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By Betsy Mills
345 27th NE
Paris, TX 75460
Paschal Turner was born on 29 February 1840 in Lamar Co., TX, the son of John and Elizabeth Johnson Turner. He was listed as heir of John Turner, recorded in Delta Co. Civil Minutes, Vol. 3, transcribed from Hopkins Co., TX in 1862 in Lamar Co., TX. John Turner had received a Class II land grant in what became Delta County. Paschal married Mary T. Ray, daughter of James M. Ray and Sarah C. Brackeen, on 4 September 1870 in Lamar Co., TX.
Children of Pascal and Mary Turner were:
1. Sarah Elizabeth Turner was born on 1 June 1871 in TX. She married James Houston Ripley, Sr., son of Isaac Ripley and Nancy Crews, on 5 April 1891 in Delta Co., TX. She died on 16 July 1960 in Deport, Lamar Co., TX, at age 89. She was buried on 18 July 1960 in Highland Cemetery, Lamar Co., TX.
2. Benjamin John Turner was born in July 1874 in Delta Co., TX. He married Ella Ione Jane Lyda, daughter of William Henry Lyda and Sarah Letitia Ann Boorman, on 11 September 1892 in Delta Co., TX. He died on 30 June 1921 in Delta Co., TX, at age 46. He was buried in Charleston Cemetery, Delta Co., TX.
3. Letha A. Turner was born in 1875 in Delta Co., TX. She married ?? McKinney.
4. Lily "Willie" Turner was born on 12 August 1879 in Delta Co., TX. She never married. She died on 9 December 1895 in Deport, Lamar Co., TX, at age 16. She was buried in Mt. Pleasant Cemetery, Lamar Co., TX.
Paschal Turner appears in the 1860 Lamar County Census Precinct 2, Family 544-540, age 20, born about 1840 in TX, 1400/200. He is enumerated in the family of James Stell and his wife Mary Johnson (a sister to Paschal's mother).
When war began to break out in 1861, Pascal, like the majority of his neighbors, family and friends, enlisted in the local militia in Lamar County. He appears as Private on a Muster Roll and Election Returns from the Texas State Archives for the Texas Militia, Company for Lamar County, Texas, Beat No. 2, 9th Brigade; officers elected on 5 Aug 1861, in Lamar County; company enrolled by T. L. Click; J. J. Martin elected Captain commanding.
These militia units, who were not allowed to leave the state, soon gave up their men to regular Confederate Army units as recruiters came through each county for new enlistees to march east for the coming fight.
Paschal Turner, Pvt., Co. G, age not stated, appears on a Muster Roll of the 27th Texas Cavalry, 1st Texas Legion, Mounted Rifleman, enlisted 1 Mar 1862, in Paris, Texas under George W. Patterson for 12 months.
Roll dated Mar - Apr 1862, present.
Roll dated May - Jun 1862, absent, sick.
Roll dated Jul - Aug 1862, present.
Roll dated Sep - Oct 1862, present, last paid by Capt. T. E. Mason, 30 Jun 1862.
Roll dated Nov - Dec 1862, present, last paid by Capt. Hester, 31 Oct 1862.
Roll dated Mar - Apr 1863, present, last paid by Capt. Hester 31 Oct 1862.
Roll dated May - Jun 1863, absent without leave, last paid 30 Apr 1863, by Lt. Lee.
Roll dated Jul - Aug 1863, present, last paid by Lt. Lee 30 Jun 1863.
The 27th Texas Cavalry, also known as Whitfiled's Legion and the 1st Texas Legion, fought to the end of the war in L. S. Ross' Texas Cavalry Brigade, along side the 9th Texas Cavalry who also had enlisted men from Lamar County. The muster rolls of the 27th are not extant after June 1863 when the Brigade saw most of it's bloodiest fighting and the 27th was depleted to nearly 100 men before war's end. It is not known if Pascal remained with the regiment until the surrender.
After the war, Paschal appears in the 1870 Hopkins County Census, Precinct 5, Charleston Post Office, Family 62-62, age 31, born about 1840 in TX, listed as a farm laborer. He is enumerated in the family of Charles Sutherland and his wife, Rachel Pickens, listed as a farm laborer. This family was the next-door neighbor to the James Stell family with whom Paschal was living in 1960.
Paschal's wife Mary applied for and received a Confederate Pension Application No. 5855 as guardian of Paschal Turner. The application was approved on 10 Feb 1900. Witnesses to the application were J. J. Hancock, Nat Eubank, and Thom R. Ingram. Sureties were A. M. Steen and J. H. Ripley.
Pascal died on 13 January 1922 in Terrell State Hospital, Terrell, Kaufman Co., TX, at age 81. He was buried in Mt. Pleasant Cemetery, Lamar Co., TX, and shares a double marker with Mary, who died 12 Jul 1927, in Deport, Lamar Co., TX.
©Ron Brothers and Betsy Mills, All Rights Reserved, 2000.
May 23, 2000
