The following is a chronology of the life of James Turpin of Anderson and Roane Counties, Tennessee:
- Abt. 1807: born the son of Martin Turpin and Elizabeth Russell Turpin.
- Abt. 1809: When James was about 2 years old, his brother, William Turpin, was born.
- Abt. 1811: When James was about 4 years old, his brother, David Turpin, was born.
- 1812: When James was about 5 years old, his father, Martin Turpin, served in the East Tennessee Militia, 5th Regiment (Booth's Regiment). (Source: Barbara Oliver)
- Abt. 1812: When James was about 5 years old, his brother, Thomas Turpin, was born.
- Abt. 1816: When James was about 9 years old, his brother, Martin Turpin, was born.
- 1816: When James was about 9 years old, his father, Martin Turpin, worked on the construction of a road in Anderson County, Tennessee.
- Abt. 1819: When James was about 12 years old, his brother, Isaac Turpin, was born.
- Abt. 1822: When James was about 15 years old, his brother, Henry Turpin, was born.
- 1830: The Indian Removal Act was passed.
- Bef. 1832: James' marriage to Jerusha/Jerusa--reportedly a Cherokee woman. Someone has noted that in light of the Indian Removal Act of 1830, James married Jerusha to prevent her removal.
- Apr. 26, 1832: When James was about 25 years old, his first son, Martin Turpin, was born.
- 1838: The removal of the Cherokee from the southern Appalachian Mountains began. Someone has noted that when Jerusha's sisters (and possibly other Cherokee family members) were forced to move as a result of the Indian Removal Act, she became imbittered.
- Abt. 1839: When James was about 32 years old, his son, William G. Turpin, was born.
- Abt. 1843: When James was about 36 years old, his son, John Turpin, was born.
- July 7, 1845: At the courthouse door in Clinton, Tennessee (Anderson County), as the highest bidder James Turpin purchased 170 acres (the property of Mary Millers' heirs) for the amount of four dollars thirty-three and 3/4 cents (the amount owed in taxes for 1842-1843). (Source: Sarah Turpin citing Anderson County, Tennessee Deed Book Q-1, Pg. 593-594)
- August 31, 1847: James sold 75 acres to Harbard H. Crawford for the sum of $100.00. (Source: Sarah Turpin citing Deed Book N-1, pgs. 15-16)
- January 1848: When James was about 41 years old, his daughter, Amanda, was born. (Source: Amanda Turpin's tombstone)
- March 4, 1851-1853: When James was abt. 44-46 years of age, his daughter, Serelda, was born in Tennessee. (Her tombstone shows a birthyear of 1851, but the 1860 Roane County census shows Serelda as 7 years old.)
- February 1, 1854: James Turpin transfered to his wife, Jerusha, the title of the land previously purchased on July 7, 1845. (Source: Sarah Turpin citing Anderson County, Tennessee Deed Book Q-1, Pg. 593-594)
- Bef. August 5, 1854: James Turpin acquired/built a new house in Anderson County. (Implied bySarah Turpin citing Anderson County, Tennessee Deed Book Q-1, Pg. 588-589)
- August 5, 1854: Samuel C. Young sold James Turpin 33 acres in Anderson County for $20. The parcel was adjacent to James Turpin's newly built house. (Source: Sarah Turpin citing Anderson County, Tennessee Deed Book Q-1, Pg. 588-589)
- November 6, 1858: James Turpin and wife, Jerusha Turpin, sold William Gallaher 250 ¾ acres in Anderson County, Tennessee on the north side of the Clinch River for $300. The land description seems to indicate that the property had frontage on the river. "This may have been when they moved to Roane County." (Source: Sarah Turpin citing Anderson County, Tennessee Deed Book S-1, Pg. 65 )
- 1858-1860: Presumed death of James' father, Martin Turpin. (James' mother, Elizabeth, appears in the 1860 census alone.) James would have been abt. 51-53 years of age at the time.
- August 26, 1860: according to the census, living in Roane County at or near Welcker Mill. (Welcker Mill was located at the confluence of East Fork and Main Poplar Creek adjacent to the present-day site of the K-25 Oak Ridge plant on the northeast side.)
- 1861: Tax List shows James Turpin living in Roane County, Tennessee. (Source: Sarah Turpin)
- 1861: At the age of 54, the American Civil War began.
- 1861: His sons, William and John, swam across the Clinch river to escape the Confederates. They walked to Kentucky to join the Union Army.
- August 9, 1861: James' sons, William G. Turpin and John T. Turpin, enlisted in the Union Army, First Regiment, Company K. [Report of the Adjutant General of the state of Tennessee : of the military forces of the state, from 1861 to 1866. Ancestry.com]
- August 21, 1861: James' sons, William G. Turpin and John T. Turpin, mustered for service in the Union Army, First Regiment, Company K. [Report of the Adjutant General of the state of Tennessee : of the military forces of the state, from 1861 to 1866. Ancestry.com]
- June 7, 1862: James Turpin's land in Roane County, Tennessee (75 acres) was valued at $250. (Source: Sarah Turpin citing Tax Assessment Lists, 1862-1918, Ancestry.com)
- July 9, 1862: James' brother, Martin, Jr., "died of disease" as Private in Co. K, 1st Regiment, Tennessee during the Civil War. (Source: Sarah Turpin citing Ancestry.com, "Report of the Adjutant General of the state of Tennessee; of the military forces of the state from 1861 to 1866")
- 1862-1864: James' death at abt. 55-57 years of age. 1864 Tax List shows James Turpin heirs in Roane County, Tennessee. (Source: Sarah Turpin)
