Turner, O. J.

TURNER, RICE, SANDERS, BUNCH, CLUTTER

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 12/4/2008 at 09:49:46

TURNER, O. J.
Farmer; Sec. 9; P. O. Grinnell; born in Wayne Co., Ky., April 23, 1840, and came to this county in 1868; owns 122 acres of land, valued at $25. Elizabeth RICE, his wife, was born in the same county Nov. 2, 1846;were married in 1870; have two children-Eben C., born July 31, 1872; George W., Nov. 15, 1875. Mr. TURNER is a very industrious man and is well educated. ~ "Rock Creek Township Biographies," The History of Jasper County, Iowa, (Chicago: Western Historical Company, 1878)
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Turner, O.J.

The student interested in the history of Jasper County does not have to carry his investigations far into its annals before learning that O. J. Turner has long been an active and leading representative of its great agricultural interests and that his labors have proven a potent force in making this a rich farming region. Through several decades he has carried on diversified farming and stock raising, gradually improving his valuable land, and while he has prospered in this he has also found ample opportunity to assist in the material development of the county, and his co-operation has been of value for the general good. He is one of the honored veterans of the Union army who, when the tocsin of war sounded in the nation's crisis, uncomplainingly went forth to defend with his life, if need be, the honor of the old flag. His career in every respect has been one of commendation and is well worth study and emulation by the youth whose fortunes are yet matters for future years to determine.

Mr. Turner is the scion of a sterling old Kentucky family and many of the winning characteristics of the noble families of the "land of the dark and bloody ground" seemed to have descended, like Elijah's mantle, on the subject and have rendered him popular with a wide circle of acquaintances. He was born on April 23, 1840, in Wayne County, Kentucky; the son of W. C. and Eliza (Sanders) Turner, both natives of Kentucky, in which state they grew up, were educated and married. The father is of French extraction and the mother of German descent. Grandfather Sanders was a soldier in the Revolutionary War. Prior to his marriage W. C. Turner was a pilot on the Cumberland, Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, being very skilled as such and well known to river men. He afterwards devoted his attention to farming, spending his life in Kentucky, where his death occurred at the advanced age of eighty-four years, his wife having died there when sixty-five years old. He was an active, public spirited and successful man, interested in politics and educational affairs. He assisted in dredging the Cumberland from its source to its mouth. His family consisted of nine children, O. J. of this review being the oldest; G. W. lives in southern Kansas; Mary is deceased; Sarah is the widow of Race Bunch and lives on the home farm in Wayne County, Kentucky; Scioto is deceased; James lives in Rock Creek Township, Jasper County; Hiram lives in Wayne County, Kentucky; Ann is deceased; Augustus lives in Scottsville, Illinois.

When O. J. Turner was eighteen years old he began farming, which he continued one year, then entered Cumberland College, taking a general course. In October 1861, he gave up his prospects of a college training and enlisted in the Federal Army. Company H, Twelfth Kentucky Volunteer Infantry, in General Thomas' division. Almost immediately he was sent to the battlefield of Millspring, Kentucky, then on to the capture of Forts Donelson and Henry, then went with Buell to reinforce Grant at Shiloh. After this he participated in the Battle of Corinth, also Tuscumbia. He was next in the strenuous race with Bragg to Louisville, culminating in the Battle of Perryville. Later he was in the fierce engagement at Stone's River, also in the Battles of Chattanooga, Knoxville and Strawberry Plains. At the latter place he re-enlisted and veteranized, being sent to Chattanooga to begin the Georgia campaign. For several days he was in the chase after Johnson, finally meeting his army in the bloody Battle of Kennesaw Mountain, and in the sharp engagement at the crossing of the Chattahoochee River, and in numerous other engagements leading up to the battle of Atlanta. From there he was sent west with the Twenty-third Army Corps to watch Hood and was held as a reserve in the battle of Allatoona Pass. Here he saw a wounded woman who had been fighting in men's clothes as a Confederate soldier. They met Hood's forces at Columbia, Tennessee, after which he was in the battle at Franklin, said to be the bloodiest of the war, considering the number of men engaged. Mr. Turner's regiment was then sent with those assigned to guard Nashville, finally taking part in the great battle there. After that he was sent by rail and water to Alexandria, Virginia, and from there by ship to Fort Fisher, North Carolina, but he was not in the fight at that place. He then went to join Sherman's forces, and while on the way was in the Battle of Mill Creek, North Carolina, finally joining Sherman at Goldsboro, thence he was sent to Raleigh, North Carolina, finally to Louisville, Kentucky, where he was honorably discharged.

Returning home after his gallant career as a soldier, Mr. Turner taught a term of school, then re-entered Cumberland College where he remained two years. In March 1868, he left Kentucky and came to Kellogg, Iowa, where he taught school and farmed alternately for three years. He has continued farming very successfully ever since, in fact, has succeeded much beyond the average person as a husbandman, being now one of the county's largest landowners and substantial citizens. He has seven hundred and twenty acres of as fine land as this locality can boast, near Newton and Grinnell and he is also the owner of eight hundred acres of valuable land in Walworth County, South Dakota. Besides this he owns considerable town property in Newton, all well improved and desirable. That he has accomplished all this unaided since he came here, starting with a capital of only ten dollars, is criterion enough to show that he is a man of superior business acumen, sound sense and mature judgment. He has kept his lands well improved and under a high state of cultivation and whatever he has turned his attention to has resulted in a large measure of success.

On November 15, 1872, Mr. Turner was united in marriage with Elizabeth A. Rice, of Wayne County, Kentucky, the daughter of E. B. and Rebecca Rice, both now deceased. This union has resulted in the birth of seven children, five of whom are living, two dying in infancy; E. O. lives at Turner, Jasper County; G. W. lives on his father's South Dakota land; Lulu is the wife of H. V. Clutter, of Arkansas County, Arkansas; L. R. is a doctor in Humboldt, Iowa; E. S. is at home and is attending school. The son, E. W., is a noted wrestler and was at one time champion of South Dakota. E. S. is an all-around athlete with many medals for records. He is a great sprinter. In his younger days the father, O. J. was a runner and wrestler of local reputation.

Mr. Turner is a very prominent and influential man in this section of the state, widely known and highly respected by all classes. He has always taken an active interest in politics and public affairs. He and his wife are members of the Baptist Church, of which he is a deacon at present and a very liberal supporter. Politically, he votes independently, preferring to cast his ballot for the best men. He is a member of Kellogg Post, Grand Army of the Republic. Past and Present of Jasper County Iowa B. F. Bowden & Company, Indianapolis, IN, 1912 Page 1088.