Turner Morehead, Revolutionary War Veteran

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To get back to Turner Morehead you need to start with John Williamson Moran and his wife Sophia Riley Gunn.  Sophia was the daughter of Dr. Lyman Taft Gunn and Caroline M. Morehead.  Caroline was the daughter of Turner Morehead and Polly (Mary) Ann Hewitt Hooe.  The Moreheads and the Hooe's have a rather distinguished history but today I just want to salute Turner Morehead.

Turner Morehead was born in Fauquier County, Virginia, on January 7 or 17, 1757, depending on which record you are looking at.  He comes from a line of Governor's, Attorney's General, and other assorted Moreheads.  Turner married his first wife, Ann Ransdell, on June 14, 1779.   He married his second wife Polly (Mary) Ann Hewitt Hooe on January 14, 1798.  Together he and Polly had eleven children.

Turner Morehead was a farmer for most of his life but he also was a business man and was engaged in the milling business.   He enlisted at an early age in the Revolutionary Army.  He began as a Sergeant in Captain James Scott's Company of Virginia Troops in 1777.  In 1778, he was appointed Captain.  Turner was with Brigadier General Anthony Wayne at the Battle of Stony Point and it has been reported that he was one of the first to climb the parapet.  He received two bayonet wounds during the war.  According to "Adventures of Purse and Person", page 345, Turner was Captain of the Fauquier County Virginia militia during the Revolutionary War.  It has also been reported that he was an "intimate" of General George Washington and that Turner Morehead received a sword from General Washington for his service in the Revolutionary War.

Turner Morehead moved to Barren County, Kentucky in about 1811.  I have seen sources report his death as early as February 23, 1820 and as late as 1824.  So far all sources I've located say that he died in Barren County.  But I'm not so sure about that.  At some point  the Morehead family had connections to Nashville and/or had moved to Nashville through marriages with several of the Morehead daughters.  His wife, Polly, died May 20, 1838, and was buried in the Gunn Plot of the Nashville City Cemetery which is very interesting since her daughter Caroline Morehead did not marry Dr. Lyman Taft Gunn until two years after her mother's death.  Yet her mother is in the Gunn plot indicating an already close connection to the Gunn family.  In addition, the plat maps from 1908 show a "T. Moorehead" buried in the Gunn section.  It might even be possible that if he had been buried in Barren County Kentucky that the family, having removed to Nashville, had his body exhumed and transferred to the Nashville City Cemetery.

"T. Moorehead" in the Gunn Family Plot.  Map dated 1908.

There is much more to discover about the life of Turner Morehead.  I hope to expand upon his story later and to locate definitively his final resting place.

The Civil War, redux edition

My husband has been called to the war, again.  This time in Missouri, a place called Wilson's Creek.  It just seems like yesterday he was called to Sipsey.  Or was it Parker's Crossroads?  He's been a part of so many battles it's easy to forget their names.  I tremble every time he leaves me and the boy, wondering if he'll be injured in battle or if some illness will carry him off.

I remember the time he was felled at the Battle of Bridgeport.  I received word that he had been taken from the battlefield and was in the hospital.  Medicine being what it is these days I feared my boy would lose a daddy and I a husband.  Thank the Lord he was cured enough to be released but not enough to continue fighting the boys in blue. His comrades left him behind at the Roy Acuff Motel and they once again returned to the battle.  

I must be back to the business of making hardtack and other victuals for his haversack.  His uniform, though not new is mended and clean.  He departs on Friday.  I pray all goes well and he comes back to us soon.

written this day, August 10, 2011

His devoted wife

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J. Moss Jr, 1870

ORIGINAL POST
This is just one of the many pictures in the Moran family personal collection. Most of the people remain a mystery because there's no name written on the back.  In this instance we have a lot more information than normal.  First, we know the photograph was taken in Leavenworth Kansas by the prominent photographer E.E. Henry because of the photographers mark but more importantly we have a name and a date. On the backside of the photo Mr. Moss wrote "Compliments J. Moss, Jr., 31st Dec. 1870.

I still don't know who he is or how he knew the Moran's.  Perhaps a descendant will google his name someday and find a picture of their long lost relative.  At least, that's my hope.

John W. Moran's 1904 Ledger
J.W. Moss entry

UPDATED January 10, 2017
I picked up this photo again today after finding several references to a J.W. Moss in a 1904 ledger that belonged to John W. Moran as well as a John Moss in the Bookkeeper's Ledger, Washington Lodge No. 5, IOOF, Dresden, Weakley County Tennessee.

John Moss entry, Bookkeeper's Ledger
Washington Lodge No. 5
International Order of the Oddfellows
Dresden TN

There are a few John Moss's living in Weakley County which makes it difficult to identify exactly which might be our J. Moss.  There is one that I think fits the bill more than others but more research is needed. I have also searched Leavenworth records since that's where the photo was taken but just because it was taken there doesn't mean Moss was a resident.  J.W. Moran also was in the Leavenworth area for a time and we have photographs of his wife's family taken there but the Moran's came back home to Dresden.  I tend to think Mr. Moss did as well.