William Turman was born in Bedford County, tenn., November 16, 1839, son of John C. and Mary A. (Parker) Turman, natives, respectively, of Georgia and Tennessee. John C. Turman came with his father to Tennessee in 1807, when he was but five years old. They located in Bedford County, and here he was reared, married and raised his family. He came to Wayne County in the fall of 1855, locating on a farm, but later came to Waynesboro, where he died May 4, 1881. He was a Democrat before, and a Republican after the war, being elected to the office of county trustee, but would not serve. He was a consistent member of the Baptist Church, as was his wife, who died June 11, 1857. William was reared a farmer’s boy and was educated in the common schools. In 1863 he enlisted in the Federal Army as a private, in the Second Tennessee Mounted Infantry, but was never mustered in account of physical disability, but served with the regiment one year. In the fall of 1867 he came to Waynesboro and engaged in the mercantile and liquor business, in which he has remained continuously to the present time. He has given farming considerable attention and owns 600 acres of good farming land. He is connected with the saw-milling interests of the county and has added largely to the wealth and prosperity of the county. His residence in Waynesboro is the finest in the county. In 1872, he married Ione Cypert, and four children have blessed their union: Camilla, William B., Sarah and Benjamin D. Mr. Turman is a Republican in politics and a prominent business man of the county.