Turner Family Papers

Collection

Identifier: 2004A002

Turner Family Papers

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Scope and Contents

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The first part of this collection contains six letters (with typescripts and transcriber's footnotes) written by members of the Turner Family during and following the Civil War. The letters appear to have been dictated to and written by someone other than the author. These letters mainly refer to the health and activities of family and friends. These include letters from family members who served as "Buffalo Soldiers" - the name given to African-American soldiers during the Civil War. The second part of this collection provides glimpses of African-American life in Madison County, Kentucky during the 20th century. These items include ephemeral material about local African Americans and correspondence about African-American history in Richmond, Kentucky. There is also a historical sketch detailing significant African-Americans in Richmond. The final part of this collection consists of two Turner family reunion booklets which contain photographs, family history, copies of documents, and address lists. Copies of supporting documents, such as census records, are included with the collection.

Dates

Creation: 1864 - 1999
Acquisition: 1999-07-19

Biographical or Historical Information

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The Turner family was an African-American family that lived in Richmond, Kentucky during and following the Civil War. We do not know when Daniel and America were married, but they had children who were born in slavery, so there will be no documentation for a marriage, as slave marriages were not recorded. Turner family members include the following: Daniel (ca. 1820-ca. 1895) married America (1828-24 Dec 1876) Ellen Levi Hood (1847-22 Apr 1886) married Fannie Holloway ( -12 Apr 1887) on 22 Feb 1870 John married Patsy Makan Dallis Wyatt (1856-1 Jan 1936) married Emma Young (formerly Mitchell) (1855-30 May 1932) on 13 Jan 1887 Anderson Annie (1867-31 Jan 1953) married Fielden Chenault (15 Jun 1868-5 Nov 1945) on 29 Dec 1887 America (1865-28 Aug 1961) married June Covington on 28 Sep 1889 Bettie married Thomas Miller on 21 Nov 1954 Eva married Marshall Jones Several of the Turners may have served as "Buffalo Soldiers." John Turner served with the 12th United States Colored Heavy Artillery at Camp Nelson. Dallis served in New Albany under Col. Sedgewick. Makan served in Company D, 10th Cavalry. John Turner (is probably a different John) spent 5 years on the Frontier with Company D, 10th Cavalry. The family purchased a new home in Richmond, KY ca. 1865. The house at 349 Hill Street was still owned by a member of the family, Frank Douglas Walker, in 1999.

Note written by Jonathan L. Stokdyk