TURMAN-Wilson - Fountain County INGenWeb Project

Wilson L. TURMAN, merchant, Attica, was born February 16, 1824, on the Sangamon river, south of Decatur, Illinois. His grandfather settled at a very early day in Sullivan county, this state, on Turman's creek, which received its name from him. He was a Universalist in religion, and being naturally energetic, could not rest from pushing all he did with much vigor and resolution. His son Jacob embraced Methodism, and being moved to preach the gospel, prepared to do so; this displeased the father, who imputed his son's purpose to indolence, and he discarded him. The son went into Illinois on a mission to the Indians, and was traveling and preaching among them four years. It was during this period that the subject of this sketch was born. The father finally relented and recalled Jacob. He was considered wealthy for those times, and the Indians had concerted a plot to massacre his family and plunder him of his property. On the first night of Jacob's return his father invited him to conduct family devotion, and while so engaged the Indians surrounded the house, but peeping in saw the family at prayers, and not daring to offend the Great Spirit, withdrew. They crossed the river and attacked a house in which was a woman with her two or three children alone for the night, and brutally murdered them. This circumstance was often related by Richard HARGRAVE, the well known Methodist preacher in these parts who followed close upon the first settlements. The wife of Jacob TURMAN was Susan ROLLINS, of Lexington, Kentucky, a distant relation to Henry CLAY. This family settled in the Bethel neighborhood in October, 1824, not long after the birth of our subject. This was the year in which the first settlement was made in Logan township; several families came and located here in the spring. Mr. TURMAN was raised and has spent all his life in this place, except three years that he was in the army. His father died when he was fourteen years of age, and he worked at farming till he was twenty-four; since that time he has been in the warehousing business, or merchandising, in Attica. He was married May 1, 1846, to Miss Margaret BRIER, whose father, Samuel BRIER, was among the earliest settlers at Rob Roy. They have five daughters and one son. The latter, Samuel, was born May 14, 1852, and married Miss Ollie M, KELLER, March 6, 1878. These have a son, born March 8, 1879. Mr. TURMAN enlisted in Co. C, 86th Ind. Vols., August 13, 1862. At the battle of Stone River he was sent back with the wagon train that was ordered to return to Nashville, and was in the affair at Lavergne when Wheeler's cavalry made their descent and destroyed a great number of wagons and quantity of stores. Before the forward movement of the Army of the Cumberland, in June 1863, he had become greatly reduced by dropsy, jaundice, and diarrhea, and was sent to the rear and attached to the Invalid Corps. As the train which bore him from Murfreesboro slowly departed, traversing and leaving behind the famous battle-ground, it was the unhappiest moment of his life. He did duty in guarding prisoners, and besides served as commissary sergeant at Camp Douglas, and was mustered out July 3, 1865.