Well, today I did a Google search on my grandfather's name, "King Turpin," just to see what would come up. I have Googled that name many times before, but it had been awhile. My great-grandfather was also named King Turpin.
One of the first search results surprised me. A Google Book popped up with "King Turpin" listed as a life insurance agent for 1921-1922 in Carrollton, Kentucky.
Source: The Insurance Year Book, 1921-1922: Life, Casualty and Miscellaneous (New York: The Spectator Company, 1921)
Could this King Turpin be the same as one of mine?
My great-grandfather, King Turpin, was born in Tennessee on March 16, 1875. In 1921 he would have been about 46 years old. So, as far as age is concerned, he could qualify as a match. Aunt Laura did describe King as a very smart man; in fact she said that he was "too smart." However, we have always believed that King, Sr. lived in the Knoxville, Tennessee area during the time in question.
My grandfather, King Turpin ("Little King"), was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee in either 1902 or 1903. (The Social Security database says 1903.) In 1921 he would have been about 18 or 19 years old. I am not sure how old an insurance agent had to be in those days, but it is conceivable to me that he could have been an insurance agent at that point in his life. Years ago I saw an old photo of my grandfather dressed sharply in a suit and tie. Someone told me that in the photo my grandfather was 18 years old. Perhaps he could have been an insurance agent; however, until now, all we have known was that in Little King's early working years, he was first a worker in a Knoxville cotton mill, and then he became a coal miner. At some point prior to 1933 he did live in Kentucky, but as far as I know, his place of residence was Lynch, Kentucky in Harlan County--on the opposite side of the state from Carrollton.
So, where does that leave us? Was King Turpin ("Little King") ever an insurance agent? I don't know. If anyone out there has any clues, please let me know.
