    y father, the Reverend James Isaac TURNER, 1891-1978, was born in Del Rio, Cocke County, TN. He was a minister of the Church of God (HQ, Anderson, IN) for almost 60 years. During that time he pastored churches in Spartanburg, SC; Cedar Creek, Greene County, TN; Greeneville, TN; Saltville, VA; Chattanooga, TN; Ft. Meade, FL; Del Rio, TN; and Bowling Green, KY.   ad was always ready to lend a helping hand to anyone who needed help. His
gentle nature, and evident love of people, brought him a multitude of
lifelong friends. He was very proud of his family and interested in hearing
about everything we did. He enjoyed talking to us about our daily
activities, no matter how mundane, and about our friends and jobs. He also
liked to give us advice…sometimes more than we thought we needed, but always
offered in love. Dad had a really keen sense of humor. His quick wit could
put a smile on your face, even when you were determined to be cross. My
sister, Toni, said that for a long time after his death, every time she heard
a funny story she would think of him, and wish she could tell it to him. We
knew that Dad prayed for each of us everyday, and that when we were coming
for a visit, he would spend most of the hours we were traveling in prayer
that God would protect us on our journey. It was a very comforting feeling,
and one I miss very much.
  f Dad had any loves apart from his God, his church, and his family, it was
probably poetry and music. He learned to read music by shaped notes, and
loved to sing the old gospel songs. His favorite poems were those with a
message, such as 'The Bridge Builder', by Will Allen Dromgoole. He committed
many such poems to memory and used them as illustrations in his sermons. In
an article she wrote about him, Barbara Smith Robinson, who had lived across
the street from us as a child, likened Dad to the old bridge builder in that
poem. She ended the article as follows: "Preacher Turner's been gone for a
long time now, but built that bridge he talked about. He built it out of
patience, humor, acceptance, empathy, and love."  illiam Nathan Jones said of Dad, in his book, 'By the River and Beyond'..."I
never knew a better man. He was self-trained and a very effective preacher.
Everyone who knew him loved and admired him."
Dad's Parents: Jesse Millard Filmore TURNER, 1858-1932, (son of "Pink" TURNER, and Sarah FOX) and Margaret Levina BLACK, 1859-1938 (daughter of James P. BLACK and Mary Howard DYKES). They were married 10-31-1878 in Cocke County, TN. "Fil" was a farmer in the Nough community of Del Rio, Cocke County, TN. Dad's Siblings: John Edward TURNER, 1881-?; William Charlie TURNER, 1883-1969; Joseph Millard TURNER, 1885-1955; Flora Ellen TURNER, 1888-1888 Jesse Robert TURNER, 1893-?; Leora Jane TURNER MOORE, 1896-1989; Walter Harrison TURNER, 1899-1981 Dad's Grandparents: PATERNAL: "Pink" (possibly John Pinkerton) TURNER, b. 1830s in SC, (son of Elijah TURNER and Anna BENNETT) and Sarah FOX, b. 1830s in TN, (daughter of Jesse FOX and Catherine NAILLON) were married abt. 1850. They had the following known children: Lizzy Ann, Jesse Millard Filmore, and William Elijah. MATERNAL: James Pring BLACK, b. 1815 in TN, (son of James BLACK and Rachel SPRING) and Mary Howard DYKES, b. 3-13-1818 in TN, (daughter of James DYKES and Sarah WILSON) were married 9-26-1837. They had the following children: Jesse C., Russell, Mary Jane, John W., Solomon, Rachel Elizabeth, Camoline C., James W., Margaret Levina, Martha Frances. To view more detailed genealogical information on my TURNER line, please go to My Turner-Cole Family Homepage    Content ©1999 Jean Turner Wigglesworth Web Design & Graphics ©1999 vikimouse -All Rights Reserved |