TURNBAUGH, HENRY

TURNBAUGH, CHERRY, FOSTER, SMITH, THACKERAY, SPRINGER, BOULDREY, ELGIR

Posted By: Jean Kramer (email)
Date: 7/11/2003 at 18:25:24

Biography reproduced from page 415 of Volume II of the History of Kossuth County written by Benjamin F. Reed and published in 1913:

Henry Turnbaugh, living retired in Algona, was identified with agricultural pursuits during the entire period of his active life. He was born in Blair county, Pennsylvania, on the 24th of January, 1840, and is a son of Henry and Catherine (Cherry) Turnbaugh. The father was born in Germany but at the age of four years he accompanied his parents to America. Here the paternal grandfather engaged in the hotel business for ten years, but at the end of that time he started back of Germany to claim his share in an estate. He went as far as New York city and there disappeared and was never heard from again. It is supposed that he was murdered. Henry Turnbaugh was reared and educated in Blair county, Pennsylvania, and upon attaining his manhood he engaged in farming, following that occupation during the remainder of his life. He passed away in 1875. The mother, who was a native of Pennsylvania but of German extraction, died in 1865. They were the parents of fifteen children: Mary Catherine, deceased; Mary and Sarah, twins, the former deceased and the latter the wife of William Foster, of Huntington county, Pennsylvania; Joseph and John, both of whom are deceased; Susan, who is living at Dwight, Livingston county, Illinois; Martin, who spent a year in the cavalry service during the Civil war, also deceased; Amelia, the wife of Alfred Smith, of Tyrone, Pennsylvania; Henry, our subject; Emmeretta, who is deceased; Margaret Ellen, of Tyrone, Pennsylvania; Jacob and David, both of whom are deceased; Nicholas, who is living at Tyrone; and Mary Jane, who died in infancy.

Henry Turnbaugh was reared on his father’s farm in Pennsylvania and educated in the common schools of that state. He enlisted in Company E, One Hundred and Fourth Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry during the Civil war, his regiment being stationed in the territory between the James river and Appomattox creek. He participated in a number of skirmishes but was only in one battle. Upon receiving his discharge he returned to Pennsylvania, but only remained a year and in the spring of 1867 he went to Livingston county, Illinois. He resided there for twenty-three years, engaging in agricultural pursuits. In 1890, he came to Algona, but the following spring he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land northwest of here in Union township, upon which he resided for four years. At the end of that time he disposed of his farm and rented a place near Hobart, this county. The next year he bought one hundred acres of land in the vicinity of Burt, but he only lived there a short time, having removed to Algona in 1905. Mr. Turnbaugh still owns his farm, however, and also a residence and ten lots in Algona. He has always devoted much of his attention to the breeding and raising of thoroughbred stock and brought with him from Illinois nine blooded colts. He has some fine stock on his farm and takes great pride in keeping up the appearance of his place and has but recently erected a new barn.

Mr. Turnbaugh has been married twice. To him and his first wife, whose maiden name was Miss Mary Thackeray, there was born one son, Albert, a farmer at Swea City. He is married and has two children, Agnes and Cletis. In 1886, Mr. Turnbaugh was married to Miss Eliza Springer, who was born in West Virginia and is a daughter of Andrew and Mary J. (Harris) Springer. Her parents lived in West Virginia until the close of the war and then removed to Pennsylvania, going from there to Illinois in 1869. They both passed the remainder of their lives in Livingston county, that state. Their family numbered eleven: John, Asa, Samuel, Susan and Margaret, all or whom are deceased; Caroline, the wife of Joseph Bouldrey, of Down, Kansas; Andrew T., deceased; Mary B., the wife of J. R. Turnbaugh, of Dennis, Kansas; Eliza, the wife of our subject; George W., deceased; and Elvira, the wife of Alexander Elgir, of Sethbridge, Canada. Mrs. Turnbaugh was educated in the schools of West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Illinois, and taught one term in Illinois. To Mr. Turnbaugh and his second wife there has been born one daughter, Laura Myrtle, who is now at home. She graduated from the Algona high school with the class of 1910 and then engaged in teaching and expects to take another school in the spring.

Mr. Turnbaugh was reared in the Quaker faith and has always held to the simple, practical teachings of that society. His wife is a member of the Baptist church and their daughter attends the various Protestant churches. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic and votes the republican ticket, having cast his first ballot for Abraham Lincoln. Mr. Turnbaugh has always led an active, energetic life, thus acquiring the means that now enable him to enjoy a highly deserved and well earned rest during his latter years.