Turner feuds of Eastern KY

Men of constant sorrows
Kentucky

  Man born in the mountains of Kentucky is of feud days and full of virus.  He fisheth, cusseth and fighteth all the days of his life.
  He shunneth water as a mad dog and drinketh much good whiskey.
  When he desireth to raise hades he planteth a neighbor, and lo! he reapeth twenty-fold.  He ariseth even from the cradle to seek the scalp of his grandsires’ enemy, and bringeth home in his carcass the ammunition of his neighbor’s wife’s cousin’s uncle’s father-in-law who avenged the deed.
  Yea, verily his life is uncertain and he knoweth not when he may be jerked hence.
  He goeth forth on a journey half shot and cometh back on a shutter full of shot.
  He riseth in the night to let the cat out and it taketh nine doctors three days to pick the buckshot out of him.
  He goeth forth in joy and gladness and cometh back in scraps and fragments.
  A cyclone bloweth him into the bosom of his neighbor’s wife, and his neighbor’s wife’s husband bloweth him into Abraham’s bosom before he has time to explain.
  He emptieth a demijohn into himself and a shotgun into his enemy, and his enemy’s son lieth in wait for him on election day and lo! the coroner ploweth up a forty acre field to bury the remains of his enemies.
  Woe, woe is Kentucky for her heart is stained with whiskey and her soil is stained with the blood of the innocent moonshiner.
  Nevertheless—
Kentucky, oh Kentucky, how I love thy classic shades,
Where flit the fairy figures of bright eyed southern maids;
Where the birds are sweetly singing  ‘mid the flowers newly born,
Where the corn is full of kernels, and the Colonels full of corn.

Written by an unknown writer in the 1800s.


Turner Feuds in Eastern Kentucky

John Turner and Mary Cloud were the founders of the Turner family in Knox and Harlan and Bell Counties, KY. One of their sons, John Turner, Jr., who married Elizabeth Marsee, became the father of many children. John Turner, Jr., was a farmer and judge. Besides John Turner, Jr., John Turner, Sr.  left Benjamin Berry Turner, William Turner, Joseph Turner, Nancy and Mary Turner. William and Mary were twins.

The Turner family turned out many fine and honorable men. It also turned out some who were proud and quick to anger, and seek revenge for wrongs done to them or their families. They avenged imaginary wrongs as well. My gggrandmother was Nancy Turner, who married Needham Lee Rains, my ggrandmother was Sarah Turner who married William B. Rains, and Cordelia Turner, my grandmother, who married William Preston Rains, were all Turners from the John Turner and Mary Cloud family.

Turner-Sowders feud. Involving General Ben Butler Sowders, husband of Elizabeth Turner, and the sons of Joe Turner, Elizabeth’s father. Joe Turner, son of John Turner and Elizabeth Marsee, had been married to Patsy Rains, and had six children by her. He was married to Rebecah Hoskins at the time of the feud, and his three sons who were killed, Lee, Harvey, and Gordon, were by Rebecah Hoskins.

James Rains, a Turner cousin who tried to bring peace, died in this feud, as did many of the Turners, including three of Elizabeth Turner Sowders’ brothers, for a total of 27 dead. An Indiana paper of the day said 40 people were killed. General Sowders survived into the 1880s, when he was supposedly killed by Alvis Turner, son of Jack Turner. SEE: The New York Times, September 24, 1899. In this article, Alvis is called “General” Turner, a title he never used.

Jack Turner, Outlaw. My great-grandfather, was killed in this feud, as was his son Alvis Turner. Jack Turner was ambushed in front of the Monroe Hotel, in Middlesboro, KY, and shot 17 times. Jack Turner had killed his father in law, Samuel B. Lane, Jr. in 1878, and then his wife’s brother William Lane in 1879. The Monroe Hotel where Jack Turner was assassinated was owned by the sister and brother in law of Jack Turner’s ex-wife, Mary Lane. Mary Lane Turner, Jack’s ex-wife, was now living in Missouri.

Jack Turner is credited, by newspapers of the day, with killing about 15 men.  Alvis Turner was killed by Jim Burch, after Alvis had shot at Burch. Jeff King, son of  Sarah Turner and Dempsey King, shot and killed Jeff Burch at the same time. See: Middlesboro Daily News, New York Times and others for 1889 for stories on this feud.

Turner-Howard feud. Involving Judge John Turner, of Harlan, and his son in law James Howard, Kentucky State’s attorney. It was over land rights for coal mining, and cost 175 lives. The feud ended with the assassination of Kentucky Governor Goebbels at the hands of James Howard and his cousin, Kentucky secretary of state Caleb Powers.

Caleb Powers spent some time in prison and had three trials before he was reprieved. He then became a United States Congressman for many years.

James “Big Jim” Howard was tried four times before being convicted, and then reprieved by the new governor almost immediately. Big Jim Howard wound up the richest man in Pineville, KY. SEE: The Mercury Newspaper, Nicholas County, KY, September 21, 1900, titled Jim Howard’s Trial.

Preston Rains, my grandfather, served time in prison in 1905 for murder in the Turner-Howard feud. He went back to prison in 1911 for killing Sam Bryant. He was related to the Turners. His mother and grandmother were Turners, as was his first wife, Cordelia Turner. Cordelia Turner was a daughter to Jack Turner, the murderer, and Mary Lane. See: Thousand Sticks Newspaper, Middlesboro, KY, June 29, 1911.

Turner-Partin feud. Involving Benjamin Berry Turner, Jr., who was married to Clementine Partin, and her family, after divorce proceedings were started. Benjamin was a son of the older Benjamin Turner, and he was called Berry. Berry Turner is credited with killing 5 men, including his cousins, Will Turner and Lee Davis. Berry Turner was not hanged, as some news articles reported, but died in an insane asylum. See: Middlesboro Daily News, New York Times and other papers for stories. * News articles are included at end of book.

Fiddling John Turner. Credited with killing 16 men, over the death of his brother. However, aside from some newspaper stories written after his death, I have found no proof of this ever happening. NOTE: It may only be family legend, or it may be true.

The Quarter-House Killings.  Levi and William Turner, sons of Green Turner and Elizabeth Carroll, owned this gambling and liquor house. It was situated so that half was in Claiborne County, Tennessee, and half was in Bell County, Kentucky. A white line was painted down the center of the building to show the Tennessee and Kentucky sides. This gave the Turners a way to avoid lawmen from either state by stepping across the line into the other state.

The Quarterhouse was in competition with the bars and dives in Middlesboro, KY, that were operated by the Ball family, and much bad blood was spilled between the two families. A posse led by Chief of Police Ball attacked and burned the Quarterhouse to the ground. William Turner was killed in the Quarterhouse Bar. Lee Turner sold the land on which the Quarterhouse stood to the American Association after it was burned. Lee Turner died in 1925. SEE: Middlesboro Daily News article June 24, 1938.

General Turner. Credited with killing 17 men in the Turner-Howard feud. He also killed one of his best friends in a fight. He spent time in prison with my grandfather William Preston Rains, at Eddyville Prison, for murder. See: * News article at end of book.

William B. Rains, my great-grandfather, killed a man named Wilson in 1857 in a fight over an election. Rains hit him in the head with a cowbell on a chain and killed him on the spot. William B. Rains was married to Sarah Turner, and was the son of Needham Lee Rains and Nancy Turner. His brother in law (and first cousin) William R. Davis, was with him, and was arrested along with William Rains.

Their first cousin, Dempsey King, son of Spencer King and Mary Rains, was sheriff of Knox County, KY at the time. Dempsey King was married to Judge John Turner’s daughter, Mary Turner. Dempsey King would become a KY State Representative after the Civil War, in which he was a Captain for the USA. After his wife died, and he remarried, Dempsey King moved to Arkansas. He is found there in the 1880 census.

William B. Rains, and William R. Davis were convicted of murder and sentenced to prison on a Friday, and remanded to the county sheriff on Friday evening. Next morning, Saturday, court was reconvened, and they “being reprieved by the governor were set free.” They both served one night in jail.

Their grandfather was Judge John Turner, who probably had something to do with the reprievals. Nobody could have ridden a horse to Bowling Green, KY, to see the governor, and get back to Pineville, KY by the next morning.
See: Knox County Court Records, 1858, at end of book.

My great-grandfather William B. Rains went on to become a Captain in the 1st KY Cavalry, Company B, USA, in the Civil War, and was the first school teacher in Bell County, KY. See: History of Bell County, KY, Vol. 1, 1938, by Doctor Fuson.

William Preston Rains, my grandfather, was convicted again in 1911, for killing Sam Bryant, over the rights to a bee tree. Press Rains story about the killing didn’t hold up in court, and he received a 2 year sentence for murder. This story was reported in Thousand Sticks Newspaper, of Middlesboro, KY, in June, 1911. At the same time in 1911, his cousins Charles Rains and Jim Rains were also sent to prison for murder.

My Turner connections

The following children and grandchildren of Henry Rains, 1767-1838, and Martha Lane, married children of John Turner and Elizabeth Marsee:

Patsy Rains, 1799-1850, married Joseph “Pussyfoot” Turner.
Needham Lee Rains, 1802-1849, married Nancy Turner. Nancy lived to be 99 years old.
William B. Rains, son of Needham L. Rains and Nancy Turner, married Sarah Turner, daughter of William Turner and Margaret Hoskins. William Turner was a son of John Turner and Mary Cloud.
Lucy Ann Rains, daughter of Needham Rains and Nancy Turner, married Thomas Turner, son of William Turner and Margaret Hoskins.
William Preston Rains, son of William B. Rains and Sarah Turner, married Cordelia Turner, daughter of Jackson Turner and Mary Lane. Jackson Turner was a son of John Turner and Elizabeth Marsee. John Turner lived to be 104 years old.

Contributed by Lowell Lundy, Esquire, my cousin.

John Turner Household
Turner, Green 18, farmer, KY [born 1832]
America 15. KY
J. Jack 10, KY  (father of Cordelia Turner, who married Preston Rains)

1870 Bell County Census shows a Benjamin Turner, age 53, with a wife Martha, age 43.
Living in the house were:
Martha 43
Henry C. 19
Preston is married and gone by 1870
Berry 17
Olive J. 11
Sarah E. 9
Richard B. 6
Levi Marshall 3

So which of these Berry Turners was the father of my grandfather, John Turner. Now this may interest you. The Official Record of the Civil War contains bombast and persiflage between the Confederate and Union commanders commanding on both sides of Cumberland Gap reflecting badly on “Green Turner and his brothers, Ben and Jim Turner” which you may find interesting and which I have copied at the bottom of this epistle.
Lowell W. Lundy
From Official Record/ CIVIL WAR MOUNT VERNON, June 7,1863.
Brigadier General S. P. CARTER:
GENERAL: The communication which called forth the following was a notice to citizens of Knox County, who might become the victims of rebel malignity, setting forth that I would, on their application to me here, locate such as were driven from their homes there on account of their loyalty to the United States and to the State of Kentucky on farms of disloyal persons in this vicinity. It was not sent to or intended especially for the commanding officer of the rebel forces at Cumberland Gap: Nor was there anything in its contents to call forth to justify the ungentlemanly language used in the following. Being at a distance of about 80 miles, and in a strongly fortified mountain pass, this valiant general no doubt considered himself perfectly safe in indulging in abusive epithets and ridiculous blustering. This communication would indicate this individual as the true prototype in mind, as he is in person of Shakespeare’s famous knight, Sir John Falstaff. Deserters from his command represent his men in fully as sad a plight as the tatterdemalions led out to battle by Sir John. God speed the day when those poor fellows shall be relieved from the oppressive rule of such bogus chivalry.
SAMUEL A. GILBERT, Colonel.
[Enclosure.]
{CIRCULAR] HEADQUARTERS GRACIES BRIGADE, June 4, 1863.
There has been brought to my notice a communication issued from the headquarters
Second Brigade, Fourth Division, Army of the Cumberland, Kentucky, May 26, 1863, signed by S. A. Gilbert, colonel commanding notifying the commandant of the rebel forces at Cumberland Gap, in the State of Tennessee, that the said colonel will cause the families of rebel sympathizers to be removed from their homes on account of the alleged removal of the families of certain (unarmed) citizens of Knox County, Kentucky.
Without condescending to further notice the abusive character of the article or its author, I deem it due to the truth of history to remark that no families have been removed from their homes by my command until the order recently issued for the removal of the notorious Green Turner, his brothers Ben and Jim Turner, and John Howard, with their families, living in close proximity to my lines.
Green Turner was guide to the Yankees in their late raid on this place: shot one of my men, and would have murdered him had he not been prevented by those with him. He was known to harbor spies, to steal horses, and was capable of any service or atrocity required by the enemy. His brothers and Howard were united with him in his treasonable purposes, and only differed from him in the fact of being lesser  villains.
From that respect and sympathy due to the helplessness of women and children which has so distinguished the confederate Army, they were permitted to leave unmolested. with their families and all their movable property, to the place of their choice, whereas the same spirit which has actuated the Northern Army and Government would have consigned them to the halter or the dungeon. Detachments sent to Barboursville. which could at any time have destroyed it, have been particularly instructed to commit no violence against its citizens or touch any of their property, and it stands now, an evidence of my clemency.
The infamous threat against helpless families contained in the notice issued under the false pretense of retaliation is the braggadocio of a cowardly braggart, who, with the valor of the ass in the lion’s skin, would attack the weak and helpless, and flee like a spurned cur from the strong, and adds, if possible, to the already merited infamy and disgrace of the Government he serves. The depraved Lincolnites on either side of the mountains have hitherto been the objects of my forbearance rather than justice, but if the homes or lives of “rebel sympathizers,” as they are called, are put in peril or destroyed, he retaliation that shall instantly follow will teach those warriors on women a lesson not soon to be forgotten.
The civilized world stands shocked at the falsehood and despotic tyranny of that hated Government, which has deprived its best citizens of their political and civil rights, condemned them, without trial, to the dungeon of the felon, for the mere expression of their political opinions; shed the blood of the innocent, and
depopulated New Orleans of its most virtuous citizens, after robbing them of all their property. The threat of the minion of such a Government will not be regarded, and: my orders will be carried into effect.
A. GRACIE, JR., Brigadier-General, Provisional Army of the Confederate States.
This was brought from the Gap by John G. Newley, at the request of General Gracie.  We are expecting them down upon us every hour. I will not be here. 1
Very respectfully, yours, H. K. WILSON.
WNDON, June 6, [1863.]
COWNEL. This circular was brought in by a courier at 11 o’clock to-day. I will get out a reconnoitering force in that direction this p. m.