Relationship: Nancy V. “Sissy” Turner (3rd from left in picture above) is my 2nd great-grandmother.
When I first started researching my ancestors, one of the first people I learned about on my mother’s side was my 2nd great-grandmother Nancy V. Turner. Her daughter, my great-grandmother, Ada Johnson Solomon (the little girl with the doll in the picture above), lived until my 2nd year in college. I grew up in the same town where she lived.
In 1906, Nancy V. Turner died when her youngest child, Ada, was only 6 years old. Ada had already died by the time I started my genealogy journey, so I discussed my great-grandmother’s line with Ada’s youngest daughter Linnie Solomon Matney, and her oldest son James Fielding Solomon. Linnie gave me some notes on the family. I believe Linnie may have made some phone calls to get the birth and death dates of Nancy V. Turner and her children. It was then that I learned that the family had been through many tragedies. Linnie knew that almost all of Nancy’s children died young, but I didn’t learn why. After many years of searching, and getting into contact with a descendant of one of Nancy V. Turner’s siblings I found out that Nancy V. and almost all of her children, except the 2 youngest (Emmett and Ada, my great grandmother) had succumbed to Tuberculosis. After wondering where Emmett was, and asking my mother if she knew anything about him, I found out that Emmett also died young, but not of disease. I will cover Emmett in another post. Out of all 8 children of Nancy V. Turner, Ada was the only surviving child to live to an old age.
Here are pictures of the small pieces of paper that started me on my search. Some of the information on these slips of paper has since been proven to be in error.
Name: Nancy V. Turner On the documents above she is mentioned with her married name Nancy Johnson. The picture of her headstone that I have is where I found her maiden name. In 1970 her daughter Ada and some other family members took a trip to Mississippi and that is when the headstone picture was taken.
During my years of genealogy research and posting on genealogy boards looking for more information on this family I found a cousin that lived in Mississippi and she told me that the Turner family had known my 2nd great-grandmother Nancy V. Turner as “Sissy”. It was her nickname and how they all knew her. I have never found a source to help expand on the V. as her middle name, but I have often wondered if that could stand for Virginia as that is her own mother’s name.
Here is a picture of her headstone, and the writing on the back.
Parents: Anderson Luke Robinson Turner and Virginia “Ginny” Texas Stone
Birthdate: 7 August 1859
Nancy V. Turner’s birthdate has some inconsistencies. The small piece of paper above with the name Nancy Johnson has many errors, but from all other found sources it does seem to get the Month and date of Nancy’s birth correct. At one time I thought this information may have been for her daughter Nancy, but have since learned that it is not correct for her either.
The headstone of Nancy V. Turner Johnson lists her birth date as Aug. 7 1857.
The piece of paper above listed Aug 7 1887. There are some scribbles on that date for the second 8, and it appears the writer wasn’t sure either.
The 1860 census is the first census I find Nancy V. Turner. She is listed with her parents, and may help pinpoint a year for Nancy’s birth. The 1860 census was enumerated on 5 October 1860 and lists N.V. Turner as 1 year old at the time of the census. With Nancy’s birth day and month of 7 August, she would have already had her birthday for the year 1860. Turning 1 in 1860 makes her birthdate 7 August 1859.
The 1870 census lists Nannie B. (Nancy V.) as being 9 years old at the time of the census. The census was enumerated on 28 June 1970. Nancy would not have had her birthdate for the year yet as she was born in August. If she was born in 1859 as stated above, that would place her at 9 years of age.
Year: 1870; Census Place: Beat 5, Neshoba, Mississippi; Roll: M593; Page: 176.
The 1880 census shows Nancy Z. (Nancy V.) married and living with her husband James Johnson. The census was enumerated on 23/24 day of June 1880. Nancy is listed as 19. The is consistent with the above 1860, 1870 census and confirms the birthdate of 7 August 1859.
There is no surviving 1890 census.
The 1900 census is the last census that Nancy is listed. This census lists Nancy as 42 years old and lists her birth month and year as August 1857. This is the first and only census to list the same month and year as listed on her headstone. The 7 in the year 1857 seems to have been manipulated and possibly changed on this document.
- Year: 1900; Census Place: Edinburg, Leake, Mississippi; Roll: T623_816; Page: 11A; Enumeration District: 29.
After a review of all the sources I have for her birth date, I find that the most consistent date is 7 August 1859.
Marriage: 6 November 1879 Leake County, Mississippi
Nancy V. Turner married James Richard Johnson in Leake County, Mississippi.
On a trip to Mississippi with my mom and daughter around the year 2004, I was able to take a picture of the marriage bond from the original old books at the courthouse.
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