WILLIAM H. TURNER (22 Apr 1855 - 23 Apr 1943)

The 9th child of William and Margaret Monks Turner was born southwest of Union City, Indiana and attended the local school. He grew to be of medium height and build and as a young man he traveled to Colorado, possibly to visit his sister Susannah, but he must have been attracted by the stories of the gold fever of the 1860's followed by the discovery of a major silver lode. He lived. and worked there at a colorful and exciting time in our history.

According to the 1922 Jay County Indiana History book, William attended the School of Mines in Golden, Colorado for 2 years. It was founded in 1874 and is among the older institutions devoted to mineral sciences and engineering. An archivist at "Mines" was unable to find William's name among the students but it is possible that some of the early records were lost or incomplete.

He was with his parents in the 1880 Jay County Census. On 26 February 1881, he married Anna Belle Rank, the daughter of Samuel and Catherine McFadden Rank. He was 25 and she was 23 but the marriage did not last long. In her suit for divorce, Anna stated that "they had lived together until August when he abandoned her, failed and refused to provide for her and one child, Nettie Belle Turner" (born 17 Dec 1881). Thomas R. Turner was the attorney for his brother and the divorce was final in March 1885. William returned to Colorado where he worked in gold and silver mines for many years.

In 1895 he was back in Jay County and bought 80 acres of land in Jackson Township, about 3 miles east of Pennville in the Sugar Grove area. At the age of 40 William married again on 30 June 1895 to Alice Hartley, the 31 year old daughter of Enoch B. Hartley and Lydia H. Shanks. Alice had been a Deputy County Clerk in Portland for a time.

They traveled back and forth between Colorado and Indiana for several years. They were listed in Pueblo in 1906 and 1907 but were in Jay County again by 1914 when they took a baby girl, Helen Marie Templin, to raise as their own. William was 58 and Alice was 50. The 1920 Jay County Census has him listed as a farmer, along with Alice, a 5 year old foster daughter Helen, and his sister-in-law Louise C. Hartley.

Alice had been in poor health for 17 years with heart problems, arthritis and in a wheel chair for some time when she died in April 1936 at the age of 72.

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In May 1939, William was visiting his brother Jesse in Spencer, Indiana when he suffered a stroke which affected his right side. His daughter Nettie took him to her home in Marion, Indiana but she became ill and died in 1942. Just 6 months later, William died of a heart attack at the home of a nurse, Mrs. Susan Weatherholtz, who had been caring for him the last year of his life. He was 88 years old.

William was a 32nd Degree Mason (Scottish Rite), a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and Knights of Pythias. He and Alice were members of the Christian Church and both are buried in the IOOF Cemetery at Pennville, Indiana.

William was involved in building the famous Moffat Tunnel and one of the many investors in the Cripple Creek gold mine, both in Colorado.

Moffat Tunnel

The Continental Divide reaches its highest. continuous elevation in the state of Colorado, and this Divide formed a great barrier against the free flow of trade. In order to cross the state from East to West, it was necessary for railroads to adopt circuitous routes or ruinous grades; and in the latter case this made the roads subject to snow blockades, lasting from 30 to 60 days during the Winter months. Directly west of Denver was a huge wall of rock and earth 6 miles wide.

It took a generation of effort and many years of engineering, legal and financial difficulties, but a tunnel was built. It was completed July 7, 1927 at a cost of $18,000,000 and named for David H. Moffat, a Denver banker. Beside it was the Moffat Pioneer Tunnel, 8x8 ft., which carried water from the west slope to the Ralston Reservoir, north of Golden.

From The Story of the Moffat Tunnel, The Trail, Official Organ of the Society of Sons of Colorado, Souvenir Edition, pgs 9-13.

Cripple Creek

Rumors of "color" on the Womack Ranch were largely ignored until the rancher's nephew, Bob, made the first major strike in the spring of 1891. Young Womack rode to Colorado City (now Colorado Springs) and went on a binge, celebrating his new wealth. He sold his claim for $500, never dreaming that more than $350 million in gold ultimately would come from it and the claims that followed.

By late 1891 the "$300 million cow pasture" was crawling with prospectors. A townsite was platted and within 2 years housed a population of about 18,000. Town buildings were rebuilt with brick after a fire in 1896; most of the present-day structures date from this period. The shafts that yielded $25 million in a single year were reactivated when gold mining once again became profitable. The population of Cripple Creek is now 600.

FromAAA Tour Book, Colorado & Utah, 1997, pg 41 and The New Eldorado, The Story of Colorado's Gold and Silver Rushes, by Phyllis Flanders Dorset, Collier-Macmillan Ltd., London, Chapter 15.

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Nettie Belle Turner was the only known child of William H. Turner. She was 22 when she married a 19 year old oil driller, Minor C. Larsh on 6 February 1904 in Portland, Indiana. He was born 11 June 1885 in Preble County Ohio, the son of Francis Larsh and Mary Ellen Conger.

They moved to Marion, Indiana in 1912 where Nettie was active in the First Methodist Church. They were divorced. Nettie died at her home on Gallatin Street and had been ill with cancer for 3 years. Minor retired from the Marion Machine Foundry and he lived in Marion, Beaver Dam Lake and Roseburg. He died 29 March 1983 in La Fontaine, Indiana at the Shangri La Manor at age 97. They were both buried at the IOOF Cemetery in Marion.

Children

Ethel Lucile Larsh (1st child of Nettie & Minor) was born 01 Dec 1904 in Dunkirk, Indiana. She was 42 when she married on 29 June 1946 to Carl William David. Ethel was a bookkeeper and retired from the Marion News Printing Company after 30 years. She died 06 Dec 1990 in the Marion Hospital at age 86 and buried at the IOOF Cemetery.

Carl was born 04 September 1910 in Wayne, Ohio. He was an Army veteran of WWII and retired from Marion General Hospital as a maintenance worker. He died on 02 April 1987 in Marion and buried in Wayne, Ohio.

They had no children.

Florence C. Larsh (2nd child of Nettie & Minor) was born 01 October 1911 in Dunkirk, Indiana. Her 1st marriage was to Jesse McMillan. He was struck by a train at the Washington Street crossing in Marion, Indiana on 10 June 1936 and died at the hospital early the next day. Jesse was buried at the IOOF Cemetery.

Florence married 2nd on 30 June 1943 in Marion, Indiana to George Albert Weagant. He was born 29 October 1901 in Thawville, Illinois, the son of Fred Weagant and Grace Pettit. His first wife had died in 1932 and he was listed as a farmer when he married Florence. They moved from Swazee, Indiana to Fort Recovery, Ohio in 1946 where he was president of the Coldwater Fuel Company. George was a member of the F.&A.M. of Swazee and the Trinity Lutheran Church of Fort Recovery. He died of a heart attack at age 53 and is buried in Grant Memorial Cemetery in Marion, Indiana. Florence was still living in 1997.

Their only child is James Albert Weagant, born 1946 in Swazee, Indiana who has 3 children.

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Anna Belle Rank Turner married again on 4 August 1889 in Redkey, Indiana to Tilman Wright, who was a 61 year old farmer and a pioneer Methodist minister. It was a second marriage for both of them. They had one daughter, Katherine, who was born 8 September 1891 in Jay County.

Tilman died 12 April 1918 at the age of 90. Anna continued to live in their home in Dunkirk, Indiana with her daughter Katherine and son-in-law, Elmer Younger until her death in February 1946 at age 88.

Helen Marie Templin was born 19 October 1914 in Jay County Indiana, the daughter of Charles Templin and Clara Winters. She was married 19 October 1933 by the Rev.J.M. Armstutz to Amasa Elias Bentz, who was born 14 July 1913 in Astabula, Ohio. He was the son of Lawrence Bentz and May Tharp.

Amasa was a farmer around Dunkirk. This family moved to California and Helen is living in Burbank.

SOURCES

1. 1860 Census Randolph County Indiana-White River Twp #44

2. Helen Marie Bentz

3. 1922 History of Jay County, IN, Edited by Milton T. Jay, M.D., Reprinted 1978 by The Bookmark, KJUghffitown,IN,pg261

4. Colorado School of Mines, Russell L. & Lyn Wood Mining History Archives, Arthur Lakes Library, Golden, Co., Archivist Robert Sorgenfrei

5. 1880 Census Jay County Indiana

6. Jay County IN Marriage Records - Bk E pg 155 William H. Turner & Anna Rank Bk5- 33 Nettie Turner & Minor Larsh

Bk F-478 Anna Turner & Tilman Wright

Bk 17-300 Ethel Larsh & Carl David

Bk 3-323 Katherine Wright & Elmer Younger Bk 13-158 Helen Marie Templin & Amasa Bentz

7. Jay Co IN Divorce Records - #4467 Mar Term (William & Anna) 8 Jay Co IN Birth Records -

Ethel Lucile Larsh CH2-34 Florence Larsh CH4-16

9. Jay Co IN Land Records - Jun 1895 Jackson Twp

10. The Tifoon, Portland High School Yearbook 1923

11. Margaret Turner Obit - 18 Nov 1906, Portland IN newspaper

12. 1920 Census Jay Co IN - Vo142, Sheet 5, ED68 Line 26

13. Obit - Alice Hartley Turner, Portland IN newspaper, Monday 6 Apr 1936

14. Owen County Leader, Spencer, IN newspaper notice, 8 Jun 1939

15. Obit - Nettie Larsh, Marion (IN) Leader Tribune, Tues 6 October 1942, pg 7

16. Grant Co IN Health Dept. Death Cert. - Reg #255, Nettie Larsh

17. IOOF Cemetery Records, Marion, IN - Nettie Larsh Vol 2 K-Z

18. Obit - William H. Turner, Marion Daily Chronicle, Fri 23 Apr 1943, pg 2 Col 3

19. Obit - William H. Turner, Marion Leader Tribune, Sat 24 Apr 1943, Pg 1 ColI

20. Milford Funeral Home Records, Marion, IN, 1924-1955 - William H. Turner

21. IOOF Cemetery Records, Pennville, IN - William & Alice, Sec F Lot 43

22. Obit - Minor Larsh, Marion (IN) Chronicle Tribune, Thurs 31 Mar 1983 pg 12

23. Wabash Co IN Health Dept. Death Cert. Minor C. Larsh pG#93-830

24. Obit - Ethel Larsh David, Marion (IN) Chronicle Tribune, Sat 8 Dec 1990 pg A9

25. Obit - Carl David, Marion (IN) Chronicle Tribune, Sat 4 Apr 1987, pg A9

26. Obit - Jesse McMillan, Marion (IN) Union Leader Tribune, Sat 13 Jun 1936, pg 4

27. Grant Co IN Marriage Application #341399 - Florence McMillan & George Weagant, 30 Iun 1943

28. Obit - George Weagant, Mercer Co Ohio, 7 Dec 1954

29. Obit - Anna Belle Wright, Muncie Star, Sat 9 Feb 1946

30. Pennville, IN Cemetery - Anna Belle & Tilman Wright

31. Jay County Directory - Dunkirk 1907 pg 134 - Tilman & Anna Wright

32. Dunkirk 1910 pg 102 - Tilman & Anna

33. Dunkirk 1927 pg 115 - Elmer Younger, Katherine & Anna Wright 34. 1916 Farmers Directory Jay County - pg 191 Tilman Wright

Descendants of William H. Turner

Generation No. 1

1. WILLIAM H4 TURNER (WIILIAM3, RANDOLPH2, WILLIAM)) was born April 22, 1855 in Randolph County, Indiana, and died Apri1 23, 1943 in Marion, Indiana. He married (1) ANNA BELLE RANK February 26, 1881 in Jay County, Indiana, daughter of SAMUEL RANK and CATHERINE McFADDEN. He married (2) ALICE HARTLEY June 30, 1895 in Jay County, Indiana.

Child of WILLIAM TURNER and ANNA RANK is:

2. i. NETTIE BELLEs TURNER, b. December 17, 1881, Jay County, Indiana; d. October 04, 1942, Marion, Indiana.

Child of WILLIAM TURNER and ALICE HARTLEY is:

ii. HELEN MARIES TEMPLIN, b. October 19, 1914, Jay County Indiana; Foster child; m. AMASA ELIAS BENTZ, October 19,1933, Portland, Indiana.

Generation No. 2

2. NETTIE BELLES TURNER (WIILIAM H 4, WIILIAM3, RANDOLPH2, WIILIAM) was born December 17,1881 in Jay County, Indiana, and died October 04, 1942 in Marion, Indiana. She married MINOR C. LARSH February 06,1904 in Portland, Indiana, son of FRANCIS LARSH and MARY CONGER.

Children of NETTIE TURNER and MINOR LARSH are:

i. ETHEL LUCILE6 LARSH, b. December 02, 1904, Jay County, Indiana; d. December 06, 1990, Marion, Indiana; m. CARL WILLIAM DAVID, June 29,1946, Jay County, Indiana.

3. ii. FLORENCE E. LARSH, b. October 01,1911, Dunkirk, Indiana.

Generation No. 3

3. FLORENCE E.6 LARSH (NEITIE BElLES TURNER, WILLIAM H 4, WIILIAM3, RANDOLPH2, WIILIAM)) was born October 0 I, 1911 in Dunkirk, Indiana. She married (1) JESSE McMILLAN. She married (2) GEORGE A. WEAGANT June 30,1943 in Grant County, Indiana, son of FRED WEAGANT and GRACE PETTIT.

Child of FLORENCE LARSH and GEORGE WEAGANT is:

i. JAMES ALBERT7 WEAGANT, b. 1946, Swazee, Indiana.

COMMENTS

It is not known what William's relationship with his only child was like in later years but it seems ironic that it fell on Nettie to care for him, the child he "abandoned". According to Helen Bentz, Nettie did visit her father when he lived in Jay County.

The pictures are through the courtesy of Helen Bentz. Her home burned several years ago and she could save only a few things. These are the only known photos of William.

I talked to Florence Weagant on the phone last year - she was just out of the hospital and not interested in family history. She knew of no old family pictures. There was no response to a letter to her son. My policy is to respect the privacy of anyone still living so I have not tried to get any further info about William's descendants.

It seems surprising that the different branches of the Turners did not visit, write, send pictures or have reunions as some families do. The enclosed photo of William's 75th birthday would seem to show that they probably did until that generation died. Cyrus F. visited relatives in Jay County as long as he was able, according to his daughter-in-law, Estella Turner, who was living with him when he died in 1923.

Having visited some of Colorado's awesome beauty, it was a pleasure to brush up on it's colorful past to place William in the right time period. Not everyone is as much of a "history freak" as I am but I do recommend reading about the gold and silver strikes.

by Eris Turner Merritt

daughter of Cyrus F. (Fitzpatric) 1847