R. R. TURNER, commonly known as 'Squire Turner, was one of the oldest and best known citizens of Cowley County, Kansas, and resided east of the Flint Hills, in Otter Township.
Mr. Turner was born in Gibson County, Indiana, in 1824, a son of Elijah and Margaret (Morrison) Turner.
His father, Elijah Turner, was born in Georgia, and was twelve years old when he moved with his father to Western Kentucky, where he was reared. He went, as a pioneer, to Indiana when it was still a territory, and there lived the remainder of his life. He was a well educated man, and a prominent member of the community. His wife was a native of North Carolina, and was reared in Tennessee. She died at the age of ninety-two years, at the home of her oldest daughter, at Olympia, Washington.
R. R. Turner was one of nine children, and in 1901 had a sister living at Coffey County, Kansas, and a brother, at Ashland, Boone County, Missouri.
R. R. Turner attended both the subscription and public schools, which were then held in little log cabins, where the pupils set on benches and wrote with goose-quill pens. He acquired a superior education for those days, and in his early years was employed as a clerk. His first employment was upon the farm, and he remained at home until he was seventeen years of age, when he began working on flatboats and steamboats, on the river. He returned to farming, and later, at various times, owned several different farms in Iowa and Arkansas.
He lived in Arkansas when the Civil War broke out, and was reported by a Confederate captain to the governor of that state, and a reward of $500 was offered for his arrest. He raised a company of Union men, but, although the majority of them were accepted, he was rejected on account of his health, which was undermined by living in the brush.
He gathered his family together, and got out of the state, with the help of the Free Masons—going to Eureka, Greenwood County, Kansas. He remained there for a time, and engaged in the law and collection business.
In the spring of 1870, he traveled to what was supposed to be part of Howard County, but was afterward included within the borders of Cowley County, where he located a claim on the northeast quarter of section 18, township 34, range 8 east, to which he moved his family, from Eureka, in August 1870. He built a claim cabin—a very good one for those days—being provided with a fireplace, and there the family lived for six years. He then moved to his last homesite and built a larger frame-house, which was burned. It was constructed of logs and natural timber, and was 30 by 16 feet. He was naturally hospitable, and entertained many travelers and early settlers at his home. The Flint Hills were then considered the natural boundary line between Cowley and Howard counties, and Mr. Turner was appointed the first justice of the peace of the community by the governor of Kansas. After the survey had placed the boundary line near the center of range 8 east, his acts as a justice had to be legalized, as performed in Cowley County. He wrote to Col. Manning, who was then in the legislature, and to others, relative to the matter, and the proper measures were accordingly passed to make his official acts valid. He was originally in Dexter Township, but his section of the county was later included in Cedar Township. What then became of Cedar Township has since been divided up into three or four townships, and the land on which he lived became a part of Otter Township, and in 1901 he was acting as justice of the peace.
In the course of time Mr. Turner bought more land, until he had 500 acres of range, and fed over 100 head of cattle. In the spring of 1871 he set out a nursery, and sold grafts to those wishing to start orchards. His grafts were obtained from Lawrence, and many orchards were grown from his stock. His own tract also contained a fine orchard of five acres. He later disposed of his land to his son-in-law, Jerome J. Wilson, but still resided on his old farm.
Mr. Turner married Winnie Embry in Edwards County, Illinois, who died in the winter of 1892-1893, aged 70, leaving five children: Maggie (Serviss), who lived near Dexter; Wiley W., Elijah, and Ross R., of Oklahoma; Jane (Bowen), of Cowley County; and Judith, wife of Jerome J. Wilson, president of the Cedar Vale National Bank, and one of the largest cattle dealers and land owners of Cowley County.
In April 1896 Mr. Turner married his second wife, Mrs. A. M. Gillespie (nee Ingraham), who was born in Wabash County, Illinois, in 1832, and was reared in Edwards County, in that state. She was a daughter of Daniel and Rebecca (Taylor) Ingraham. She was married in Lawrence County, Illinois, to Mr. Gillespie, a minister of the Christian church. She was a teacher in the public schools of Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, and Kansas, where she taught in Cowley County. Her nephew, W. P. Ingraham, boarded with Mr. Turner, and was attending school in 1901.
Mr. R. R. Turner was raised a Whig and an Abolitionist, and helped to organize the Republican party in Wayne County, Illinois.
He was in Arkansas at the time of the Civil War, and there formed a company of his own and fought the Confederates for one year.
He was sheriff of Greenwood County, Kansas, and also justice of the peace at Eureka. He became a Mason at Jefferson, Illinois, and was a member of the lodge at Cedar Vale.
He was a member of the Christian Church.
Mr. Turner was born in Gibson County, Indiana, in 1824, a son of Elijah and Margaret (Morrison) Turner.
His father, Elijah Turner, was born in Georgia, and was twelve years old when he moved with his father to Western Kentucky, where he was reared. He went, as a pioneer, to Indiana when it was still a territory, and there lived the remainder of his life. He was a well educated man, and a prominent member of the community. His wife was a native of North Carolina, and was reared in Tennessee. She died at the age of ninety-two years, at the home of her oldest daughter, at Olympia, Washington.
R. R. Turner was one of nine children, and in 1901 had a sister living at Coffey County, Kansas, and a brother, at Ashland, Boone County, Missouri.
R. R. Turner attended both the subscription and public schools, which were then held in little log cabins, where the pupils set on benches and wrote with goose-quill pens. He acquired a superior education for those days, and in his early years was employed as a clerk. His first employment was upon the farm, and he remained at home until he was seventeen years of age, when he began working on flatboats and steamboats, on the river. He returned to farming, and later, at various times, owned several different farms in Iowa and Arkansas.
He lived in Arkansas when the Civil War broke out, and was reported by a Confederate captain to the governor of that state, and a reward of $500 was offered for his arrest. He raised a company of Union men, but, although the majority of them were accepted, he was rejected on account of his health, which was undermined by living in the brush.
He gathered his family together, and got out of the state, with the help of the Free Masons—going to Eureka, Greenwood County, Kansas. He remained there for a time, and engaged in the law and collection business.
In the spring of 1870, he traveled to what was supposed to be part of Howard County, but was afterward included within the borders of Cowley County, where he located a claim on the northeast quarter of section 18, township 34, range 8 east, to which he moved his family, from Eureka, in August 1870. He built a claim cabin—a very good one for those days—being provided with a fireplace, and there the family lived for six years. He then moved to his last homesite and built a larger frame-house, which was burned. It was constructed of logs and natural timber, and was 30 by 16 feet. He was naturally hospitable, and entertained many travelers and early settlers at his home. The Flint Hills were then considered the natural boundary line between Cowley and Howard counties, and Mr. Turner was appointed the first justice of the peace of the community by the governor of Kansas. After the survey had placed the boundary line near the center of range 8 east, his acts as a justice had to be legalized, as performed in Cowley County. He wrote to Col. Manning, who was then in the legislature, and to others, relative to the matter, and the proper measures were accordingly passed to make his official acts valid. He was originally in Dexter Township, but his section of the county was later included in Cedar Township. What then became of Cedar Township has since been divided up into three or four townships, and the land on which he lived became a part of Otter Township, and in 1901 he was acting as justice of the peace.
In the course of time Mr. Turner bought more land, until he had 500 acres of range, and fed over 100 head of cattle. In the spring of 1871 he set out a nursery, and sold grafts to those wishing to start orchards. His grafts were obtained from Lawrence, and many orchards were grown from his stock. His own tract also contained a fine orchard of five acres. He later disposed of his land to his son-in-law, Jerome J. Wilson, but still resided on his old farm.
Mr. Turner married Winnie Embry in Edwards County, Illinois, who died in the winter of 1892-1893, aged 70, leaving five children: Maggie (Serviss), who lived near Dexter; Wiley W., Elijah, and Ross R., of Oklahoma; Jane (Bowen), of Cowley County; and Judith, wife of Jerome J. Wilson, president of the Cedar Vale National Bank, and one of the largest cattle dealers and land owners of Cowley County.
In April 1896 Mr. Turner married his second wife, Mrs. A. M. Gillespie (nee Ingraham), who was born in Wabash County, Illinois, in 1832, and was reared in Edwards County, in that state. She was a daughter of Daniel and Rebecca (Taylor) Ingraham. She was married in Lawrence County, Illinois, to Mr. Gillespie, a minister of the Christian church. She was a teacher in the public schools of Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, and Kansas, where she taught in Cowley County. Her nephew, W. P. Ingraham, boarded with Mr. Turner, and was attending school in 1901.
Mr. R. R. Turner was raised a Whig and an Abolitionist, and helped to organize the Republican party in Wayne County, Illinois.
He was in Arkansas at the time of the Civil War, and there formed a company of his own and fought the Confederates for one year.
He was sheriff of Greenwood County, Kansas, and also justice of the peace at Eureka. He became a Mason at Jefferson, Illinois, and was a member of the lodge at Cedar Vale.
He was a member of the Christian Church.
R. R. TURNER, commonly known as 'Squire Turner, was one of the oldest and best known citizens of Cowley County, Kansas, and resided east of the Flint Hills, in Otter Township.
Mr. Turner was born in Gibson County, Indiana, in 1824, a son of Elijah and Margaret (Morrison) Turner.
His father, Elijah Turner, was born in Georgia, and was twelve years old when he moved with his father to Western Kentucky, where he was reared. He went, as a pioneer, to Indiana when it was still a territory, and there lived the remainder of his life. He was a well educated man, and a prominent member of the community. His wife was a native of North Carolina, and was reared in Tennessee. She died at the age of ninety-two years, at the home of her oldest daughter, at Olympia, Washington.
R. R. Turner was one of nine children, and in 1901 had a sister living at Coffey County, Kansas, and a brother, at Ashland, Boone County, Missouri.
R. R. Turner attended both the subscription and public schools, which were then held in little log cabins, where the pupils set on benches and wrote with goose-quill pens. He acquired a superior education for those days, and in his early years was employed as a clerk. His first employment was upon the farm, and he remained at home until he was seventeen years of age, when he began working on flatboats and steamboats, on the river. He returned to farming, and later, at various times, owned several different farms in Iowa and Arkansas.
He lived in Arkansas when the Civil War broke out, and was reported by a Confederate captain to the governor of that state, and a reward of $500 was offered for his arrest. He raised a company of Union men, but, although the majority of them were accepted, he was rejected on account of his health, which was undermined by living in the brush.
He gathered his family together, and got out of the state, with the help of the Free Masons—going to Eureka, Greenwood County, Kansas. He remained there for a time, and engaged in the law and collection business.
In the spring of 1870, he traveled to what was supposed to be part of Howard County, but was afterward included within the borders of Cowley County, where he located a claim on the northeast quarter of section 18, township 34, range 8 east, to which he moved his family, from Eureka, in August 1870. He built a claim cabin—a very good one for those days—being provided with a fireplace, and there the family lived for six years. He then moved to his last homesite and built a larger frame-house, which was burned. It was constructed of logs and natural timber, and was 30 by 16 feet. He was naturally hospitable, and entertained many travelers and early settlers at his home. The Flint Hills were then considered the natural boundary line between Cowley and Howard counties, and Mr. Turner was appointed the first justice of the peace of the community by the governor of Kansas. After the survey had placed the boundary line near the center of range 8 east, his acts as a justice had to be legalized, as performed in Cowley County. He wrote to Col. Manning, who was then in the legislature, and to others, relative to the matter, and the proper measures were accordingly passed to make his official acts valid. He was originally in Dexter Township, but his section of the county was later included in Cedar Township. What then became of Cedar Township has since been divided up into three or four townships, and the land on which he lived became a part of Otter Township, and in 1901 he was acting as justice of the peace.
In the course of time Mr. Turner bought more land, until he had 500 acres of range, and fed over 100 head of cattle. In the spring of 1871 he set out a nursery, and sold grafts to those wishing to start orchards. His grafts were obtained from Lawrence, and many orchards were grown from his stock. His own tract also contained a fine orchard of five acres. He later disposed of his land to his son-in-law, Jerome J. Wilson, but still resided on his old farm.
Mr. Turner married Winnie Embry in Edwards County, Illinois, who died in the winter of 1892-1893, aged 70, leaving five children: Maggie (Serviss), who lived near Dexter; Wiley W., Elijah, and Ross R., of Oklahoma; Jane (Bowen), of Cowley County; and Judith, wife of Jerome J. Wilson, president of the Cedar Vale National Bank, and one of the largest cattle dealers and land owners of Cowley County.
In April 1896 Mr. Turner married his second wife, Mrs. A. M. Gillespie (nee Ingraham), who was born in Wabash County, Illinois, in 1832, and was reared in Edwards County, in that state. She was a daughter of Daniel and Rebecca (Taylor) Ingraham. She was married in Lawrence County, Illinois, to Mr. Gillespie, a minister of the Christian church. She was a teacher in the public schools of Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, and Kansas, where she taught in Cowley County. Her nephew, W. P. Ingraham, boarded with Mr. Turner, and was attending school in 1901.
Mr. R. R. Turner was raised a Whig and an Abolitionist, and helped to organize the Republican party in Wayne County, Illinois.
He was in Arkansas at the time of the Civil War, and there formed a company of his own and fought the Confederates for one year.
He was sheriff of Greenwood County, Kansas, and also justice of the peace at Eureka. He became a Mason at Jefferson, Illinois, and was a member of the lodge at Cedar Vale.
He was a member of the Christian Church.
Mr. Turner was born in Gibson County, Indiana, in 1824, a son of Elijah and Margaret (Morrison) Turner.
His father, Elijah Turner, was born in Georgia, and was twelve years old when he moved with his father to Western Kentucky, where he was reared. He went, as a pioneer, to Indiana when it was still a territory, and there lived the remainder of his life. He was a well educated man, and a prominent member of the community. His wife was a native of North Carolina, and was reared in Tennessee. She died at the age of ninety-two years, at the home of her oldest daughter, at Olympia, Washington.
R. R. Turner was one of nine children, and in 1901 had a sister living at Coffey County, Kansas, and a brother, at Ashland, Boone County, Missouri.
R. R. Turner attended both the subscription and public schools, which were then held in little log cabins, where the pupils set on benches and wrote with goose-quill pens. He acquired a superior education for those days, and in his early years was employed as a clerk. His first employment was upon the farm, and he remained at home until he was seventeen years of age, when he began working on flatboats and steamboats, on the river. He returned to farming, and later, at various times, owned several different farms in Iowa and Arkansas.
He lived in Arkansas when the Civil War broke out, and was reported by a Confederate captain to the governor of that state, and a reward of $500 was offered for his arrest. He raised a company of Union men, but, although the majority of them were accepted, he was rejected on account of his health, which was undermined by living in the brush.
He gathered his family together, and got out of the state, with the help of the Free Masons—going to Eureka, Greenwood County, Kansas. He remained there for a time, and engaged in the law and collection business.
In the spring of 1870, he traveled to what was supposed to be part of Howard County, but was afterward included within the borders of Cowley County, where he located a claim on the northeast quarter of section 18, township 34, range 8 east, to which he moved his family, from Eureka, in August 1870. He built a claim cabin—a very good one for those days—being provided with a fireplace, and there the family lived for six years. He then moved to his last homesite and built a larger frame-house, which was burned. It was constructed of logs and natural timber, and was 30 by 16 feet. He was naturally hospitable, and entertained many travelers and early settlers at his home. The Flint Hills were then considered the natural boundary line between Cowley and Howard counties, and Mr. Turner was appointed the first justice of the peace of the community by the governor of Kansas. After the survey had placed the boundary line near the center of range 8 east, his acts as a justice had to be legalized, as performed in Cowley County. He wrote to Col. Manning, who was then in the legislature, and to others, relative to the matter, and the proper measures were accordingly passed to make his official acts valid. He was originally in Dexter Township, but his section of the county was later included in Cedar Township. What then became of Cedar Township has since been divided up into three or four townships, and the land on which he lived became a part of Otter Township, and in 1901 he was acting as justice of the peace.
In the course of time Mr. Turner bought more land, until he had 500 acres of range, and fed over 100 head of cattle. In the spring of 1871 he set out a nursery, and sold grafts to those wishing to start orchards. His grafts were obtained from Lawrence, and many orchards were grown from his stock. His own tract also contained a fine orchard of five acres. He later disposed of his land to his son-in-law, Jerome J. Wilson, but still resided on his old farm.
Mr. Turner married Winnie Embry in Edwards County, Illinois, who died in the winter of 1892-1893, aged 70, leaving five children: Maggie (Serviss), who lived near Dexter; Wiley W., Elijah, and Ross R., of Oklahoma; Jane (Bowen), of Cowley County; and Judith, wife of Jerome J. Wilson, president of the Cedar Vale National Bank, and one of the largest cattle dealers and land owners of Cowley County.
In April 1896 Mr. Turner married his second wife, Mrs. A. M. Gillespie (nee Ingraham), who was born in Wabash County, Illinois, in 1832, and was reared in Edwards County, in that state. She was a daughter of Daniel and Rebecca (Taylor) Ingraham. She was married in Lawrence County, Illinois, to Mr. Gillespie, a minister of the Christian church. She was a teacher in the public schools of Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, and Kansas, where she taught in Cowley County. Her nephew, W. P. Ingraham, boarded with Mr. Turner, and was attending school in 1901.
Mr. R. R. Turner was raised a Whig and an Abolitionist, and helped to organize the Republican party in Wayne County, Illinois.
He was in Arkansas at the time of the Civil War, and there formed a company of his own and fought the Confederates for one year.
He was sheriff of Greenwood County, Kansas, and also justice of the peace at Eureka. He became a Mason at Jefferson, Illinois, and was a member of the lodge at Cedar Vale.
He was a member of the Christian Church.
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