On Blockhouse Valley Road in Anderson County, Tennessee there is a little place called "Turpin Spring." I first discovered it on Google Earth, and I had the opportunity to drive by it several months ago.In an earlier post, I asked the question, "What is the origin of this place name? Could it have been the homeplace of one of the early Turpin households in Anderson County?"
If I were to find out that Martin Turpin (b: abt. 1783 in VA) or his son, James, lived there, that would indeed be a golden discovery. However, nothing seems to suggest that such was the case. In light of notes provided by John Strunk, we probably should be more inclined to believe that the homestead was closer to the Roane County line in the vicinity of present-day Oak Ridge.
Yet one reader has responded with some interesting comments regarding the Blockhouse Valley Road site:
I read your inquiry about the Turpin family on Blockhouse Valley Road. I live about 2 minutes from their old home place. Harrison and Bessie Beets Turpin had two children: Howard and Bess Turpin. They have all since died and the home place has been sold off in lots. There is a spring on the property. The farm is located in South Clinton on Blockhouse Valley Road, about one and a quater mile from 25W highway in South Clinton. Hope this helps you. Howard, the son, when he died had his ashes scattered over the farm.
A Ms. Taylor, who is a member of the Pellissippi Genealogical and Historical Society, provided this information by email. She lives on Blockhouse Valley Road.
The Above Photograph: The house shown in the Google Earth Street Level photograph above is at the site of the Harrison Turpin farm located on Blockhouse Valley Road near Clinton, Tennessee.
It has not yet been confirmed that Howard Turpin's ashes were scattered on the property. Carolyn Johnson notes that Howard does have a gravesite at Farmers Grove Baptist Church.
The previously cited statement by Ms. Taylor showing Howard's sister with the name "Bess" also needs to be confirmed. Carolyn Johnson notes that Howard's sister's name was actually "Mildred." While Ms. Taylor has stated that Howard's sister is deceased, it has not yet been verified whether or not she is still living. More work is needed to verify which body of information is correct.
Regarding the dividing of Harrison Turpin's farm, Carolyn Johnson notes that the farm was indeed sold off in lots, but that the house and a considerable amount of acreage went together.
After receiving Ms. Taylor's email, I spoke with her by phone. She described the Turpin property as beginning at the intersection of Blockhouse Valley Road and Lanes Bluff Road. When turning from Blockhouse Valley Road onto Lanes Bluff Road, the land running along the left hand side of Lanes Bluff Road is the area that once belonged to the Turpins.
When I asked Ms. Taylor whether or not she thought that this could have been the original homestead of the earliest Turpins to settle in the area, she stated that it very well could have been, seeing that this area is one of the oldest settled parts of Anderson County.
A quick search of the Social Security database at familysearch.org reveals that a Harrison Turpin of Clinton (Anderson County), Tennessee was born August 4, 1892 and died in December of 1970.
Carolyn Johnson has provided a few additional details about Harrison Turpin's life:
I checked the 1910 census and found Harrison Turpin living with my ggrandparents, John and Mary Johnson as a boarder. He was married in the 1920 and 1930 census.
When they [Harrison and Bessie Turpin] died, their son Howard Turpin continued to live there....
He [Howard] was crippled, I believe from polio, but he got around on a crutch and ran a service station in South Clinton for years. He was a very pleasant fellow....
When Howard died, the remaining heir was a sister whose son lived there. He died of cancer a few years ago, and the farm was sold. The beautiful old house that was there burned not long after, and the lady living there almost died in the fire. Although the house was not completely destroyed, it was razed and rebuilt. The farm is now for sale again.
A Google search of the name "Harrison Turpin" reveals a listing of gravesites at Farmers Grove Cemetery on Blockhouse Valley Road. There we learn that Harrison was born on August 4, 1892 and died on December 26, 1970. His wife, Bessie Beets Turpin, was born on November 17, 1894 and died on November 14, 1979.
Howard L. Turpin (Harrison and Bessie's son) was born June 30, 1917 and died January 15, 1985.
Readers are invited to submit any additional information regarding "Turpin Spring" and/or clues to locating the Anderson County (TN) homeplace of Martin Turpin and/or his son James.
Contact Randy Turpin at jrturpin2008@gmail.com.
