Lewis Turner (abt. 1829 - abt. 1904)

Our family story, my great grandfather was named Major Louis Turner. Two family bibles have his name spelled Lewis and Louis, but he signed his draft card as Major Louis Turner. Major Louis Turner was named after his father, according to his sisters, Nora and Cora. Nora and Cora also provided written affidavits to have a birth certificate made because Major was born at home. My grandmother, Allie Loraine Turner Seely also stated, Major Louis Turner Senior was also named after his father. Each descending branch from Major Lewis Turner's half-brothers, John Palmon Turner and Hannibal Frank Turner, have a different story which peeks one's interest. Our branch has family story of Lewis Turner having a shooting duel over his sister's honor, and thinking he killed the man, left Tennessee; only to run into the man years later. Also, Lewis Turner Senior was a teamster and a man named George Rains, worked for him. When Major Louis Turner was about 10 years old, on returning from one of their trips, George stated they were robbed and Turner Senior was killed in New Mexico. George subsequently married Turner's widow, Sara Jane Snider [Schneider] [Snyder]Turner, and they had one child, Esther. George was mean to young Major Louis Turner; so his older half-brothers, beat George up and ran him off. Hannibal's descendants tell their story, Turner was not killed but lived with them until he died at Fort Stanton Army Hospital, several years later of consumption or TB. [If Turner Senior had TB, can see why he did not want to return to his family, since they had no cure for TB back then] Another story told, was Major Lewis Turner senior shot and killed his business partner and left town, which then leads to speculation about him changing his name. DNA does support the Turner name.