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Below is a family biography included in The History of Bedford County, Tennessee published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1887. These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary. Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more. There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.
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JAMES L. TURNER was born July 8, 1823, in Sussex County, Va., son of Littlebury and Mary (Winn) Turner. The father was born April 28, 1788, and died June 18, 1869. The mother was born September 28, 1787, and died February 25, 1879. Our subject’s educational advantages were not of the best, but, notwithstanding, he is considered a fine mathematician, and has acquired the major part of his education without a teacher. At the age of twenty-one he engaged in the farming interest with his father, and so continued until about 1851. Previous to this, in 1848, he was elected to the office of constable, which position he held for about eleven years. In 1850 he wedded Margaret N. Murphy, who was born August 12, 1830, and to them were born nine children: Sarah J., James W., William F., Margaret F., Elizabeth A., Nancy F., Tennessee M. (deceased), Joseph H. and Lavinia. Mr. Turner was elected to the office of deputy sheriff in 1858, and held that office one term, and again in 1868 he was deputized to fill the same office. In 1876 he was elected magistrate of the Eleventh District, and has held that office up to the present time. He has also carried on his farming interest, and has been quite successful in that occupation. He is a Republican in politics.
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This family biography is one of the numerous biographies included in The History of Bedford County, Tennessee published in 1887 by Goodspeed. The History of Bedford County was included within The History of Maury, Williamson, Rutherford, Wilson, Bedford & Marshall Counties of Tennessee. For the complete description, click here: History of Maury, Williamson, Rutherford, Wilson, Beford and Marshall Counties of Tennessee
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