challenge for a number of reasons.  But people moved west regardless of the challenges.  It is estimated that a million citizens left Virginia for new territory after the Revolution and before the Civil War.  Our Turpin family was among them and their journeys were long.

The mountains were difficult. The frontier was hazardous. The roads were few. At that point in time several routes to the Ohio River existed along the lines of the old Indian paths.  Some were considered roads.  But simply put, moving a family over the mountains and out into the new lands was problematic and wrought with danger.  Usually a family’s supplies and cherished items traveled in the wagon. The family walked along side or rode horses if they had them. Perhaps they took a flatboat part of the way. How many miles a day could a family travel?  How many wild rivers had to be crossed?  How many times would a wagon break down or a horse go lame?  How many encounters did people have with wild animals or the indigenous people?  

Before Newt was born, several Turpin families had made their way to homes in Owen County, Indiana. Obediah and his son Thomas’s family show up in the 1820 census. Newt’s parents, John and Elizabeth, came along later -- by the time the 1830 census was taken. So, Newt was a very young child when he made the journey from Virginia.

In the 1850s, Newt and his family headed to into Illinois. Newt’s sixth child Mary Amanda Turpin Porter was born there in 1855.  By 1858, they were in Greene County, Iowa where Emma Zetta Turpin Groves, their seventh child, was born.

After the death of Newt’s wife Sarah Elizabeth Lowery in 1872, Newt married Mary Ellen Leonard.  This is when Newt “pulled up stakes” again and headed further down the line to Nebraska. The grown children in the family stayed in Iowa. The young daughters joined the journey west. 

At the age of 51, Newt had moved halfway across the continent, crossing frontier land by horse and wagon. He had to be an incredibly strong, resilient, and hopeful person to face all those new horizons.  Life had to be easier in Virginia. You could always rely on a neighbor to find out how something was done. In Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, and Nebraska there were few neighbors. No one to ask!

One of Newt’s youngest daughters, Lettie, moved to California as a young woman. I feel confident in saying she probably went by train. That journey was probably much easier than her father’s many treks.  All the same, Lettie covered the second half of the North American continent that her father did not get to experience.  

Few stories were handed down through the generations of the Turpin family.  Most of what we know has been reconstructed piece by piece from documents left behind. We don’t know the ins and outs of their travels so for that reason I would love to go back in time and experience a day or so of each of those journeys Newt Turpin took.  One with young Newt and his parents crossing the Appalachian Mountains.  One crossing the Wabash River with Sarah and the children.  Another crossing the Mississippi River and traveling through Iowa. And finally, the with Mary Ellen trip crossing the Missouri and heading into the Unorganized Territory of Nebraska.

Leta Turpin John Alfreds Marriage

Leta Arvilia Turpin Alfreds

Leta Turpin was one of Robert Newton Turpin's younger daughters, born 11 February 1888. See my 25 February 2012 post.  Cousin Dennis Bell, who knew Leta, has found her marriage record.

Council Bluffs, Iowa Marriage Book

The transcription:

groom's name: John O. Alfreds

groom's birth date: 1886

groom's birthplace: Nebr.

groom's age: 24

bride's name: Leta Turpin

bride's birth date: 1888

bride's birthplace: Nebr.

bride's age: 22

marriage date: 15 Sep 1910

marriage place: Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie, Iowa

groom's father's name: Nelson Alfreds

groom's mother's name: Ellen Johnson

bride's father's name: Newton Turpin

bride's mother's name: Mary Leonard

groom's race: White

groom's marital status: Unknown

groom's previous wife's name:

bride's race: White

bride's marital status: Single

bride's previous husband's name:

indexing project (batch) number: M02660-0

system origin: Iowa-EASy

source film number: 1476866

reference number: rn 19892 p 145

Will of Michael Turpin of Halifax County

From the Reynold Friends and Families PA to VA and All Point Beyond website:

Michael Turpin was the father of John Turpin, Sr. and the grandfather of Robert Newton Turpin. 

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.

Goochey Acquittal

Revisiting the matter of the murder of Newt Turpin (see http://turpintraces.blogspot.com/2012/02/no-remorse.html), I have searched for evidence that Judge Moses Kinkaid acquitted Louis Goochey in a second trial. Thanks to a genealogy friend, Susan Petersen, who this weekend posted a link to some digitized Nebraska Newspapers (see nebnewspapers.unl.edu) and I found a reference to the real story in the Omaha Daily Bee, November 26, 1895, Page 5.

The presiding judge was Judge Barlow, not Judge Kinkaid. In the article, the murderer's name was spelled as Goochy, not Goochey.  And the article was in the Omaha Bee but not found in the local papers, perhaps due to the fact some of those volumes did not survive the years. If one just keeps looking, sometimes things finally show up!

Anyway, we can verify that the second case resulted in an acquittal. The original conviction was for manslaughter. It was shown that one of the jurors was disqualified and Goochey deserved a new trial. The theory of the defense was that the killing was excusable on grounds of self-defense. The jury was out for 70 hours but could not agree.  

All families have a bit of folklore develop through the years, with embellishments added where appropriate to make it a good tale.  And it's a challenge to track down the facts to verify them. This is not quite the same story as was told.  Definitely a bit more dull.  It's the exciting stories that drive genealogists sometimes.  

But, another question resolved!

William Turpen, 2nd Child

I skipped over William Turpen, the second child of Jim and Janey Turpen.   He is discussed in a previous blog post: 
http://turpintraces.blogspot.com/2011/11/louise-anne-anna-turpin-fifth-child.html

William Turpen married Louise Anne (Anna) Turpin who was Newt Turpin's daughter and William's cousin.  

They had five children: 

James N. (b. 1870 IA), Mary (b. 1873 IA), Susan E. (b. @1875 IA), Katherine “Kate” (b. @ 1877 IA), and Carrie B. (b. 1880 IA). 

Anna died in 1880, perhaps in childbirth.  This left Will with the difficult task of raising small children.  He remarried 9 August 1887 to Mary A. Edwards.  Anna is buried in the Pleasant Hill Cemetery in Greene County, Iowa.  Will died in 1923.

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.  

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.

Who is James Turpin/Turpen of Owen County, Indiana?

The Turpin family members were the ultimate recyclers.  Few names were used only once, but rather they keep coming back over and over, used sometimes in multiples.  James is one of those names.  The Turpins loved their Jameses.  If you mix that with unreliable dates in documents, it’s the perfect recipe for a genealogist’s headache.

Early Setters of Tidewater Virginia, Volume 3 compiled by Elise Greenup Jourdan shows that Michael and Edith Turpin had sons named Obediah, John, and James.  And we have Turpins in Owen County, Indiana named Obediah, John, and James who hailed from Virginia.  That would appear to be a good fit.  But the Indiana James does not usually match the Virginia James profile.  He is on the edges of the age range for being a brother of Obediah and John and a son of Edith.  

Obediah was probably born about 1761.  John was born about 1770.  James was born 1792 or 1798 or 1806 or 1820 depending on which record you are reading.  Here is the James information formatted into a timeline. 

Does he look like a brother to Obediah and John or a son of John?   I am tempted to split this timeline.  The events before 1820 are the James who is Michael’s son.  The events starting in 1820 could be a son of John who is Michael’s son.  I’ve found no direct evidence to support this idea but this timeline sort of points that way.  Thoughts?

Michael Turpin

I will be posting some of the information I've collected on James Turpen and his family.  But to start with, I wanted to share some information from Early Settlers of Tidewater Virginia, Volume 3 by Elise Greenup Jourdan.  It will serve as a preface to James' family stories.

In a previous post I mentioned that Obediah, John, and James were sons of Michael Turpin: http://turpintraces.blogspot.com/search/label/Edith%20Turpin  Here is that information:

Michael Turpin d. 1794 Halifax Co; m. Edith ?.  His children were:

   Obediah Turpin
   James Turpin m. 12 Nov 1794 Halifax Co. Polly Smith; daughter of James Smith
   John Turpin; m. 8 Mar 1797 Elizabeth Carter
   Mary (Polly) Turpin; m. 16 June 1788 Halifax Co. James Powell; 
                                                                                    sur. Obediah Turpin

The James listed in the Jourdan book only loosely fits the profile of James who was born in Halifax County and moved to Owen County, Indiana with our branch of the Turpins. It is entirely possible that (Robert Newton Turpin's father) John Turpin had a brother AND a son named James.  At this point, I have not made up my mind as there are good arguments for both scenarios.   

More to come...

1880 Agriculture Census for the Unorganized Territories of Nebraska

This census was an additional, non-population census taken in 1880. This particular one gives us some insight into the inhabitants of the future Rock County, Nebraska and what their lives were like.  We find Newt settling in quite nicely:

Robert N. Turpin is on Page 2 of Enumeration District 191.   He owns his lands and has tilled 10 acres.  Additionally, he has a horse, 2 mules, 6 milch cows, 10 other cows, and 15 swine.  He made 140 pounds of butter in 1979.

1880 Ag Census for Nebraska, Unorganized Territory, Enumeration Dist 191, Page 2

Just a few years after arriving in Nebraska, we can see other puzzle pieces coming into place.  Others in the area with familiar names are:

S. A. Douglas Bell (same as the Douglas Bell who is husband of Newt Turpin’s daughter Hannah Catherine Turpin)

Joseph Bell (husband of Newt Turpin’s daughter Nancy Elizabeth Turpin)

Wharfield Paul (husband of Newt Turpin’s daughter Sarah Jane Turpin)

Issac N Turpin (James Turpen’s son and Newt’s nephew)

Samuel Turpin (James Turpen’s son and Newt’s nephew)

Chipman Robeson (Chipman H. Robinson, known as Chippewa.  He was another early setter on the Niobrara.  He was an Ohioan who moved to Greene County, Iowa and then to Nebraska.  He eventually returned to Greene County, Iowa per the Iowa 1895 State Census.)

See also:  “1878” blog entry for October 2011:  http://turpintraces.blogspot.com/2011/10/1878.html

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

Turpin Descendants in Williston, North Dakota 1930

Thanks to Dennis Bell for another contribution to the Turpin files. Here is the 1930 census record for Nancy Elizabeth Turpin and her husband Joseph Bell. Nancy was the 8th child of Robert Newton Turpin and Sarah Elizabeth Lowery.  She was mentioned back in a blog on November 28, 2011.  

1930 Census Listing for Nancy Elizabeth Turpin Bell, Williston, ND

In 1930 Joseph Bell and Lizzie lived in Williston, Williams County, North Dakota.  There are no descendants of this branch of the family as their only son Robert died from a gun accident.  Interestingly, living next door was their nephew Oscar Bell, wife May, and their son Raymond.  Oscar was the son of Hannah Catherine Turpin (child #9) and husband Stephen Douglas Bell.

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.

Why Halifax County, Virginia?

Most of everything I was told or had read indicated that Robert Newton Turpin came from Richmond, Virginia or just Virginia. There are Turpins in Richmond but nothing that I can connect to Robert Newton Turpin specifically.   No one in the family ever mentioned Halifax County and I find nothing for Robert Newton Turpin that traces back to Halifax County.   

Through my research, I found suggestions that stepped me back to Halifax County.  Since I have no single document to prove the connection, listing those clues is important.     
In the 1850 census of Owen County, Indiana, I found Robert Newton Turpin living next to his mother, Elizabeth, and brother, John Turpin. They lived a few dwellings away from the James Turpen family. In a land transfer document dated 19th November 1840, I found the clues to make those family associations.  

John and Elizabeth's Land Transfer - 1840

The document from the Owen County, Indiana county recorder states that John Turpin and his wife Elizabeth grant their land to Mary, Robert N. and Henry W. Turpin taking into consideration that these three will care for John and Elizabeth and their son, John Jr. who is "partially incapable of procuring" a living for himself.  The land involved was the Southwest quarter of the Northwest quarter of Section 5, Township 9-N and Range 3-W which Elizabeth purchased in 1839 (see my May 2012 blog post). It was located in the southeast area of Owen County, along the northern border of Clay Township and just south the White River and the town of Spencer.  It could be assumed from this document that Mary, Robert N. “Newt”, and Henry are John and Elizabeth’s children.  John Jr. is an older child and a brother to Mary, Newt, and Henry.  

Owen County marriage records provide a wealth of information on the Turpins and using cluster research techniques, it’s possible to trace many of the Turpin in-laws and other Owen County residents back to Halifax County, Virginia.  

John (born about 1770) and James (born 1790) both live in Owen County in 1840 according to the 1840 census. On both the 1840 and 1850 censuses we see a flurry of surnames that are found in Halifax County, Virginia such as Arnold, Carter, Dunn, Franklin, Lowery, and Mills.

Before 1840, James and John can be found in Halifax County.  They are there in the 1820 and 1830 censuses.  Their ages match.  In 1820, that particular page of the census also shows Carters, Franklins, and Mills.  Going to other Halifax county records of the time period, one finds Arnolds, Carters, Dunns, Franklins, Lowerys, and Mills.  

The Halifax County, Virginia marriage records include a marriage for John and Elizabeth Carter dated 8th March 1797.  There is a marriage bond record for them showing a Richard Carter as bondsman...a clue to Elizabeth's family.  There are other clues I'm following up with as time allows.  Is the March 1797 marriage John's first marriage?  (That would mean that James is not their son. If he's a brother, there's a 20 year gap in their ages.) There's a Mildred Turpin living near James and John in Halifax County in 1820 and 1830.  She is still there in 1840.   Obediah is another member of the family.  He lived in Virginia, North Carolina, Kentucky, and Owen County, Indiana, and Hendricks County, Indiana.  

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.

Warfield Paul, Husband of Sarah Jane Turpin

I received a comment this week from Jan Hensley regarding my blog post of  "Sarah Jane Turpin, Third Child".  Jan has had a breakthrough on her research of Warfield Paul, the son of J. M. Paul and Matilda Hall.
  
If you recall, Sarah Jane was the third child of Robert Newton Turpin and Sarah Elizabeth Lowery.   She was born in Owen County, Indiana on 9 October 1848 and moved with the family to Illinois and then to Iowa.   There she met her husband Warfield Paul.

Jan tells us that Warfield Paul is an interesting project, "After years of repeating hitting my head against the wall, I'm happy to be able to FINALLY shed light on it. Warfield was the grandson of John Hall & Elvira Smith Hall and his [Paul's] mother, Sarah Matilda died when he was an infant.   His grandparents were his guardians and they loaded him on the oxen cart, along with their children (save one - my 3rd great grandmother who was already married) when they headed West in the 1850s."

Jan continues to say that Warfield's great great grandfather Jacob Smith was a Revolutionary War soldier.   Jacob was one of about 2,000 trops with General George Washington when he crossed the Delaware for the Battle of Trenton.  

For more on Jacob:  www.jacobandwinnasmith.weebly.com.

Newt Turpin’s Sister: Mary Turpin Arnold

Robert Newton Turpin had at least one sister.  Mary was born about 1813.  We find enough records for Mary that we can begin to know about her.  But the records are scarce enough that her and her family’s lives are a bit of a mystery.  The story is one that makes you wish that time travel was possible!

The first record we find of Mary is the land document where John and Elizabeth leave Elizabeth’s land to the children in consideration that they will care for John and Elizabeth and their son, John Jr.  Then we find her marriage record in the Owen County, Indiana records: 

Mary Turpin to Carter Arnold,

24 June 1848

Carter Arnold was previously married to Ailsey Carter in 1837 in Owen County.  With Ailsey we find another person from the Carter family!  I believe Ailsey Carter Arnold probably died and then Carter Arnold married Mary Turpin.

So on to the censuses!  I love census records!   Just a single census page can give you so many clues and lead you on many different research paths!   Look at the 1850 U.S. census of  Owen County, Indiana.   It shows that the newly married Carter, age 55, and Mary, age 37, are living with a full house! 

Carter and Mary in Franklin Twp, Owen Co, Indiana

First there is Elizabeth, age 27, and Eliza, age 19, who were born in Virginia before the 1837 Indiana marriage of Carter and Ailsey.  A little research on Carter Arnold reveals that there is a marriage record for Carter Arnold and Elizabeth Carter 3 March 1817 in Halifax County, Virginia (Early American Marriages: Virginia to 1850  by Jordan R. Dodd).  This gives us another tie to Halifax County, Virginia.  But more interesting, it tells us that Carter married an Elizabeth Carter and then an Ailsey Carter, both born in Virginia.   Or could Elizabeth and Ailsey be the same person?  Is Ailsey a from of Elsie or Elizabeth?  But if so, why two marriages, one in Virginia and one in Indiana?   And are these Carters related to John Turpin’s wife Elizabeth Carter?

But we digress.  Let’s go back to the children shown in the census. 

Child Elizabeth would have been born about 1823, when Carter would have been about 28 years old.

Eliza would have been born about 1836, when Carter would have been about 36 years old. 

They could be children from the marriage previous to Ailsey or perhaps other relatives of Carter.  The 1850 U.S. census does not indicate the relationships of members of a household. 

Also living with them is George Turpin, age 12, and another Elizabeth, age 13, whose last name is not listed – it is likely Turpin.  So many Elizabeths!  This makes us wonder if Mary Turpin was married previously since she was about 35 when she married Carter Arnold.   Or is George a nephew or cousin?  

Finally, there is a 10-month-old Milikin Arnold who appears to be the child of Carter and Mary.  Milikin would be the first Turpin descendent in this branch of the family. 

In the 1860 census, Carter Arnold is residing in Owen County, Indiana but Mary is not there. It’s assumed that Mary Turpin Carter died before 1860 in Owen County however her grave has not been located.  So now it seems Milikin may be the only Turpin descendent in this branch!

In 1870 we find Carter Arnold, his sister, and several of his children living in Hoosier Prairie Township of Clay County, Illinois.  The graves of Carter Arnold, his sister Kiziah Moury, his son David, and his daughter Elizabeth Arnold Franklin are in Number Four Cemetery in Sailor Springs, Clay County, Illinois.   

As for Milikin (Millican). We can follow him through time until his death 4 October 1924 in Clay City, Illinois.  His death record states his parents were Carter Arnold of Virginia and Mary Carter of Virginia.  He was a farmer and married to Lydia.   And true to the nature of this family, the census tells such a story!   In 1910, “Miligan” and Lydia’s household consisted of brother Fletcher Arnold, mother-in-law Julia Pierce, and John McCallister, nephew!   From a review of the censuses, it appears that Milikin and Lydia never had children.

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

Kirkwood Precinct, Rock County, Nebraska in 1940

So after Robert Newton Turpin was dead and Mary Ellen had remarried and moved to Dundy County, Nebraska, it might be tempting to think that we, as genealogists, are done with Kirkwood Precinct.  But a visit back there via the 1940 census makes it clear that Turpins are still there.

I found three instances.   Jim and John, two of the older sons of Robert Newton Turpin and wife Mary Ellen, still live there with their families.  And we find Doris Turpin who is one of John Turpin’s daughters.   She is working as a housekeeper for the widow Kati Hasch. 

James and Lida Turpin in 1940

John and Cora Turpin in 1940

Doris E. Turpin the daughter of John and Cora