Richard Turner
According to the “U.S. Find a Grave Index, 1600s to Current for Richard Turner,” Turner was born in 1840 in Virginia.1 However, legal documents filed on his behalf through his life, however, imply birth years of a range from 1830 to 1840. Turner himself gives his birthplace as Woodstock; Shenandoah Valley, VA but census records for Shenandoah County are not available for either 1830 or 1840 so his age is unknown.2 This is due to speculation that Turner was likely a slave born in Virginia but sold south to a large and prosperous plantation in Louisiana. As a slave he was most likely illiterate and would not have known his birth year. His status as a slave can be inferred from his enlistment in the 48th Regiment of the United States Colored Troops (previously known as the 10th Louisiana Infantry) with company F in Lake Providence, LA in May 1863.3 Most of the soldiers in this unit were freed or escaped slaves. Turner served valiantly and without incident until he was honorably discharged in January of 1866 in Baton Rouge.4 Unfortunately, his first wife, Mohelia Leewis died sometime during his service to his country.5
Following his honorable discharge, Turner stated in an 1898 Pension Application with the Department of the Interior’s Pension Bureau that he moved for about twenty-five years between Woodstock, Virginia; New Ark, Ohio and Carlisle, Pennsylvania, eventually settling in Steelton, Pennsylvania.6 Before his settlement in Steelton, Turner married Florinda (Flora) Humphrey in Carlisle in October 1875.7 An 1890 Application for Invalid Pension later lists Turner’s place of residence as Steelton, Dauphin County, PA.8 Twenty-five years later, a 1915 Pension Application gives his address as 319 Pitt St. in Carlisle, Cumberland County, PA.9 The 1898 Pension Application with the Department of the Interior’s Pension Bureau mentions a son he had with Flora in 1878, but he is not mentioned on any future government forms that reference children.10 Adding to his misfortune, Flora died in 1913.11
While living in Steelton and Carlisle, Turner applied six times between 1898 and 1912 for his pension, basing eligibility on his age and his disability, resulting from decades of being a laborer. According to a 1900 Surgeon’s Certificate, Turner suffered from heart, kidney, knee, testicular, and other rheumatism problems. This report also indicates he wore glasses, stood at five feet four inches and weighed 124 pounds.12 As per the Bureau of Pensions, Turner was initially awarded $6 a month in 1899 and this rose to $30 a month by 1912.13
The final year of Richard Turner’s life was 1920. According to the 1920 census, Turner resided in Carlisle.14 Turner married Celia Hawkins on January 15, 1920 and their marriage made the local newspaper, the Sentinel.15 Later that year, in May, another citizen of Carlisle was accused and convicted of stealing Turner’s wheelbarrow.16 Despite being married for less than a year, Celia Turner was made a widow on September 28, 1920.17 She would later apply for and be rewarded a Widow’s Pension by the U.S. Pension Office.18 Richard Turner died of “labar pneumonia” and was buried on October 1, 1920 in Union Cemetery in Carlisle.19
Edited by Mia Romano
Bibliography
”Charged With Larceny of Wheel-Barrow" The Sentinel. 18 May 1920.
“Richard Turner.” Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Department of Health. Bureau of Vital Statistics. Death Certificate. Filed by Albert Sheiner. Carlisle, PA. 1920.
“Richard Turner.” United States. Department of the Interior. Bureau of Pensions. Application for Invalid Pension. Report Approved by U.S. Pension Office. 1897.
“Richard Turner.” United States. Department of the Interior. Bureau of Pensions. Pension Application. Report approved by U.S. Pension Office. Washington D.C. 1898.
“Richard Turner.” United States. Department of the Interior. Bureau of Pensions. Surgeon’s Certificate. Report approved by U.S. Pension Office. Washington D.C. 1900
“Richard Turner.” United States. Department of the Interior. Bureau of Pensions. Pension Application. Report approved by U.S. Pension Office. Washington D.C. 1915.
“Richard Turner.” United States. Department of the Interior. Bureau of Pensions. Pension Certification. Report approved by U.S. Pension Office. Washington D.C. 1922.
“Turner-Hawkins” The Sentinel 15 January 1920.
”U.S. Find A Grave Index, 1600s to Current for Richard Turner.” Accessed 24 February 2020.
Notes
[1] ”U.S. Find A Grave Index, 1600s to Current for Richard Turner”.
[2] “Richard Turner. ”United States. Department of the Interior. Bureau of Pensions. Pension Application. Report approved by U.S. Pension Office. Washington D.C. 1915.
[3] ”U.S. Find A Grave Index, 1600s to Current for Richard Turner”.
[4] ”U.S. Find A Grave Index, 1600s to Current for Richard Turner”.
[5]“Richard Turner.” United States. Department of the Interior. Bureau of Pensions. Pension Application. Report approved by U.S. Pension Office. Washington D.C. 1898.
[6]“Richard Turner.” United States. Department of the Interior. Bureau of Pensions. Pension Application. Report approved by U.S. Pension Office. Washington D.C. 1898.
[7] “Richard Turner.” United States. Department of the Interior. Bureau of Pensions. Pension Application. Report approved by U.S. Pension Office. Washington D.C. 1915.
[8] “Richard Turner.” United States. Department of the Interior. Bureau of Pensions. Application for Invalid Pension. Report Approved by U.S. Pension Office. 1897.
[9] ‘Richard Turner.” United States. Department of the Interior. Bureau of Pensions. Pension Application. Report approved by U.S. Pension Office. Washington D.C. 1915.
[10]Richard Turner.” United States. Department of the Interior. Bureau of Pensions. Pension Application. Report approved by U.S. Pension Office. Washington D.C. 1898.
[11]“Richard Turner.” United States. Department of the Interior. Bureau of Pensions. Pension Application. Report approved by U.S. Pension Office. Washington D.C. 1915.
[12] “Richard Turner.” United States. Department of the Interior. Bureau of Pensions. Surgeon’s Certificate. Report approved by U.S. Pension Office. Washington D.C. 1900
[13] “Richard Turner.” United States. Department of the Interior. Bureau of Pensions. Pension Certification. Report approved by U.S. Pension Office. Washington D.C. 1922.
[14] ”U.S. Find A Grave Index, 1600s to Current for Richard Turner”.
[15] “Turner-Hawkins” The Sentinel 15 January 1920.
[16] ”Charged With Larceny of Wheel-Barrow" The Sentinel 1920.
[17] “Richard Turner.” Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Department of Health. Bureau of Vital Statistics. Death Certificate. Filed by Albert Sheiner. Carlisle, PA. 1920.
[18]“Richard Turner.” United States. Department of the Interior. Bureau of Pensions. Declaration for Widow’s Pension. Report approved by U.S. Pension Office. Washington D.C. 1898.
[19] Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Department of Health. Bureau of Vital Statistics. Death Certificate. Filed by Albert Sheiner. Carlisle, PA. 1920.