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Meet my paternal great grandfather, Ashby Turpin. From left to right are pictures of Ashby from 1891, 1900, 1936, and 1939. He is buried at Highland Cemetery, Winfield, Cowley County, KS.
What follows is a brief timeline of his life. More will be written about him later. Always a mysterious man, one of his grandsons made him sound like possibly the meanest man who ever lived. I never got to meet Ashby, but I did get to visit his wife, my paternal great grandmother, Mary Virginia Sparks Turpin, before her death in 1965. In researching my paternal great grandfather's life, I have come to understand Ashby a little bit better.
THE TIMELINE OF THE LIFE OF ASHBY TURPIN
BIRTH
22 Apr 1862. Born in Quantico, Somerset County, Maryland to Thomas James Turpin
And Ellmandia Kennerly Turpin.
1867 DEATH
Ashby’s older brother, Albion Farrington Turpin (b. 1860) dies at the age of 7.
1870 RESIDENCE
1870 US Census shows Ashby living with parents and siblings -- May Thomas, William Upshur, Austin Caleb and Zenophine -- in Quantico Maryland.
1870 US Census shows Ashby living with parents and siblings -- May Thomas, William Upshur, Austin Caleb and Zenophine -- in Quantico Maryland.
06 Nov 1879 DEATH
Ashby’s younger sister, Zenophine, dies at the age of 10. Ashby is 17.
11 Nov 1879 DEATH
Seventeen year old Ashby Turpin witnesses the shooting death of his uncle by marriage, William Farrington. William Farrington is married to Ashby's mother's sister, Zenophine Kennerly Farrington. Farrington is killed by Ashby’s uncle by blood, his father’s brother, John Wesley Turpin.
Seventeen year old Ashby Turpin witnesses the shooting death of his uncle by marriage, William Farrington. William Farrington is married to Ashby's mother's sister, Zenophine Kennerly Farrington. Farrington is killed by Ashby’s uncle by blood, his father’s brother, John Wesley Turpin.
May 1880 EVENT
Eighteen year old Ashby Turpin testifies in favor of the prosecution in the State of Maryland v. John Wesley Turpin.
1891 EVENT
Ashby is in group picture with mother and siblings. Picture taken in Holton, KS.
24 Feb 1892 DEATH
Ashby’s younger brother, Walter Clifton Turpin (b. 1875) dies at age 16.
Ashby’s younger brother, Walter Clifton Turpin (b. 1875) dies at age 16.
10 Jan 1900 MARRIAGE
Thirty-seven year old Ashby Turpin marries 19 year old Mary Virginia Sparks, a ward of Ashby’s older sister, May Thomas Turpin Moore, in Salisbury, Wicomico County, Maryland.
Thirty-seven year old Ashby Turpin marries 19 year old Mary Virginia Sparks, a ward of Ashby’s older sister, May Thomas Turpin Moore, in Salisbury, Wicomico County, Maryland.
14 Jun 1900 RESIDENCE
US Census shows Ashby Turpin and his wife, Mary Virginia Sparks Turpin, living in Wahkonsa, Webster County, Iowa. Three boarders are living with them: L.M. Dean, E. J. Elliot, and William Hailey. Ashby’s occupation is difficult to read.
26 Nov 1900 BIRTH OF FIRST CHILD
Milton Ashby Turpin, son of Ashby and Mary Virginia Sparks Turpin, is born in Ft. Dodge, Webster County, IA. Ashby is 38 years old.
1905 RESIDENCE
1905 Kansas State Census shows Ashby Turpin, along with his wife, is living in Pleasant Valley, Cowley County, KS. Occupation: Farming. They have two children: Milton Ashby and Ella Leona.
16 Sep 1906 EVENT
Picture of Thomas James Turpin, Ashby’s father, taken at 101 Ranch, Bliss, Oklahoma. In an account of Ashby Turpin’s life, it is mentioned that Thomas James Turpin came west once to visit his son. (However, additional research has proven this to be incorrect. Thomas James Turpin came west ca 1850 when he was around 16 years old according to his 1906 obituary.)
Picture of Thomas James Turpin, Ashby’s father, taken at 101 Ranch, Bliss, Oklahoma. In an account of Ashby Turpin’s life, it is mentioned that Thomas James Turpin came west once to visit his son. (However, additional research has proven this to be incorrect. Thomas James Turpin came west ca 1850 when he was around 16 years old according to his 1906 obituary.)
30 Nov 1906 DEATH
Thomas James Turpin (b. 1834), father of Ashby Turpin, dies in Salisbury, Wicomico County, Maryland, at age 72. Ashby is 44.
Thomas James Turpin (b. 1834), father of Ashby Turpin, dies in Salisbury, Wicomico County, Maryland, at age 72. Ashby is 44.
1910 RESIDENCE
US Federal Census shows Ashby and family are living in Clinton, Custer County, OK. Children are Milton, Ella, Virginia May, Blanche Ethel, and Ruth Vivian.
12 Jun 1911 DEATH
Ellmandia Kennerly Turpin (b. 1836), mother of Ashby Turpin, dies in College Park, Prince George, Maryland, at age 74. Ashby is 48.
Ellmandia Kennerly Turpin (b. 1836), mother of Ashby Turpin, dies in College Park, Prince George, Maryland, at age 74. Ashby is 48.
1915 RESIDENCE
Kansas State Census shows Ashby and family are living in Pleasant Valley, Cowley County, KS. Six children: Milton, Ella, Virginia, Blanche Ethel, Ruth, Ivan Roscoe and Vincent Vermillion.
Kansas State Census shows Ashby and family are living in Pleasant Valley, Cowley County, KS. Six children: Milton, Ella, Virginia, Blanche Ethel, Ruth, Ivan Roscoe and Vincent Vermillion.
1920 RESIDENCE
US Census shows Ashby and family are living and farming in Pleasant Valley, Cowley County, KS. There are 7 children: Milton, Ella, Virginia, Ruth, Ethel, Ruth, Ivan, Vincent, and Gertrude.
US Census shows Ashby and family are living and farming in Pleasant Valley, Cowley County, KS. There are 7 children: Milton, Ella, Virginia, Ruth, Ethel, Ruth, Ivan, Vincent, and Gertrude.
13 Jun 1922 DEATH
Ashby’s brother, William Upshur Turpin (b. 1863), dies at age 58 in Fort Dodge, Webster County, Iowa.
Ashby’s brother, William Upshur Turpin (b. 1863), dies at age 58 in Fort Dodge, Webster County, Iowa.
2 Jul 1922 MARRIAGE
Ashby’s oldest child, Milton Ashby Turpin, marries Pansy Beth Holt.
5 Apr 1923 BIRTH
Ashby’s first grandchild, Julia Ann Turpin, is born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma County, OK, to Milton and Pansy Holt Turpin. Ashby is 61 years old.
11 Feb 1925 DEATH
Ashby’s older sister, May Thomas Turpin Moore (b. 1859), dies in Maryland at age 65.
Ashby’s older sister, May Thomas Turpin Moore (b. 1859), dies in Maryland at age 65.
23 Mar 1927 DEATH
Ashby’s youngest living brother, Victor Noir Turpin (b. 1873), dies in Fort Worth, Tarrant County, TX at age 54.
1930 RESIDENCE
The last US census that has been made public shows Ashby and family are living and farming in Pleasant Valley, Cowley County, KS. There are three children at home: Ivan, Vincent and Gertrude.
The last US census that has been made public shows Ashby and family are living and farming in Pleasant Valley, Cowley County, KS. There are three children at home: Ivan, Vincent and Gertrude.
28 Feb 1939 DEATH
Ashby’s younger brother, Austin Caleb Turpin (b. 1865) dies in Detroit, Michigan at age 73.
20 Nov 1942 DEATH
Ashby’s younger brother, Carl Julian Turpin (b. 1871) dies in Oklahoma City, OK at age 71.
10 Dec 1944 DEATH
Ashby Turpin (b. 1859) dies at Winfield, Cowley County, KS, at the age of 82.
Hello! It's been a long time since I posted here; but I wanted to relay a story that my grandparents (Ruth Vivian Turpin and her husband Merton Stephan) told. Ruth went to live with Aunt May in Maryland when Ruth was about 5 years old, because May was devastated by Emma's death. Ruth was there until she was 14 years old, when May passed away. When Ruth returned to her parents and siblings in Kansas, she barely knew them. She was appalled at the frequency of her parents' obvious marital relations and believed that Ashby was abusive to Mary (Mamie) her mother. Ruth married Merton as soon as she could at 18 to get out of the house, and Merton maintained that Ashby was particularly mean to Ruth since he never bonded with her. So it's interesting that other descendants would say that Ashby was terribly mean also. Another point Ruth was always upset by was that Ashby and May didn't ever hide the fact that Ashby would have preferred to marry Blanche, Mary Sparks' older sister. But because Blanche was too useful around the house, May said he should wed Mary instead...
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