Euphemia (Turnbull) Wheelock (1803 - 1883)

Born 10 May 1803 in Scotland

Descendants

Died 10 Nov 1883 at age 80 in Boone, Boone, Iowa, United States

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Biography

Euphemia Turnbull was born 10 May 1803, in Scotland, according to her headstone, and census records. She married John T. Wheelock, probably in New York state, around 1819. She moved to Iowa, and lived there with her son until her death in 1883.

Obituary

At the home of her son, R. U. Wheelock, at Ogden, on the evening of November 10, 1883, Mrs. Euphemia Wheelock, aged eighty years and six months.

The deceased was born in the village of Lilly's Leaf, Scotland. She came to this country with her parents, at the age of 11 years, who settled near Albany, New York. She was married at the age of 17 and became the mother of nine children, six of whom survive her. She was the youngest of 12 children and the survivor of all the family, her brother, Sir James Turnbull, who last proceeded her, having died in London, England, nine years ago. She was buried in the Boonesboro Cemetery, where others of her kin are buried. She was fully ripe and ready for the Reaper.

From the Scrapbook of Obituaries 1880-1890 from the Boone County Index. (#977•718 Scr 16 State Historical Library at Des Moines, Iowa Accession number 61221) (Copied May 1978 by the compiler)

Research Notes

Euphemia Turnbull is often listed as the daughter of Walter Turnbull and Euphemia Dickson, of Melrose Parish, Scotland. But this is apparently not the case.

There is an 1800 baptism record for Euphemia Turnbull in the Parish of Melrose, Scotland, daughter of Walter Turnbull, schoolmaster, and Euphemia Dickson. The baptism record cites a birth date of 23 July 1800. Because of the proximity to Lillieslief, mentioned in her obituary, it was presumed that this was the same Euphemia Turnbull.

However, an 1868 Edinburgh death record for Euphemia Turnbull proves that this was a different Euphemia. The death record refers to Euphemia (Turnbull) Dobson, age 68, wife of Francis Dobson, daughter of Walter Turnbull, parochial schoolmaster in the Parish of Melrose, and Euphemia (Dickson) Turnbull, both parents deceased. This record clearly corresponds to the Euphemia Turnbull born in 1800 in the Parish of Melrose, so cannot be the Euphemia Turnbull who married John T. Wheelock.

These records cited above (and uploaded as images) disprove the frequent assertion that Euphemia Turnbull, wife of John T. Wheelock, was the daughter of Walter Turnbull and Euphemia Dickson.

Birth

Unsourced family trees on Ancestry.com cite a birth of 10 May 1803, Innerleithen, Pebblesshire, Scotland. The date probably comes from her headstone, but the source for the location is unknown.

Death

10 Nov 1883, probably Boone, Boone Co, Iowa, from headstone.

Residence

1850

Lancaster, Erie, New York^[1]

1860

Spirit Lake, Dickinson, Iowa, United States^[2]

1870

Boonsboro, Boone, Iowa, United States^[3]

1880

Ogden, Boone, Iowa, United States^[4]

Sources

• "Old Parish Registers - Baptisms," database with images, ScotlandsPeople (http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk : accessed 19 Feb 2020), baptized 24 Aug 1800, Euphemia, daughter of Walter Turnbull, schoolmaster, and Euphemia Dickson, in Melrose, born 23 July 1800; citing National Records of Scotland, Old Parish Registers, Melrose, no 799/40 60. See uploaded image.

• “Statutory Registers - Deaths,” database with images, ScotlandsPeople (http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk : accessed 19 Feb 2020), death, Euphemia Dobson M.S. Turnbull, married to Francis Dobson, died 20 Apr 1868, Edinburgh, age 68 years, daughter of Walter Turnbull, parochial schoolmaster at Parish of Melrose, deceased, and Eumphemia Turnbull M.S. Dickson, deceased; citing National Records of Scotland, Statutory Death Registers no. 685/2 220. See uploaded image.

• Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 19 February 2020), headstone photo for Euphemia Turnbull Wheelock, Find A Grave Memorial no. 22794108, Linwood Park Cemetery, Boone, Boone Co, IA, maintained by Burt (contributor 46867609).

References

1. ↑ "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCYW-F1P : accessed 20 Feb 2020), John Wheelock, Lancaster, Erie, New York, United States; citing family 980, NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
2. ↑ "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M82V-PQ3 : accessed 20 Feb 2020), Robert W Wheelock in entry for Euphemia Wheelock, 1860.
3. ↑ "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MDJV-F48 : accessed 20 Feb 2020), Euphemia Wheelock in entry for Robert Wheelock, 1870.
4. ↑ "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MDKR-H2F : accessed 20 Feb 2020), Effie Wheelock in household of Robert V Wheelock, Ogden, Boone, Iowa, United States; citing enumeration district ED 5, sheet 69C, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm 1,254,328.

Acknowledgments

• Thank you to Ed Burke for creating WikiTree profile Turnbull-585 through the import of Burke Brooks Tree 2010.ged on Feb 18, 2013.

• Thanks to Hannah Frances Thomas, a descendent of Walter Turnbull and Euphemia Dickson (through their daughter, Euphemia Turnbull), for the source references to Euphemia's birth and death proving that John T. Wheelock's wife was a different Euphemia Turnbull.