James Turner

JAMES TURNER.

Among many of the prominent citizens of Boone County who have passed away in the last few years was the person whose name stands at the head of this sketch. Mr. Turner was born in Lee County, Virginia, in the spring of 1806. When he was two years old his mother died; after this, his father moved to Campbell County, Tennessee, he living with him until he was thirteen years of age, when he separated from him, not seeing his relations any more, with the exception of one brother. He came to Indiana in 1829, stopping at Crawfordsville, and in the year of 1830, the 25th day of March, was married to Elizabeth Pauley. She was an acquaintance of his in Tennessee, and had moved out here a year or so previous. They lived in Montgomery County for a short time after their marriage, then moving to Boone County and buying a home in the woods northeast of Thorntown, having very few neighbors at that time, but frequently visited by Indians.

Mr. Turner has not been a very shifting man; has moved only three times since he settled. In February, 1872, he sold his farm and bought land within one mile of Lebanon. His wife died the 16th of April, 1878, and in November, 1879, he broke up housekeeping and went to live with his daughter, Mrs. Cynthia Tyre, she being the only child living, having buried two boys – William Wallace and James A. – and one daughter Eliza, several years before. He lived with his daughter the most of the time until January 24, 1881, when he passed away to another world, at the age of seventy-two years.

Mr. Turner’s profession was that of farming; he labored very severely in the settling up of the old county of Boone, sometimes working for from twenty-five to fifty cents per day. He took great pride in saving his money and being firm in his dealings, and made a nice little fortune. His motto was, that “if he couldn’t get his price, to take the one offered.” His great prosperity is certainly a great incentive to poor young men; it shows where industry and will are combined there is always a way.
 

Source Citation: Boone County Biographies [database online] Boone County INGenWeb. 2007. <http://www.rootsweb.com/~inboone> Original data: Harden & Spahr. "Early life and times in Boone County, Indiana." Lebanon, Indiana. May, 1887, pp. 376-377.

Transcribed by: Julie S. Townsend - July 7, 2007