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 be 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.
Transcribed by Kathryn Hopkins
Goodspeed Publishing Co. History of Tennessee from the Earliest Time to the Present: Together with an Historical and a Biographical Sketch of Maury, Williamson, Rutherford, Wilson, Bedford & Marshall Counties, Besides a Valuable Fund of Notes, Reminescences [Sic], Observations, Etc., Etc. Easley, S.C.: Southern Historical Press, 1988.