Collection #
M0846
Turpin family
papers, ca. 1860–1949
Collection Information
Biographical Sketch
Scope and Content Note
Series Contents
Cataloging Information
Processed by
Kathryn M. Wilmot
August 2005
Manuscript and Visual Collections Department
William Henry Smith Memorial Library
Indiana
Historical Society
450 West Ohio Street
Indianapolis, IN
46202-3269
www.indianahistory.org
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VOLUME OF
COLLECTION:
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1 half size document case
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COLLECTION
DATES:
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1860–1949 (bulk ca. 1860–1900)
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PROVENANCE:
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Raymond M. Featherstone, Jr., Indianapolis, IN,
December 2004.
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RESTRICTIONS:
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None
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COPYRIGHT:
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REPRODUCTION
RIGHTS:
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Permission to reproduce or publish material in this
collection must be obtained from the Indiana Historical Society.
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ALTERNATE
FORMATS:
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None
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RELATED
HOLDINGS:
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None
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ACCESSION
NUMBER:
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2005.0078
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NOTES:
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The correspondence and documents contained in this
collection originated from seven interrelated families; namely, the Turpins,
Brocks, Gliddens, Richardsons, Warrens, Browns, and Walkers.
Robison Turpin was a farmer and teamster, born in 1805 in Bourbon County, Kentucky. In 1827 he married Rachel Powell, born in
1807. In 1834, Robison and Rachel became
early settlers of Lincoln Township, Hendricks
County, Indiana when
they purchased land near present day Clermont.
Rachel and Robison remained in Indiana
until their deaths; hers in July 1880 and his on August 31, 1880. The Turpins had at least nine children: Jacob,
Doctor, Harvey, Harrison, Elizabeth, John W. G., Anderson, Martha, and
Henry.
Much of the Turpin material in the collection relates to the
descendants of Henry Turpin, his wife Amelia Ellen Brock, and the Brock side of
the family. Son of Robison Turpin, Henry
Turpin was born on January 11, 1835 in Hendricks
County, Indiana. He worked on his father’s farm, taught
school, and served in the Civil War in Company I, Seventh Indiana Infantry, and
Company G, Twentieth Indiana Infantry.
Henry began service in 1862 and his regiments participated in the
battles of Second Bull Run, Antietam, Fredericksburg,
Chancellorsville, and the Battle
of the Wilderness, where he was wounded.
In November 1865, Henry married Amelia Ellen Brock (born January 7, 1845
in Kentucky),
daughter of Leland Brock and Amanda Goddard.
The couple had three children: Cora B., born September 7, 1866; Willie
C., born April 24, 1868; George H., born February 24, 1874. The 1885 History
of Hendricks County, Indiana states that Henry Turpin “ranks among leading
farmers of Lincoln
Township, and is owner of
200 acres of land.” Henry Turpin died on April 16, 1909, followed by Ellen on
January 5, 1933.
Ellen’s brother, Joseph F. Brock was born on March 18, 1854
in Kentucky. Orphaned at the age of six, Joseph lived in Decatur County, Indiana,
and in 1879 moved to Shelby County, Iowa.
Joseph owned a watch making and jewelry shop at 520 East Market Street in Harlan, Iowa. In 1881, he married Anna L. Peterson, born August
27, 1862. Joseph and Anna had two
children, Ivy G. Brock and Frank P. Brock.
The family moved to Enterprise, Mississippi around 1897 and subsequently to Girard, Kansas
by 1899. Joseph continued his jewelry
trade in both locations. A letter from
1913 indicates Joseph had moved to Lawrence,
Kansas and was practicing
optometry.
The Glidden family is also represented within this
collection. Thomas Jefferson Glidden was
born ca. 1804 in Maine and later moved to Noble County, Ohio
to practice farming. Jefferson’s wife was Levina (or Lavina) Blake, born ca.
1809 in Ohio. Children of this marriage include: Francis F., born August 3, 1826; James, born
ca. 1828; Russell, born ca. 1829; William, born ca. 1831; Mary, born ca. 1834;
Mahala, born ca. 1838; John, born ca. 1844; Simeon, born ca. 1844; Melissa,
born ca. 1847; Leonard, born ca. 1849; Theodore, born ca. 1851; Lillian, born October
3, 1854.
On April 2, 1845 in Belmont
County, Ohio, Francis
(Frank) F. Glidden married Margaret Westbrook, born ca. 1827. Children of this marriage include: Lemuel,
born ca. 1846, Miles, born ca. 1848; Martha, born ca. 1850, Lydia, born ca.
1851; Rhoda, born ca. 1853; Russel, born ca. 1858; James, born ca. 1859;
Margaret, born ca. 1862; and Francis O, born ca. 1864. After the birth of their daughter Margaret, Frank
and his wife moved to Indiana. During the Civil War, Frank was drafted into D
Company, Indiana Twenty-fifth Infantry on October 5, 1864, and died of unknown wounds
on February 4, 1865. Margaret is shown
on the 1870 census as a widow living in Brown
County, Indiana.
At least two of Jefferson Glidden’s other sons also served
in the Civil War. James (Jim) Glidden
and Leonard Glidden both enlisted as privates in “A” Company, Ohio 161st Infantry on May 2,
1864. They were both wounded on July 6,
1864 at Maryland Heights, Maryland, but survived.
The Richardson family resided
in Ohio. In Massachusetts
in 1834, Charles Richardson, born 1808 in New Hampshire,
married Floria (Flora) E. Hurlburt, born 1812 in New York.
By 1839, the Richardsons had moved to Brecksville, Ohio. Their children included: James (Dennis), born
January 2, 1848; Martha, born ca. 1842; Ennis, born ca. 1840; Lewis, born ca.
1845; Julia, born ca. 1839; Henry. Flora
died in 1883.
In 1874, Dennis Richardson married Anna Maria Unongst
Webber, born in Wisconsin
in 1853. He served in Company M, 1st
Regiment, U.S. Artillery (Regular Army)
during the Civil War. Dennis died on August 20, 1892, followed by Anna on March
29, 1936. Dennis and Anna Richardson had
eleven children: Florence Mae, Susan Fern, Edith Augusta, Mary Eliza, Lillian
Martha, Carrie Belle, Ruby Winifred, Fred A., Harry Chester, James Victor,
George Albert. Carrie Belle, known as
Belle, was born in April 1887 and married O. Clark. She received her Ohio
teaching certificate in April 1904 and was involved in the Berea, Ohio
Rebekah Lodge.
The Warren
family is represented in the collection via brothers Luke C. and John Weasley
Warren. Their parents were John Warren,
born July 6, 1790 in Canada,
and Elizabeth Collins, born ca. 1799 in Johnson
County, Indiana. John and Elizabeth had at least five
children: Amanda M.; Neal; Minerva; John W. Warren, born November 2, 1821 in Johnson County; Luke C., born on April 5, 1830.
John W. Warren married Ellen Groseclose of Johnson County, IN
on December 21, 1843. Between 1852 and 1856
they moved to Story County, Iowa, where John was employed as a farmer. The couple had at least four children:
Elizabeth Catherine; Esther M.; Jefferson C.; John W. Ellen Warren died ca. 1894 and John W. was
buried on September 1897 in Center
Grove Cemetery,
Story County, Iowa.
Luke C. Warren’s original occupation was that of cabinet
maker and carpenter. He married Nancy
Dyson on July 24, 1850 and the couple had ten children, including John H.,
Amanda M., James, Omar Pasha, Charley, and Daisy. During the Civil War, Luke served in the 20th
Battery, Indiana Light Artillery. After returning from the war, he began his
lengthy career in the ministry, serving throughout the state of Indiana and establishing
numerous churches and congregations. Luke
died ca. 1911.
The Brown family material relates to D. Brown, Polly M.
Brown, and Grace Brown Ayers. According
to census data, Daniel Brown was a farmer born in Kentucky where he met his wife Polly. The 1860 census shows the couple living in Hendricks County,
Brown Township, Indiana along with their children George,
Eveline, Alvin, and John. John later
married Dora Gore and they had a child, Grace Brown, born December 1888. Grace married Byron Ayers in 1908 in Hendricks County, Indiana.
The Walker family material
relates to Charles, Lydia, Roy, Jean, and Bessie. The 1900 census for Johnson
County, Hensley Township, Indiana
reveals a 52-year-old farmer named Charles Walker residing with his wife Lydia
A., and their children Bessie, Leroy, and Delia.
Sources:
Information in collection
1889 Biographical History of Shelby
County, Iowa, pp. 309-310, 374. Available from http://www.rootsweb.com/~iashelby/1889bio/1889bio09.htm.
“Roots Web.” Website search for
“Turpin, Robison.” Available from http://wc.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=:2712225&id=I542180629.
Cited 11 August 2005.
“Roots Web.” Website search for
“Turpin, Henry” and father “Robison.” Available from http://wc.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=:2712225&id=I542180787. Cited 11 August 2005.
Adjutant General’s Office. Report
of the Adjutant General of the State of Indiana.
[Vol. 4, pg. 107, 442.] Indianapolis:
A. H. Connor [etc.] State Printer, 1865–69. General and Reference Collection,
E506.2.I39 T4 1865.
History of Hendricks County,
Indiana, pp. 653, 669. Evansville: Unigraphic, 1973.
Reference Room Collection, F532.H5 H57 1973.
“Family Search.” Website search
for “Francis Glidden” and spouse “Margaret.” Available from http://www.familysearch.org. Cited 15
August 2005.
“Civil War Research Database.” Database
search for “Leonard Glidden,” “James Glidden,” and “Francis Glidden.” Available
from http://www.civilwardata.com. Cited 15 August 2005.
“HeritageQuest Online.” Search
for “Margaret Glidden.” 1870 U.S.
Federal Census for Indiana, Brown County,
Jackson Township. Series M593, Roll 301, Page
323. Cited 15 August 2005.
“HeritageQuest Online.” Search
for “Jefferson Glidden.” 1860 U.S.
Federal Census for Ohio, Noble
County, Olive Township.
Series M653, Roll 1020, Page 266. Cited 15 August 2005.
“Roots Web.” Website search for
“Robinson, Charles” and spouse “Floria.” Available from http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-in/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=:1494534&id=I65924434.
Cited 11 August 2005.
“HeritageQuest Online.” Search
for “Flora Richardson.” 1870 U.S.
Federal Census for Ohio, Cuyahoga
County, Brecksville Township.
Series M593, Roll 1187, Page 30. Cited 15 August 2005.
“HeritageQuest Online.” Search
for “Anna Richardson.” 1900 U.S.
Federal Census for Ohio, Cuyahoga
County, Brecksville Township.
Series T623, Roll 1252, Page 36. Cited 15 August 2005.
“Civil War Soldiers and Sailors
System.” Search for “Richardson, Dennis.” Available from
http://www.itd.nps.gov/cwss/soldiers.htm. Cited 18 August 2005.
“Family Search.” Website search
for “John Weasley Warren.” Available from http://www.familysearch.org.
Cited 18 August 2005.
History of Fountain County,
Indiana, pp. 478, 490-91. Evansville: Unigraphic,
1970. Reference Room Collection, F532.F77 B43 1970.
“HeritageQuest Online.” Search
for “Daniel Brown.” 1860 U.S.
Federal Census for Indiana, Hendricks County,
Brown Township. Series M653, Roll 265, Page
723. Cited 15 August 2005.
“HeritageQuest Online.” Search
for “Charles Walker.” 1900 U.S.
Federal Census for Indiana, Johnson County,
Hensley Township. Series T623, Roll 381, Page 103.
Cited 15 August 2005.
“Roots Web.” Website search for
“Grace Marie Brown.” Available from
http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-in/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=:1903216&id=I94203483.
Cited 11 August 2005.
Except for the Turpins and Brocks, the
relationships between these seven families are unclear. The collection consists primarily of
correspondence between family members and various documents, including a few deeds
and wills. As many of the family members
were farmers, the letters exchanged between them provide information on crops
and weather. In addition, the letters
mention health issues, illness, and death, and diseases such as measles, smallpox,
diphtheria, and typhoid fever.
The Turpin family correspondence in
folder 1 contains letters exchanged between Ellen Turpin, George Turpin, Joseph
Brock, and Anna Brock, with a few letters relating to Robison Turpin, Henry,
and Willie. Topics include marriage and
courtship, hunting, health and sickness, farming and crops, and monetary issues. An 1862 letter from Mary Turpin reveals her
concerns about the Civil War. This
portion of the collection also includes a handwritten love song entitled “Silver
Threads Among the Gold,” originally a poem by Eben E. Rexford, set to music by
H. P. Danks. An 1894 letter from Anna
Brock mentions the fall election, the Populist Party, and hearing Governor
McKinley speak. George Turpin’s business
card and an announcement for the 1916 Turpin Family Reunion are in this folder
as well.
The Glidden family correspondence
focuses on the Civil War, including three letters written to Francis (Frank)
Glidden and two to his wife, Margaret.
Jim Glidden’s letter to Frank was written while Jim was stationed in Nashville, Tennessee and
discusses the number of soldiers in Nashville,
smallpox, and Jim’s impending marriage.
Jim also tells Frank about the opportunity for employment as a wagoneer,
blacksmith, or carpenter, detailing the monthly wages Frank could expect for
each position. Frank’s father,
Jefferson, writes to Frank about family, monetary troubles, the “oil
excitement,” and illnesses. He also
mentions the Red River battle, the service of his
sons Jim and Leonard, the upcoming presidential election and Abraham Lincoln,
as well as his inability to hire a substitute to take Frank’s place in the
war. Later letters from Jefferson to his daughter-in-law Margaret discuss Frank’s
death and Margaret’s need for money.
Material relating to Margaret Glidden also includes various receipts
(including one for family medical services), a letter to her son Lemuel
mentioning Frank’s homesickness, and a letter to Margaret from Betty White
discussing deaths, funerals, and Civil War news. Recipes for sore throat and catarrh are in
folder 2 as well.
The Richardson papers consist mainly of a few
last wills and testaments, deeds for the sale of real estate, claims for Civil
War pensions, and a teaching certificate, letter, and Rebekah Lodge receipt for
Belle Richardson Clark.
The Warren papers consist of letters to Luke
Warren, including one from A. M. Neill regarding the death of her daughter from
diphtheria, an obituary for Luke’s son Charlie, and various documents relating to
Luke’s service as a minister. John
Warren’s papers include one deed, and two letters.
The Brown and Walker family papers
contain letters to Grace Brown Ayers regarding chicken, turkey, and duck eggs,
a receipt for Polly M. Brown for D. Brown’s coffin, and a folder of receipts
for Walker
family members for money orders, dog taxes, and postal savings deposits. There is a card for Bessie Walker certifying
her membership in the “Young People’s Reading Circle of Indiana.”
Folders 7 and 8 contain general
writings and documents. Letters mention
social life, marriages, fashion, sickness, crops, education, and weather. One letter written by “Sallie” in 1872
details the “epizooly” disease affecting her horses (likely the epizootic
influenza that killed many horses in 1872).
Other documents include receipts, religious
writings, and various advertisements for coffee, a sewing machine, medicine and
medicinal cures, and a letter from a law firm offering assistance in obtaining
Civil War pensions. There are various
handwritten poems and songs including: Civil War poem entitled “The Volunteer’s
Wife to Her Husband;” love poem entitled “Far Away, Far Away;” song entitled “The
Tune the Old Cow Died On.”
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CONTENTS
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CONTAINER
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Turpin and Brock family documents,
1860–1916
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Box
1, Folder 1
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Glidden family correspondence
and receipts, 1864–1904; n.d.
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Box
1, Folder 2
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Richardson family documents and
correspondence, 1870–1949
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Box
1, Folder 3
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Warren family documents and correspondence,
1860–1893
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Box
1, Folder 4
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Brown family documents and
correspondence, 1862–1917
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Box
1, Folder 5
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Walker family documents and receipts,
1887-1939
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Box
1, Folder 6
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General writings and documents,
1854–1917; n.d.
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Box
1, Folder 7
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General advertisements, 1867–1909; n.d.
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Box
1, Folder 8
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For additional information on this collection, including a
list of subject headings that may lead you to related materials:
1. Go
to the Indiana Historical Society's online catalog: http://opac.indianahistory.org/
2. Click
on the "Basic Search" icon.
3. Select
"Call Number" from the "Search In:" box.
4. Search
for the collection by its basic call number (in this case, M0846).
5. When
you find the collection, go to the "Full Record" screen for a list of
headings that can be searched for related materials.