James Turner (1823 - 1892)

Born 8 May 1823 in South Carolina, United States

Husband of Nancy (Williams) Turner — married 1848 in Alabama, USA

Descendants

Died 22 Jul 1892 at age 69 in Choccolocca, Calhoun, Alabama, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Deborah Dunn [send private message]

Biography

This profile is part of the Turner Name Study.

James Turner served in the United States Civil War.
Side: CSA
Regiment(s): Co. G, 31st Alabama Infantry, CSA

James was a Farmer.

James was born in 1823. He passed away in 1892 at the age of 69 and is interred at Harmony Baptist Church Cemetery, Choccolocco, Alabama.^[1]

DNA

This line (James Turner) has been proven to match exactly the Turner DNA project with that of brother William T. R. Turner.

Residences / Family

In the 1850 census James (age 24), Worker, and his wife Nancy were living in District 28, Benton, Alabama. They were living with Nancy's family, possibly her father. ^[2]

James owned land in Cleburne County AL as early as 1856 at the intersection of County Roads 6 and 13. James served in Company G, 31st AL infantry CSA and died July 2 1892. He was known as "Big Jim". He was a farmer. He owned land at one time in areas south of Heflin, AL.

In the 1860 census, James (age 38) and his wife Nancy (31) were living in Northern Division, Randolph County, Alabama. They had five children in the household. James was a farmer. ^[3]

Military Service, Civil War

Military Service Records on James Turner are not on file with CSA.

There is information in pension records. There is James Turner whose wife Nancy Turner filed for a widow's pension after her husband's death. She stated that her husband had been in Company G, 31st Alabama Infantry. This could be the correct soldier and wife but needs a bit more research. She also stated her husband died on July 2, 1892, whereas the memorial at Find a Grave has a date of July 22, 1892.

At the time she applied, she was living in Choccolocco, a census designated place in Calhoun County, Alabama. The Find A Grave memorial states James A "Big Jim" Turner is buried at Choccolocco, Alabama. Therefore, most of the evidence points to Jim being a member of the 31st Alabama Infantry.^[4][5]

The 31st Inf. Regt.. was organized in Talladega, AL in April 1862. It recruited its men in Randolph and Calhoun Counties, among others. The regiment took part in the fight at Cumberland Gap and Tazewell but was not engaged when it moved into Kentucky. Ordered to Mississippi and assigned to General Tracy's Brigade, Dept. of Miss. and East Louisiana, it fought at Chickasaw Bayou, Port Gibson, and Champion's Hill, then was captured after the long siege of Vicksburg. Exchanged and reorganized, the unit was brigaded under Gen. Pettus and participated in many battles of the Army of Tenn. from Chattanooga to Bentonville. The 31st was commanded by among others, Major George W. Mattison, who was from Calhoun Co. AL.

31st Alabama Infantry, Companies by County of Recruitment:^[6]

Company A - many men from Cherokee County, some of company paroled as of Company K, 23rd AL Infantry, Consolidated

Company B - many men from Talladega County, also called Company A; company paroled as part of Comapny K, 23rd AL Infantry, Consolidated

Company C - many men from Cherokee County, also called Company B

Company D - many men from Calhoun County, evidently became Company G, 23rd AL Infantry

Company E - many men from Talladega County, also called Company D

Company F - many men from Talladega County, also called Company E

Company G - many men from Shelby County, also called Company K

Company H - many men from Randolph County

Company I - many men from Montgomery County

Company K - many men from Shelby County, some of the company finally paroled as Company H, 23rd AL Infantry, Consolidated

Post War

In the 1870 census James (age 48) was the head of household in Cleburne, Alabama.^[7]

In the 1880 census James (age 60), Farmer, was the married head of household in Township 9 South Range 7 West, Winston, Alabama.^[8]

Research Notes

The family could use more research to verify the facts and ensure there is no conflation. There may have been another James and Nancy Turner. One concerning detail is that James' wife Nancy's age does not stay consistent from census to census. Laura W Huggins-2519 18:38, 31 July 2023 (UTC)

Another uncertainty is that at the time of the 1880 Census, a family almost identical was enumerated in DeKalb Co., AL. Around this time many families moved to North AL to settle land on newly opened territory. They only had to live there for five years and make improvements on the property to own it. Many then sold and returned to their native areas.

I found a record on James T. Turner who served in the 61st Alabama Infantry, Confederate, Company E, Private, Film Number M374 roll 45. Ancestry.Com. He is listed on the Memorial Wall of Confederate Soldiers in Calhoun Co. AL.

Notes from Zachery Turner in 2024 : Pvt. James A. Turner, Company C, 51st Alabama Cavalry Partisan Rangers. Turner, born in South Carolina in 1823, was a married farmer with 5 children living in Randolph County, Alabama in 1860. He enlisted in Talladega, Alabama on 20 April 1862. He traveled 70 miles to enlist, and his horse was valued at $275. He was surrendered at the end of the war on 19 May 1865 in Talladega, Alabama. Turner died in 1892 and is buried in Calhoun County, Alabama. Martha Jane Turner (1850-1929) Sarah Margaret Turner(1852-1928) Nancy Matilda Turner (1855-1941) John Holloway Turner(1857-1921) my 4th GG was John Thomas Jefferson Turner (1860-1939) Then he had one son born In 1864 Newberry Turner (1864-1947)

I Attached the 1860 census, That would be the one that shows the family In Randolph County with my 4th Great Grandfather John Holloway Turner living In the house. Why I think the 51st James Is are James The James Turner In the 31st actually died during the war. The 7th AL Inf James Turner was from way down in Barbour County People Didn't travel that far to enlist if they did it was rare. Plus the age doesn't match

The 51st Partisan Rangers Company C Fits him the most and his terms of service is about right.

I attached a picture of the roll of the 51st and James Is at the very bottom of the page. You'll notice J A Turner.

Sources

1. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/235432976/james-a-turner: accessed 16 September 2023), memorial page for James A “Big Jim” Turner (8 May 1823–22 Jul 1892), Find A Grave: Memorial #235432976 citing Harmony Baptist Church Cemetery, Choccolocco, Calhoun County, Alabama, USA; Maintained by Jerry Allen Turner (contributor 47591025).
2. ↑ 1850 Census: "1850 United States Federal Census," database with images
   Ancestry Sharing Link - (Ancestry Record 8054 #19112407 : accessed 31 July 2023)
   James Turner (24), Worker, in District 28, Benton, Alabama, USA. Born in South Carolina
   citing The National Archives in Washington D.C., Record Group Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group Number 29, Series Number M432, Residence Date 1850, Home in 1850 District 28, Benton, Alabama, Roll 1, Page 265b, Line Number 14.
3. ↑ 1860 Census: "United States Census, 1860," database with images
   (FamilySearch Record: MHDP-KQ3 : accessed 30 July 2023)
   FamilySearch Image: 33S7-9YBK-4DH
   James Turner (38) in Northern Division, Randolph, Alabama, United States. Born in South Carolina
   citing Page: 139; Affiliate Name: The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Affiliate Publication Number: M653; Digital film/folder number: 005165593; FHL microfilm: 803022; Image number: 143; Packet letter: A; Indexing batch: N01686-1.
4. ↑ Military Pension Files: "Alabama, Texas and Virginia, U.S., Confederate Pensions, 1884-1958," database with images
   Ancestry Sharing Link - (Ancestry Record 1677 #2411093 : accessed 31 July 2023)
   Name James Turner, Application Date 4 Jun 1900, Application Place Calhoun, Spouse Nancy Turner, Death Date 2 Jul 1892, Pension File Number 1595, Application Type Widow
   citing Alabama Department of Archives and History, Montgomery, Alabama, Confederate Pension Applications, 1880-1940, Collection # Microfilm in the Research Room, Roll Description Turberville, Barfield - Tyler, Wilson B.
5. ↑ Alabama Civil War Service Database: "Alabama Civil War Service Records Database," Alabama Department of Archives and History, Online database at (https://archives.alabama.gov/research/CivilWarSoldier.aspx?id=206820 : retrieved July 31, 2023) citing James Turner.
6. ↑ Family Search © 2023, Intellectual Reserve, Inc.The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day S aints. online at familysearch.org (https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/31st_Regiment,_Alabama_Infantry ; accessed July 31, 2023)
7. ↑ 1870 Census: "United States Census, 1870," database with images
   (FamilySearch Record: MHVB-189 : accessed 31 July 2023)
   FamilySearch Image: S3HY-6QT9-CVP Image number 00063
   James Turner (48) head of household in Cleburne, Alabama, United States. Born in South Carolina
   citing Page: 2; Affiliate Name: The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Affiliate Publication Number: M593; Line: 38; Digital film/folder number: 004257483; FHL microfilm: 000545508; Record number: 2320; Packet letter: A.
8. ↑ 1880 Census: "United States Census, 1880," database with images
   (FamilySearch Record: M4JF-ZWQ : accessed 31 July 2023)
   FamilySearch Image: 33S7-9YB9-9SVY Image number 00246
   James Turner (60), married, Farmer, head of household in Township 9 South Range 7 West, Winston, Alabama, United States. Born in South Carolina, United States
   citing enumeration district ED 58, sheet , NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm .

See Also:

• TURNER Bible Records in possession of Thrower family of Alabama."

• "Memorial Wall of Confederate Soldiers Calhoun County, AL."

• "Units of the confederate States", by Joseph H. Cruts, Jr.]] [[Library Reference file: E546.C78)."

• "Alabama Deaths, 1908-1974," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JD2F-QPL : 27 November 2014), Jim Turner in entry for John H Turner, 23 Aug 1921; citing reference cn21145, Department of Health, Montgomery; FHL microfilm 1,908,234."