Samuel Emerson Jones Turner

Samuel Emerson Jones Turner was born in September, 1851 in St. Clair County, AL. In 1870 he married Ann Josephine Lee, daughter of Francis & Elizabeth (Smith) Lee.

To this union were born nine children:

Savannah Jane Turner was born in 1871, in St. Clair Co., AL. She married Julian Lawrence. They lived in Eddy, Texas for a time and operated a meat market there. Eventually, they moved to El Paso. She died on December 5, 1959, and is buried at Restlawn Memorial Park in El Paso County, Texas.

Joe C. Turner was born in June, 1875, in St. Clair Co., AL. He married Elizabeth Hirsch. They lived at Cego, Lott, and later Gatesville. While working at a cotton gin at Lott, Joe lost an arm. He died on May 9, 1945, while living with his daughter in San Antonio, and is buried at Beulah Cemetery in Falls County, Texas.

Felix Jones Turner was born on February 21, 1877, in St. Clair Co., AL. He married Penelope “Neppie” Hay on August 17, 1903. They settled in the Belfalls community, where Felix taught rural school for several years, before moving to Reagan in Falls County. He joined the tax office in 1912, where he worked for 18 years and then was elected Falls County School Superintendent. He died on December 5, 1929, and is buried at Calvary Cemetery in Falls County, Texas.

Preston Turner was born in January, 1882, in Hempstead Co., AR. He married Ethel Ursery in 1900. Preston was struck by lightning in a thunderstorm in 1919, while chopping cotton, at Cego, on a portion of the McKinney farm that he was renting. He died on June 19, 1919, and is buried at Cego Cemetery in Falls County, Texas.

Minnie “Minnesota” Turner was born on November 18, 1883, in Hempstead Co., AR. She married James Arthur Stewart on July 29, 1906. They lived in or near Cego all their married life. He operated a drugstore and farmed in the community. She died on September 23, 1970, and is buried at Beulah Cemetery in Falls County, Texas.

Margaret Indiana Turner was born in March, 1885, in Hempstead Co., AR. She married Rupert Whetstone, whom she met while teaching school in Baton Rouge, LA. Margaret was a resident of the Regis Nursing Center at the time of her death. She died on August 13, 1980, and is buried at Waco Memorial Park in McLennan County, Texas.

Eula Gertrude Turner was born in August, 1887, in Hempstead Co., AR. She married Ernest Moore. They lived near Lott when they first married. Later they moved to Hatchel, Texas in Runnels County, where he continued to farm. When they retired, they moved to Belton, then to Waco. Eula resided in a nursing at the time of her death. She died on June 10, 1982, and is buried at Waco Memorial Park in McLennan County, Texas.

Rebecca Ellen Turner was born on December 29, 1889, in Hempstead Co., AR. She married Charles Lubin Clark in November, 1911. They farmed in the Cego community and then moved to Wingate, Texas, where they lived for a short while. They moved back to Central Texas and farmed in the Eddy, Lorena, Rosenthal, and Cego communities. She died on March 31, 1976, and is buried at Waco Memorial Park in McLennan County, Texas.

“Buddy” Turner was born sometime in 1893, in Bell County, TX. There is no further information available on him.

S. E. J. and Josephine Turner moved to Hempstead Co., AR. after the birth of their first three children. Their remaining children were born there, near the community of Nashville, AR.

Sometime in 1892, the Turner family moved to Texas, settling first near the town of Troy, Texas in Bell County. While living at this location, a son, “Buddy”, was born, but died soon after. It is believed that he was buried at the old Shiloh cemetery, just outside of Troy. Around 1896, the family moved into Falls County, settling near Cego, Texas, and began attending the Beulah Primitive Baptist Church. Several members of the Turner family would soon join this church.

Ann Josephine (Lee) Turner was born on April 22, 1855, and died on February 11, 1899. She was buried on what, to this day, is recorded as the coldest day on record in Falls County. My grandmother would relate stories of how difficult it was for the friends of the family who dug her grave at Beulah Cemetery, because the ground was frozen so solid. I think the temperature got down to around 5 degrees, or so.

After the death of Josephine, Samuel E.J. Turner lived with his son, Felix J. Turner, until his death on December 18, 1912. He is buried in an unmarked grave in Beulah/Hoolia cemetery, next to his wife, Ann Josephine (Lee) Turner, and his eldest son, Joe C. Turner.