MY DEAR ASHBY AND AUSTIN

Brothers Ashby, Austin, and Carl Julian Turpin, all sons of Thomas James Turpin and Ellmandia Kennerly Turpin, shown here in the late thirties at the farm of Ashby Turpin outside of Winfield, Cowley County, Kansas. Ashby, Austin and Carl Julian were all born in Quantico, Wicomico County, Maryland.

Copies of the following letters came into my possession through my grandfather. They are a gold mine of information, mentioning names familiar on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. Family historians researching the Eastern Shore of Maryland, might see a relative or two mentioned in the following letters. My Great Grand Uncle Carl J. Turpin wrote detailed letters about his 1927 trip back east. (I find it amusing because he mentions that it rained or snowed on him and his wife Frances all the way there. We had a similar weather experience when we visited the Eastern Shore in October 2009. It rained all the time, whether we were in Oklahoma or states in between.)

Bleu

Letter from Carl Julian Turpin, dated December 12, 1927

Letterhead reads: Beaver, Meade & Englewood Railroad Company

My dear Ashby and Austin:

We arrived home today from our trip to Washington where I attended the American Short Line R. R. Assn. annual meeting and will tell you something of our trip.

We left here Wednesday, November 30, arrived in Baltimore Friday about noon in the rain; it rained all the way going or else snowed.

Friday afternoon I called on Gale Turpin who is Asst. Vice President of the Baltimore Trust Co. In the evening Frances and I went out to see Cousin Lizzie Dorman and from there to Robert Ballard's.

Cousin Lizzie was feeling very good she said but could not get around very much without holding onto something, she is 82 years old she said. Julia Giles Maddox was there. Cousin Lizzie lives with Julia and Julia's son, a young man about 35, who is an automobile salesman. They own the apartment they live in. "Cousin Julia" lost her husband Bryan 20 years ago. Cousin Lizzie talked about Austin most of the time and when we left to go to Bob Ballard's, she says, "Now Austin you be sure and give my love to Austin."

Amelia, Bob Ballard's wife, fell and injured her ankle and could not walk. Bob was looking well and we had a very nice visit with them. Their son Lester is Asst. Pastor of the M.P. Church at High Point, NC and is married, only married recently. He is over thirty years of age.

Did not get to call on Dolly Ballard Ward; it was very disagreeable weather, rained all the time.

Saturday morning we left for Salisbury via Wilmington and arrived a little late - 2:30 P.M. Judge Joe Bailey had his man meet us at the train and take us to the house. He was in Cambridge and arrived home just as we sat down to the table as Mrs. (Astelle McNeil) Bailey was waiting dinner for him. He brought some oysters with him and had them on the half shell. He also brought a wild goose which we had for dinner the next day. He told me that Slick Collier had died Friday. He was called Slick and that we would go to the funeral Sunday which we did in the rain. The church was full of people but when we came out, we went to the car to get out of the rain, except Joe and he went to the grave against the protest of his wife. Joe ordered his driver to drive to his sister's Ida who married a Hodgson and who died leaving one son, Herman. She then married Lee Taylor, a brother of Orlando Taylor, and had one son named Paul.

Paul and Herman are law partners in Salisbury. Herman is about 38 and Paul is about 25. Herman lived with Joe and Paul lives with his mother at Quantico, driving back and forth each day as on the paved roads now it is only about 20 minutes drive. Austin will remember Herman. Paul was at law school when he was there. After the Judge had his visit out with his sister, Ida, we started to leave the house and I saw a pan of Maryland biscuits on the table and took one, Joe took a half dozen. She saw us and got a sack and filled it. We ate some at Baileys and I brought some home that Mrs. Bailey put in a metal candy box for me.

The Judge is a busy man. We were to start for Quantico the next morning as it had cleared up but did not get started until after two o'clock. At Quantico called at the stores of Will Gillis, Elmer Disharoon and George Graham and saw those boys. Also Lillie Brady and Crawford. Crawford lives with Lillie He was injured in a B & O wreck and draws a pension from the B. & O. as a retired employee.

We saw Charlie Gillis on the street and he took me in to see Fanny. The two live in the same house. They are brother and sister and Charlie is a brother of Will. Also saw John Bailey, a brother of Joe's. By that time, it was getting late and Mr. and Mrs. Orlando Taylor were in Quantico. I just had to ride in his car down to his house and the Bailey car followed.

They showed us all the vast amount of presents they got on their 50th wedding anniversary several years ago and opened up a bottle of homemade strawberry wine. They showed us all through the house and I brought some horse chestnuts back with me from the trees that Grandfather Caleb Kennerly planted. Before going down to the Taylors, however, we stopped at the church yard and I copied some of the inscriptions from some of the old tombstones of our people. I also took some snap shots. We left Taylors after dark and went back to Salisbury. The Judge expected to take me in another direction the next day Tuesday, but I had not seen all of the folks I wanted to see so we were to start back the next morning but did not get started until 11 o'clock. Somebody stopped the Judge downtown and we waited for him until it was after twelve and then he decided to go back home and get dinner so we did not get started again until two o'clock. At Quantico called on Mr. and Mrs. Albert Jones, Ella Brady, Graham George's wife who was getting ready to kill hogs but glad to see us. Saw Tom Venable and his wife who was Rena Kennerly. Then Dashiell who had been quail hunting the day before and said he did considerable fox hunting. He lives alone and is 70 years old, he said. Stopped at the house next to the Church and called on Irving Kennerly's widow who lives alone with her granddaughter. When Austin and I were there three years ago, there was a younger woman spoke to him and said she lived in that house and I expected to see her but could not remember who it was. Mrs. Kennerly is quite old and feeble and had fallen down and hurt herself. Joe insisted that we call on Mrs. Tell Collier which we did although I did not remember her only by name. We did and she was very glad to see us and kissed us good by for old times sake, she said.

Sadie Jones Chesnut had visited her about two weeks before. Mrs. Collier said that Sadie felt hurt because she was not notified of her cousin May's death. I told Mrs. Collier that I did not and was sure that Austin did not have her address.

We drove on down to Hebron and back to Salisbury which I will write you about in another letter as I think you have about all you want of this in one sitting.

Will say this, however, in this letter that most everybody called me Austin and asked all about Ashby and Austin and Ruth and wanted to be remembered to them. I forgot to say that I also called on Lee Ackworth's widow, May Kennerly. Lives just around the corner in the Disharoon property. They were killing hogs as were a number of others.

Will send the second installment of this when I get time and am not as sleepy as I am now.

Love to all from us both,
Carl J. Turpin

* * * * *


December 13, 1927

Ashby and Austin:

This is the second installment of my letter about our trip to Maryland. I wrote a part of it last night and was so tired and sleepy that I had to quit. Frances says that I have to finish it tonight before I forget what we did.

Frank Howard's place adjoins Hebron on the railroad. Cousin Lula Langsdale, Frank Howard's wife, was at home, but Frank had just left for Salisbury. She was glad to see us. All her children are grown up and married. Don't know how many she has but know she has one who married Boss Bounds. We had a little visit with her and she was glad to see us.

We drove over to Hebron and called on Clifton (Boss) Bounds and Will Phillips. They have a big outfit - canning factory, basket factory & etc. Boss is the business end of it while Will looks after the factories and shops. Judge Bailey said they had made lots of money and plenty of funds. They certainly looked prosperous. Boss was better dressed than I was. We drove back to Salisbury via Spring Hill, all paved roads. Before leaving Quantico, I saw Lit Cotman, the colored man who used to live in that little house in the edge of the woods on the left hand side of the road from our old home to Quantico. He lives between Quantico and Hebron and owns the place he lives on so he said and that he was fixed for the rest of his life and did not owe anyone. Judge Bailey told me afterwards that his wife had the money when he married her and Lit had done very little work since. He used to take me fishing with him when I was a little fellow.

We also drove up to Marion Messick's house (the old Dashiell farm) and had a little visit with he and his wife. This was before we left Quantico for Hebron. Also I went to see Retta Langsdale who must be about 90 years old. She talked freely and intelligently in whispers; wanted to know about Ashby and Austin and sent her love. They say she has been about like that for twenty years. I never saw a person before so near skin and bones. Gladys Langsdale who I think is her granddaughter takes care of her. I ask lots of questions at the time and then get mixed up and forget who is who and which is which.

I went back from Hebron to tell you what I had failed to tell about Quantico. Judge Bailey had invited Mr. and Mrs. Orlando Taylor to take dinner with us at his home so they were there and we had a very pleasant evening. This was Tuesday evening. Mr. Taylor told all about how Father (Thomas James Turpin) had made him rich by persuading him to buy the Waters farm and some other farms which I am not sure about. Told a lot of stories, he and Bailey, some of which I thought I had hear Father tell. Joe Bailey sang a son which he said he used to sing when he was a boy, a part of which is something like this:

There are no old maids in Kansas
When they get 31, the Sheriff takes his gun,
And shoots them for fun - in Kansas.

He says he sure wants to go to Kansas if he ever comes to see me in Oklahoma.

Orlando Taylor told me about cutting down the largest pine tree (which he always regretted) that he ever saw; that had an eagles' nest 125 feet from the ground and a growing corn stalk in the nest with tassels on it. He and his wife and one girl live in the old Kennerly-Farrington Place, the other children are all married and live by themselves. I saw Clifford in Quantico; he came to the car during the funeral and spoke to us. I saw Bird in Salisbury; he is County Commissioner, both sons of Orlando.

I also saw Will Brady and Rodney Jones in Quantico. Rod, in the language of Judge Bailey, is just "wore out"; he is very feeble.

Will Brady gets around very well and looks well. Larry Jones, Albert Jones's younger son runs a filling station in Salisbury.

Well, after supper Tuesday night the Taylors went home and the Judge decided that we would drive to Ocean City Wednesday morning. We got started after a while; it had cleared up some. It was, of course, out of season at Ocean City. There had been a storm and washed things around and out more or less. After looking at the ocean a while and taking a stroll on the board walk, we started for Snow Hill, where the judge stopped to see somebody and showed us the courthouse where he holds court and etc. From there to Pocook City; enquired where Emma Blades lived and found her out in the street. Did not get out of the car except that I got out to let her in. She was much disappointed that we would not go in, but we had to catch our train at 3:06 P.M. and dinner was waiting for us at Mrs. Bailey's home. Mrs. Bailey was with us but she had given orders. I told her that I wanted her to stop calling me Austin, that everybody down to Quantico called me Austin and would say, “Austin, now give my love to Austin." She said she didn't care; she wanted to send her love to Austin, too; that he was nice to her and sent her a Christmas card every Christmas. We had to break away and leave. Drove within a half mile of Westover and through Princess Anne, but could not stop to see Cash Dashiell as had only a little over an hour until train time.

We made the train all right and arrived in Washington at 8:40 P.M. and drove to the Willard Hotel. Was there Thursday, Friday, and until 2:15 P.M. Saturday. Attended the Short Line RR convention and transacted business with the Fourth Section Bureau of the Interstate Commerce Commission. We got to shake hands with "Cal" (President Calvin Coolidge) while there.

That is about all I can think of so goodnight with love from us both to all.

Yours,
Carl J. Turpin

LETTERS TO AUSTIN CALEB TURPIN

These letters are being posted on my Cherry Walk blog in the hopes that family historians who are researching the people mentioned in these letters will find them through internet searches.

Bleu

From the collection of Carl J. Turpin housed at the Western History Collection at the Monet Library, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma.

I will preface Zenophine’s and Ellmandia's letters with this information: My great grand uncle, Carl Julian Turpin, was a railroad man. He also was vice president and treasurer of the Capitol Federal Savings and Loan Association in Oklahoma City. He, along with two other men, built a short line railroad through the panhandle of Oklahoma. There is a town named after him in Beaver County, Oklahoma. The town's name is Turpin. Uncle Carl died first and his wife left all their papers to the Western History Collections at the University of Oklahoma in Norman. I have visited the collection three times.

In the first file of the first box of the collection (the collection is 3 cubic feet in length) was this letter from Zenophine Kennerly Farrington Perry, age 58, to 23 year old Austin Caleb Turpin, a brother of Carl Julian Turpin's and Zenophine's nephew. The letter reads as follows:

Salisbury
May 26, 1888

Dear Austin,

I cannot tell you how much I appreciate your very unexpected letter and how glad it made me to know you were thinking of me. You and Willie (William Upshur Turpin, Austin's brother) both wrote to me long ago and I intended to answer your letter hoping to hear directly from you again. But my du ties were so laborious with my very poor health and little or no help that I rarely ever found time to write and after awhile the letters were misplaced and I did not know where to direct to. I asked some of the family for directions. They failed or forgot to tell me so it went on just so.

I have felt sorry that we did not sometimes correspond for the next best thing in this life to seeing one's friends and talking with them is to communicate with them by writing, it keeps up affection between them. It is a great comfort to those who love each other.

And I, dear Austin, have sadly the need of all the comfort I can obtain in this life for I am all alone, alone, and O, so lonely. But God has been my refuge. Nothing but my trust in His grace and my own strong will has kept me going through all the sorrows, visitudes (sic), and tryals (sic) I have indured (sic) and still suffer. Sometimes I feel that I have no one in the wide world to care anything for me yet I am told that I have many friends and sympathizers in this place but I have learned to know that such friends don't put themselves to much trouble for others except they have something to make by it themselves. The world generally is selfish and I have never learned to know it so well as I have the last three years.

I am sure that you have heard that Mr. Perry and I have separated. It was a great mistake I made as we all make mistakes sooner or later. In my lonely destitute condition, with no male relative to look up to or protect and assist me in my way, I thought at least to find a protector, but I only got into other troubles and my sufferings have been so intense that I had to rid myself of them or go mad. I could not endure more, being all ready broken down with sorrow.
I will say no more of myself for I have been writing of myself altogether. Yet I am not afraid of tiring you. You won't scarcely know Salisbury now at least the business part of the Town or City as they now term it. The stores are all built with glass fronts, the streets widened and everyone seems to vie with each other in trying to excell both in stores and dwelling houses. Some of the dwellings are perfect palaces. The Episcopal Church which was destroyed is again built of brick, the inside finished with different colors brick, blue, red and cream color, but it is not yet completed for the want of funds, but finished sufficiently to hold services in since Christmas. We have some cards distributed among some of the members of the church to collect from ther (sic) friends abroad. I have one with me I will enclose to you and see if you can get a little for us. Everyone puts their name on one line with amount given if only one dollar. I have been asked to call on my friends in the Cities and elsewhere but have not done so. If you are a mind to call on your acquaintances and help us a little if ever so small we will be glad of it. The Northern Methodist have completed their Church, a large stone one, it is a splendid edifice, the finest and most expensive Church in Town. They dedicated it last Sunday. There were crowds of people in town to attend the dedication and see the building. William Jackson contributed greatly towards it. He told them to do what they could and he would do the balance. Tis ???? it was built to excell the Southern Methodists' church, a very pretty one which was built four years ago when thers (sic) was burned. Li Sue J. (??) is a member of the S. M. May (Austin's sister and Zenophine's niece) and her husband (Thomas B. Moore) came up for the dedication but I did not see them; they dined elsewhere. She did not tell me of her marage (sic - marriage) til the day before, I received a letter. Your mother (Elmanda Kennerly Turpin, Zenophine's sister and Austin's mother) writes me she seems to be perfectly happy. Camden nor Newtown were not burned by the fire. I escaped that loss for my old furniture from my old home that is more precious to me than eligant (sic) new would have been a loss not to be replaced.

I still live in Camden.

I am glad that Willie (William Upshur Turpin, Zenophine's nephew and Austin's brother) is so happily married. I hope he will do well. Give my love to him and Carl (Carl Julian Turpin, Austin's brother and Zenophine's nephew) when you write to them. Dear Carl, I miss him, he would come to see me sometimes. Write again, Austin, I will always be glad to hear from you.

From your loving Aunt
Zenophine

At the top of the first page of her letter, written vertically on top of the horizontal text is this:

I forgot that you inquired for Willie Fulton. He is now in Wilmington, Del. He came here a few months ago and got a situation in the P.O., but left when he was offered the other place. John F. has returned and settled here and his sisters live with him. He is just recovering from a severe illness; is practicing medicine and is to be maried (sic) before long. When you write again, give me your full directions. I fear I will not . . .

* * * * *

This letter was discovered on my second visit to the Carl Julian Turpin collection. It was written by my paternal great great grandmother Ellmandia Kennerly Turpin to her son, Austin Caleb Turpin. Bleu

Quantico
Sept. 19th, 1888

My dear Austin,

Your letter, with contents reached me night before last and your present last night. I can’t express the thanks I feel. You know I prized it when I shed tears as I always do for joy as well as sorrow to know you thought so much for me. So thoughtful even for a spool of cotton and trimmings. Yes, the buttons suit nicely and the dress is beautiful. Except (sic - accept) many thanks. I do appreciate it very much, but above all, to know You sent it to me so far. I will have it made up nicely and there is another (?) to alter and make over with for another season which will make it last me so much longer. I was very impatient for mail to arrive the day after receiving your letter. “Woman’s curiosity” you know and will say I would have written last night. Ginnie and Levin Gale (Note: Levin Gale was the brother of Clara Gale Turpin who was married to John Wesley Turpin, brother of Thomas James Turpin. An article in the 30 Apr 1886 issue of the Baltimore Sun states that he was involved with the development of the Nanticoke and Wicomico Railroad; in 1885 Levin Gale was elected Register of Wills for Wicomico County, MD. He appointed Joseph L. Bailey his assistant. Joseph L. Bailey was the judge whom Carl Julian Turpin visited in December 1927. Ginnie, Levin’s wife, was Virginia A. L. Rider Gale. Bleu) were here and prevented me. Tis now ten p.m. The room is full of girls talking so much I fear I shall not finish my letters. Since writing to you I have been very sick, but only in bed for a few days. Yet I know my sickness is as much from overwork as anything. We have had company, first one then another since my return from Fairmount cooking in this extremely hot weather, putting up fruit, with all other housework is the hardest work I ever did in my life because I am not strong enough to really do anything and have not had Clif’s (Note: Clif is Walter Clifton Turpin, son of Thomas James Turpin and Ellmandia Kennerly Turpin. Bleu) assistance as usual. He is working in the caning (sic-canning) house and makes 30 cents per day. He is so ambitious. I do all I can to help him. As they will close in two weeks he will not attend school the first week as school begins Monday next. There are four canning factorys (sic): Jones & Bro on Wes Disharoon’s road, Geo Bounds by his house, Leo Gordy at the Cherry Walk, Thad Langsdale on the river. Everybody raised tomatoes this year. About one hundred loads pass here daily, besides other roads. All everything human from three years old upward are at work in some branch of this business, it is impossible to hire a woman or girl. Farmers are giving from 75 cents to 1.00 per day for hands to take down their fodder which is mildewing in the fields. We have had nearly three weeks of rainy weather, don’t think I ever saw the like of it.

We have not rented for another year yet. There is no house in town to rent. Mrs. Ker says she is coming here, did not tell us so. We do not want to remain here if we can get another smaller and comfortable. In the first place this is very unhealthy, again we cannot pay the rent though the garden here is really worth to us $25.00 which makes up for a house we would otherwise pay $40 or $50 for.

Victor (Note: brother to Austin and son of Thomas James Turpin and Ellmandia Kennerly Turpin. Bleu) too has been at work. You never saw a boy grow as fast as he does. He is constituted just like Willie. His lips give him much trouble, is now taking “Forbes Solution.”

I have not written a letter since to you last. I don’t know what Carl and Willie are thinking of me. I do not have an opportunity. I often sit up sewing till 12 pm. May (Note: May Thomas Turpin Moore, daughter of Thomas James Turpin and Ellmandia Kennerly Turpin. Bleu) had a letter from Ashby last night. He says times are awful dull there. Jennie Turpin (Note: I have not figured out who Jennie is yet. Bleu) has been here nearly two weeks. Went down to Wesley’s (Note: I believe Wesley is a reference to John Wesley Turpin, Thomas James Turpin’s brother. Bleu) today. Will return tomorrow.

Levin and Ginnie Gale spent the evening yesterday. Today Emily Donehs(?) and husband took dinner with us. I opened a bushel of oysters myself this evening. Wish you had them to enjoy. We have been living high on trout and oysters for a week past. When it gets colder I don’t expect they will bring any up as they command high price at the Shore.

Sister (Note: May Thomas Turpin Moore, Ellmandia’s and Thomas James Turpin's daughter. Bleu) has had a surge of company. Just as one or two leaves others come. She and the cook are quite broken down. First season makes it hard now on housekeepers, particular those who have not servants. Lilla Bounds is having it quite lively -- a housefull [sic] every night of a certain Saturday. She is wearing a diamond ring Lee Taylor borrowed from a lady in Philadelphia costing $150.00. She tells it is her ingagement [sic] ring. John Dorman is one of her admirers now. By the way, Lee Taylor has spent nearly all his property [sic] reports say.

Mr. Perry and Aunt Phine are living together again. (Note: “Phine” is Zenophine Kennerly Farrington Perry, Ellmandia’s sister. In a letter to Austin written earlier in 1888, Zenophine had told him that she and Mr. Perry had separated. Zenophine married George Perry five years after John Wesley Turpin, a brother of Ellmandia’s husband, Thomas James Turpin, killed her husband, William H. Farrington in a dispute over livestock crossing onto neighboring properties. Bleu)

Sharlotte Rider was here today. She is in much trouble. Frank died one week and Noah the next. She is the finest looking negro I ever saw. Jennie and I spent yesterday evening or rather afternoon with Aunt Elizabeth. Aunt May, Fanny and Lizzie all send love. Always inquire for you and many others.

I want you to send me Gertrude’s (Note: Gertrude is Iva Gertrude Lawry, the wife of Austin Caleb Turpin. Bleu) picture to see. I will return it. I think of you very, very often, but never sleep till I have returned thanks to our Father for his care and blessings bestowed upon you, and entreat a continuance of the same, and that we all may meet again in the flesh, if it is his will, if not, that we may meet in the Spirit Land where there is no more parting. Did I answer your long and confidential letter? Really I don’t know. Truly I hope all things will work together for the best.

Carl (Carl Julian Turpin was a son of Thomas James Turpin and Ellmandia Kennerly Turpin; brother to Austin Caleb Turpin. Bleu) does not seem to like Ettie (Note: Henrietta Elledge Turpin, the wife of William Upshur Turpin. Bleu). He has told me lotts [sic] but I always tell him never to notice anything or never to speak in any way unkindly. He said in his last (letter) she charged him 20 cents for sewing up a little slit in his shirt sleeve and again 10 cents for 2 buttons on. That is unkind.

I do comment on her to him but say to him …well never mind, he will soon be able to go somewhere else if he likes and this must stimulate him to study the harder. Ashby (Note: Ashby is the son of Thomas James Turpin and Ellmandia Kennerly Turpin; brother to Austin Caleb Turpin. Bleu) thinks it terrible Carl pays board. I do not yet there are things Willie could change privately if he wished.

“Alls well that ends well.” My hand is swelling. I will close. Guess you are tired out with this scroll.

Now let me thank you again for my dress, it come just in time when we appreciate such things best.

Your truly loving
Mother

AN ANALYSIS OF ANOTHER TURPIN PHOTOGRAPH

My dad gave me this picture a couple of years ago. On the back of the picture the caption says that Grandpa (Thomas James Turpin) is in the picture and that it was taken with the Smith neighbors. The caption mentions that the picture is for Uncle Carl (Julian Turpin) and it’s signed “Gertrude.”

The name “Gertrude” once led my father and me to believe that it had been taken in Kansas. We thought maybe it had been taken during Thomas’s visit to his son Ashby’s farm in Cowley County, KS, in September, 1906. Recently, I took out the picture again to study. Ashby’s and Mary Virginia Sparks Turpin’s daughter, (Flora) Gertrude was born in 1916, 10 years after the death of her grandfather, Thomas James Turpin, so she could not have been the Gertrude who wrote the note on the back of the picture.

HOWEVER, Ashby’s older sister, May Thomas Turpin Moore, with whom sisters Mary Virginia Sparks Turpin and Blanche Anna Sparks Rivenbark lived, had one child with her husband, Thomas B. Moore. (Emma) Gertrude Moore was born 26 Sep 1892 and she died 22 Sep 1913, just before her 21st birthday. May’s daughter never married.

The picture was taken between 1900 and Thomas’s death in 1906. In 1900, Ashby and Mamie were living in Fort Dodge, IA, where their first child, Milton Ashby Turpin, was born. A search of the 1905 Kansas State Census, the year before Thomas visited Ashby and Mamie, shows that Ashby and Mamie lived in Pleasant Valley Township, Cowley County, Kansas. However, in studying the people that lived around Ashby and Mamie in that 1905 Kansas state census, no Smiths are to be found.

In June 1900, in Dwelling #706, Salisbury, Maryland, lived May and her family, along with Mary Virginia Sparks Turpin’s sister, Blanche. May is listed as a school teacher and with them live, in addition to Blanche, (Mamie had already married Ashby in Jan. of that same year), 12 other people listed as boarders.

Two dwellings away, Dwelling #708, live the Smith family: husband E. Smith, age 37; wife Lillian Smith, age 33; daughter Margaret, 3; E. Smith’s brother, William G. Smith, age 41; and E. Smith’s mother, Margaret A. Smith, age 66.

The 1900 US Census, taken in June 1900, shows Thomas James Turpin and Ellmandia Kennerly Turpin living in Dwelling 763 in Salisbury, MD. They had moved from Quantico to Salisbury, according to an article published in the Salisbury Advertiser on 13 Jan 1900:

“Mr. and Mrs. T. J. Turpin have removed from Quantico to Salisbury and are now comfortably situated in their home on Bush street, which they purchased recently from Mr. Frank Mitchell.”

(As a side note, Bush Street no longer exists as it did in 1900. I asked when I was at the Nabb Research Center in Salisbury in October, 2009, and I was told that when U.S. Highway 50 came through, a lot of houses were torn down and streets renamed. Salisbury was changed by U.S. Highway 50. However, it did allow the town to grow and attract more business.)

So back to the original question: where was this picture taken? I believe it was taken in Salisbury, Maryland sometime between 1900 and 1906. The hairstyles of the woman sitting next to Thomas and the young women sitting in front of him indicate the early 1900s. www.fashion-era.com indicates that the pompadour was fashionable during that time period as were large hats.

Also, in looking at Thomas in this picture, he appears that he has more weight than in the picture that was taken at the 101 Ranch at Bliss, OK, two months before his death. (The small photo on the left of the group picture shown above was cropped from the photo being analyzed in this blog posting; the small photo on the right of the group picture shown above was cropped from a positively identified picture taken in September 16, 1906, of Thomas James Turpin at the 101 Ranch in Bliss, Oklahoma.)

My paternal great great grandfather, Thomas, was (Emma) Gertrude Moore’s maternal grandfather and Carl Julian Turpin was her maternal uncle. The 1910 census shows Ellmandia Kennerly Turpin, Thomas’s wife and my paternal great great grandmother, living with her daughter May, May’s daughter (Emma) Gertrude, and some boarders.

My theory is that once Ellmandia passed away in 1911, May and her daughter Gertrude probably went through pictures and things and distributed them to family members. On the back of the picture is written “for Uncle Carl from Gertrude.” Then when Uncle Carl (Julian Turpin) passed away, his wife Frances probably once again distributed pictures and the picture went to Ashby since he was still alive when Uncle Carl died, or even to my paternal grandfather (Milton Ashby) since he and his family were living in Oklahoma City when Uncle Carl (Julian Turpin) passed away.

I don’t know who the young women are sitting in front of Thomas, and, in fact, the only woman I can feel fairly safe in identifying is the oldest woman in the picture. I believe her to be Margaret A. Smith, age 66, the mother of E. Smith whose porch on which this picture was taken. The other gentleman in the picture is either E. Smith or his brother William. But this is based on the assumption that the entire Smith family is sitting on that porch with Thomas.

I even wonder if one of the young women sitting in front of Thomas is, in fact, (Emma) Gertrude Moore, May’s daughter. I wonder this because on the back of the picture is written “for Uncle Carl from Gertrude.” She wouldn’t need to identify herself because Uncle Carl would know what she looked like. The youngest woman on that front row appears to be the dark haired girl second from the left. But, even at that, (Emma) Gertrude Moore was 14 when her grandfather, Thomas James Turpin, died, so even though, people did look older sooner back then, I don’t know if this is a face of a 12 or 13 year old girl in the early 1900s.

I always hope that someday new information or positively identified photographs will turn up.