James
Albert and Elizabeth Elden Minnis TurnerJames
Albert and Elizabeth Elden Minnis TurnerElizabeth Elden Minnis was born 28 Apr 1819 in Franklinton, Franklin co, NC, and died 23 Feb 1899 in Corydon, Union co, KY She married James Albert Turner 16 Mar 1840 in Franklin Co, NC.
JAMES A TURNER Farmer and merchant of Boxville Precinct, is the son of Matthew and Mary (Farmer) Turner; his grandfather Matthew Turner married a Miss MUSE; his grandfather Arthur Farmer married a Miss FLOURNOY. All his ancestors were Virginians.
A letter from the collection of Bernice Turner de los Rios, written by James Herman Yarbrough on 6/23/1952 to his granddaughter Susan Gale Yarbrough:
"As a young man he (James Albert) was a conductor on one of the first trains ever run in the US. The end of the line was Raleigh, N. C.
My grandmother told me she and grandpa spent their honeymoon on that train. It was a crude affair. They burned wood in the engine. It carried no lights. When it became dark the train stopped wherever it might be and did not proceed until it was light the next day." James Yarbrough continues "... he moved to Union County, KY, in 1858, where he once owned more than a thousand acres of land. He was a brilliant, self-educated man. He had many leather-bound books on history, psychology and other sciences. I have some of them now. Grandpa ran for Congress once and was nearly elected. A man told me once that grandpa was the greatest natural orator he ever heard speak."
The Union County Kentucky History 1886 Edition 900, notes: "...he was engaged in railroading when he married Elizabeth, in 1840...coming to Kentucky in September of 1857... In politics Mr Turner is a Greenbacker. He made the race for the Legislature in 1862 against Tighlman Pierson ands was beaten by only 16 votes..."
We thank, with gratitude, Helen Hetherington Dunn, who provided this beautiful photograph of James and Elizabeth.