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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Phillips County, Arkansas published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1890.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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Capt. B. Y. Turner, farmer, Poplar Grove, Ark. Mr. Turner is recognized as a careful, energetic agriculturist of this community, and by his advanced ideas and progressive habits has done no little for the farming elements hereabouts. Originally from Tennessee, he was born in 1838, and is the youngest of five children, the fruits of the union of Edmond and Mary (Slade) Turner, natives, respectively, of Maryland and North Carolina. Edmond Turner moved to Tennessee about 1837, but after a residence there of one year moved to Greene County, Mo., and settled near Springfield in 1839. Springfield was at that time a very small place, the principal merchant being Daniel P. Berry, and only two or three business houses were there at that time. The section of country between that place and the Arkansas line was very sparsely settled, and Mr. Turner was among the pioneers of that county. He remained there sixteen years, and in 1855 came to this county, settling where his son, Capt. B. Y. Turner, now lives, and on a portion of this land the city of Poplar Grove was laid out in 1878. When Mr. Turner first purchased this farm there were but thirty acres cleared, and at the time of his death he had improved only forty or forty-five acres. He died in 1858. Of the five children born to his marriage only two are now living: W. C. (who resides in California and is extensively engaged in farming and stock-raising) and B. Y. Turner. The mother of these children died in 1858, within a few days of her husband. Both were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. He was a member of the Masonic fraternity. B. Y. Turner was reared and educated principally in Marshall County, Miss., whither his father had moved in 1851. He attended graded school at Oxford, Miss., for two years, and afterward came with his father to this State, where he studied medicine under Dr. R. G. Dunn, and attended his first lectures at Louisville Medical College in 1855. He never practiced to any great extent, but spent the time between 1856 and 1861 engaged in farming. In the last mentioned year he joined a company known as the South Western Guards, as a private, and was elected lieutenant, and upon its organization was promoted to the rank of captain. After his company was joined to the Second Arkansas Infantry, Capt. Turner was engaged in the following battles: Green River, Shiloh, Corinth (1st) and Iuka. After the last named battle he was transferred to the west side of the Mississippi River and served in Dobbins’ brigade, under Gen. Price. He was in the battles of Helena and Big Creek, and at the last place was wounded by a minie-ball in the left leg, which disabled him for some time. He was with Gen. Price through Missouri, and participated in most of the battles fought during that time. He surrendered and was paroled at Helena in July, 1865. Capt. Turner then returned home and found himself a poor man, his property consisting of two six-shooters and a black horse. He was not discouraged, however, and went to work at tilling the soil. He is now the owner of 400 acres of land, with 250 acres under cultivation, and is also the owner of a large cotton-gin and grist mill combined. He gins annually 500 bales of cotton, and produces from his farm seventy bales annually. In 1867 he was elected sheriff (this was the first election held after the war), but was disqualified by the new constitution of 1868. Ten years later he was elected to the same office and filled this office in a highly creditable manner until 1884. Mr. Turner has been three times married; first, in 1859, to Miss Fannie Swan, who died the same year. In 1869 he married Miss Virginia A. Cowley, daughter of Edward A. Cowley, who was one of the early county and circuit clerks of Phillips County, and one of the old pioneers of Helena. To Mr. and Mrs. Turner were born two children: Edward B. (died at the age of nine years) and Virginia (who died at the age of six years). Mrs. Turner died in 1875. She was a member of the Old School Presbyterian Church. In 1879 Mr. Turner was united in marriage to Miss Ella R. Renfro, of Phillips County, and daughter of W. H. and A. A. Renfro, natives of Tennessee. Mr. and Mrs. Turner became the parents of two children: Renfro H. and Bartlett Y., Jr. Mr. Turner is a member of the Old School Presbyterian Church, and is a member of Poplar Grove Lodge of the K. of H. He is a Democrat in his political views, and is a prominent citizen. Mr. Turner is a member of the American Legion of Honor, Hendrix Lodge No. 737.

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This family biography is one of 103 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Phillips County, Arkansas published in 1890.  For the complete description, click here: Phillips County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

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