FELIX JONES TURNER
Felix Jones Turner, b February 21, 1877 in Alabama, d December 5, 1929 in
Amarillo after an acute attack of appendicitis and buried in Calvary Cemetery in
Marlin - was a son of Samuel Emerson Jones Turner, b ca 1850 in Alabama, date of
death unknown, who married in Alabama to Ann Josephine Lee, b April 25, 1855 in
Alabama, d February 11, 1899 and buried in Hoolia Cemetery in Falls County,
Texas.
Felix came to Texas with his parents, one brother and five sisters, after
a brief stay in Arkansas. They settled in the Hoolia Community between Blevins
and Troy. The other children were Joseph Turner of Gatesville, Margaret (Turner)
Whetstone of Dallas, Eula (Turner) Moore of Winters, Rebecca Turner who married
Luben Clark of Eddy at Cego, Minnie (Turner) Stewart of Cego, and Mrs. Herl
Lawrence of EI Paso.
Felix Jones Turner was educated at Granbury College, and The University
of Texas. He taught school in Falls County for thirteen years in the Cego, Alto
Springs, and Reagan schools - serving as Superintendent at Reagan. In 1914, he
was elected Falls County Deputy Tax Collector - serving for six years. In 1922,
he was elected Falls County School Superintendent for three terms, and had just
resigned as Superintendent of Seadrift Independent School District to accept a
position as Tax Collector at Stinnet in West Texas, when he died.
On August 17, 1903, Felix married Penelope Elizabeth Hay, b April 11,
1877 at Eddy, McLennan County, Texas, d August 30, 1969 in Marlin and buried
there in Calvary Cemetery - a daughter of George Washington Hay, b November 10,
1851 in Georgia, d July 12, 1933 at Hoolia, and his wife to whom he was married
December 23, 1875, Rachel Ella (Davis) Hay, b April 11, 1856 in Georgia, d July
20,1896 and buried in Hoolia Cemetery. George Washington Hay was a brother of
Robert E. Lee Hay whose descendants reside in Falls County, Texas - and they
were the sons of Hardy Hay, b June 15, 1818 in Georgia, d February 16, l889 at
Hoolia. The Hay family came to Texas in 1876 - settling near Eddy, Texas.
Felix Jones and Penelope Elizabeth (Hay) Turner were the parents
of five children:
Ella Josephine Turner, b September 21, 1905 at Cego, d February 27, 1984
and buried by her husband In Clover Hill Cemetery in Lott, Texas - married June
L6, 1934 to Braden Adkins, b September 17, 1903, d April 21, 1958 at Lott.
Joseph Benjamin Turner, b October 4,1907 at Reagan, Texas, d December 6,
1946 in Marlin and buried here in Calvary Cemetery - married Edith Hendrick in
November 1934 in Marlin. Joe taught school at Cedar Springs, and was elected
Falls County School Superintendent, and was in that position when he became ill.
He died at Mayo Clinic of a Brain Tumor, after surgery. Joe and Edith were the
parents of three sons: Joseph Benjamin Turner, Jr., Dr. Robert H. Turner who is
deceased, and Dan Turner - none of whom resided in Falls County as adults.
Ruth Lee Turner, b September 18, 1909 at Reagan, Texas, d March 26, 1911
in Austin, Texas while her father was a student at The University of Texas, and
buried in Hoolia Cemetery in Falls County.
Frank Jones Turner, b January 1, 1912 in Reagan, Texas - married in
August 1935 to Lida Pierson, b September 3, 1910 in Marlin, d July 9, 1983 in a
Temple Hospital, Bell County, Texas - a daughter of Benjamin Andrew and Martha
(Green) Pierson. Frank, also, was a teacher, Falls County School Superintendent,
and Superintendent of the Lott Independent School District before he moved his
family to Belton, Texas in the 1950's.
Myrtle Elizabeth Turner, b January 31, 1918 in Marlin - married June 29,
1940 in Marlin to Samuel David Dollahite, Jr.
Felix Jones Turner was a 33 degree Mason and affiliated with the Odd
Fellows, Knights of Pythias, Eastern Star, Rebekah and Woodmen Circle Orders;
and he and Penelope were members of the United Methodist Church.
Copyright Permission granted to Theresa Carhart for printing the biographies of
these Falls County Families to this Web page.
"Families of Falls County", Compiled and Edited by the Falls County Historical
Commission, page 461 column 2 and page 462 column 1.
Member of Falls County Historical Commission.
