[104]-Wilson Turner

Wilson Turner was born in Virginia in 1776, the son of Elijah and Sarah (possibly
Haynes) Turner.1 He died 27 Aug 1827 in Franklin Co VA.2
On 12 Apr 1796 in Bedford Co VA,3 Wilson married Elizabeth Doss, the eldest
daughter of Azariah and Lydia Anna (Ayres) Doss.4 She died 8 Sep 1844, near Bremen
Muhlenberg Co KY.
Wilson Turner was a Baptist minister.5 In 1810, he was living with his family in
Franklin Co VA, p 308, Wilson Turner: 11011/11110/00. In 1820, they were in the same
county, Franklin Co VA, p 166, Wilson Turner: 001110/00110. Elizabeth was the head of
a household in 1830, probably with an unmarried daughter: Franklin Co VA, p 95,

1
Hopkins, Walter Lee. Leftwich-Turner Families, Harrisonburg VA: C J Carrier & Co: 1980, pp.
199-200, 288.
2
Rev. Wilson Turner, Sr., Will (1827), Franklin Co VA, probate records, pp. 129, 130, 131.
3
Marriage record found by Ramona Duff, see letter dated 12 Jul 1982.
4
From Nathan W Murphy, author of Descendants of Azariah Doss and His Wife, Lydia (Ayres)
Doss, 1998: I have good circumstantial evidence including the marriage record in Bedford
County, Virginia to place Elizabeth Doss as the daughter of Azariah and Lydia (Ayres) Doss.
First, I believe that it was a rule in Virginia at this time that brides marry in the county where their
parents lived (not so for grooms). The only eligible males in Bedford Co VA to have been her
father at the time of her marriage were Azariah and Joel Doss, brothers (both of whom were
Revolutionary War Soldiers by the way) who had settled there years previously and married Ayres
sisters. Joel's children are pretty well accounted for and seem to have all moved to Pulaski Co KY
together. Elizabeth does not seem to fit into this group. On the other hand, she would fit as being
a daughter of Azariah Doss who signed the surety for the marriage.
Second, the fact that Elizabeth married into the same Turner family that the Ayres family did
(in-laws of both Azariah and Joel Doss). Wilson Turner had a brother named Richard Turner who
married the sister of Lydia & Hannah Ayres (wives of Azariah & Joel Doss) and in many difficult
areas to research in my personal family tree, this has been a great indicator of where the person
fits in with others of their surname, when they are seen intermarrying with the same families.
Third, the fact that Elizabeth moved to Muhlenberg Co KY after her husband Wilson's death
in Franklin Co. VA. There several children of Azariah and Lydia (Ayres) Doss had been
established for a decade as the only Doss family in Muhlenberg County. They included Azariah
Doss Jr, George Washington Doss, Gabriel Doss, Mrs. Lydia Ann (Doss) Hines, John A. Doss,
and Joel L Doss (son of James A Doss). It would seem very appropriate that she settle where her
relatives lived after being widowed. It must be noted; however, that one of her other main
motives was to accompany her youngest son, Wilson C Turner, to obtain his wife's inheritance to
her grandfather, John Noffsinger's estate which was near the Bremen area of Muhlenberg Co KY,
but I think if she knew that her relatives lived in the area that could've helped to motivate her in
her move to Muhlenberg Co KY at ca age 55. This land lied about 10-15 miles from the Pond
Creek area where the other Dosses lived. I have not, however, seen any connection between the
Turners and Dosses in Muhlenberg County records, but I would not say that that discounts the
probability of the Dosses as her siblings.
5
History of the Baptists in VA, reference ca 1802: Wilson Turner was a Baptist minister.
Elizabeth Turner: 0/00010001. In 1840, she was living with her son Wilson Turner Jr in
Muhlenberg Co KY, p 333, W[ilson] C Turner: 110001/111001001.
An 1822 deed connects Wilson and Elizabeth to their son Greenville (or
Greensville) P. Turner.6 Rev. Wilson officiated at the marriages of his four children.7
According to the 1810 census, Wilson and Elizabeth had as many as four
daughters; only those whose marriages are in the Franklin Co VA records are known.
Children of Wilson and Elizabeth (Doss) Turner include:
1. Greenville Person TURNER was born on 15 May 1797 in Franklin Co VA.
He died in Putnam Co IN, on 8 Oct 1877 and was buried in Turner Cemetery, Fincastle
Putnam Co IN. On 19 Oct 1815 Greenville first married Deborah WEBSTER, daughter
of Samuel WEBSTER & Susannah BAGBY, in Franklin Co VA. Born on 11 Jun 1796 in
Franklin Co VA, Deborah died in Putnam Co IN, on 22 Nov 1836. They had the
following children:
i. Samuel S (Twin) (1816-1877)
ii. Adeline (Twin) (1818-1900)
iii. Wilson C (1820-1827)
iv. Elizabeth (1822-1877)
v. James W (1825-1877)
vi. Silas G (1827-<1877)
vii. Reuben Webster (1829-1905)
viii. Mary Jane (1833-1888)

On 1 Aug 1837 when Greenville Person was 40, he second married Rhoda FIELDS,
daughter of Daniel FIELDS & Rebecca HICKS, in Putnam Co IN. Born on 20 Mar 1806
in VA, Rhoda died in Indiiana on 12 Jun 1885. They had the following children:
i. John A (1838-1935)
ii. William Henry Harrison (1840-1863)
iii. George W (1842-1865)
iv. Julia America (1846-1930)

2. Lucinda TURNER was born about 1799 in Franklin Co VA. On 20 Jan 1816,
she married George DODD in Franklin Co VA. He was born ca 1776 in Franklin Co VA,
the son of William and Rebecca (Griffith) Dodd. In 1820 they were in 1820 Franklin Co

6
Hopkins, Deed, Franklin Co VA, 6 May 1822, between Wilson and Elisabeth Turner and
Greensville P. Turner.
7
Marriage Bonds of Franklin Co VA, 1780-1858, by Marshall Wingfield, reprinted Baltimore,
1973, p 227. This book gives date of marriage as 19 Aug 1811; the actual record, per Ramona
Duff, states 1815.
VA, George Dodd: 100010/10100. They have not been located further.

3. Sarah A TURNER married John PRICE in Franklin Co VA on 26 Nov 1823.

Nothing more is known of them.

4. Wilson C TURNER Jr was born about 1804 in VA. On 8 Mar 1824 Wilson
married Elizabeth NOFTSINGER in Franklin Co VA. They had the following children:
i. Greenville P (ca1832-)
ii. Susan (1836-)
iii. Martha (1838-)
iv. John (1840-)
v. Wilson (1842-)
vi. Sarah (1844-)
vii. Daniel (1846-)
viii. Owen W (1848-)

© 2008, Kathy Alvis Patterson