Hi Kenneth Norman Turpin,

It doesn’t appear that anyone has answered your "Turpin" query, so I will include some of what I was able to find.

As far as I know, Scott County, KS has two county histories. The earlier one with about 527 pages is dated 1977 and titled "History of Early Scott County." The later one with about 416 pages came out about a decade later and is titled "Scott County, Kansas: 1886 – 1986." This newer one is the Centennial volume.

From page 368 of the Centennial volume I find the following on the Alonza E. and Hattie Turpin family:

"Alonza E. Turpin was born near Louisville, Kentucky, Feb. 17, 1854. He came with his parents to Kansas in 1872 and settled on a claim near Sedgewick.

Hattie, daughter of John and Pamela Sheldon Hollister, was born June 29, 1859 near Springfield, Illinois.

Alonza and Hattie were married in February of 1878 and lived in the vicinity of Sedgewick until 1900. They then moved to Scott County where they had a farm east of Scott City.

Four children were born to this union: Ada (Wright), Fanny (Hobble), Harry and Chase. Besides their own children, they raised two nieces and two nephews: Cora, Nora and Zina Bissel and Hazen Adamson.

Alonza died April 20, 1924 at his son, Chase’s, farm in Scott County. He had just moved back to Sedgewick and had returned for a visit. Hattie died Jan. 1, 1944 at Newton, Kansas.

Submitted by Norma Dea Turpin Unruh"

On that same page (368), I find the Chase and Emma Turpin family.

"Chase Ervin, 1885-1967, son of Alonzo and Hattie Hollister Turpin, was born in Sedgewick County, Kansas. He was the youngest of four children. The family moved to a farm in Scott County when Chase was a young man.

Emma Luvina, 1890-1976, one of eight children of George and Mary Yelm Norman, was born and raised on the farm her parents homesteaded in Scott County. Her first home was a sod house until a wood frame house was built. Emma went to a Normal School, got her teaching certificate, and taught a short while.

Chase and Emma were married in 1910 in Scott County. They lived near his parents where their oldest daughter, Ena (Hess), was born in 1911. They then moved to Americas and sold buggys and surreys. Edna (Dickhut), 1916-1984, was born there. When Edna was six months old, they moved back to Scott County and lived at Dry Lake community until they bought the Norman homestead. There they farmed and raised cattle until 1944. While on the farm, they had three more children: Chet, 1919; Kenneth, 1925-1952; and Norma Dea, 1929.

In 1944, they sold the farm and moved to the house they had built at 910 S. Main Street next door to Emma’s mother. The house had two apartments in the basement and a garage apartment which they rented out. They both lived in the house until their deaths.

Submitted by Sharon Unruh Pierce"

Still on the same page, I find the Chet and Pauline Turpin family.

"Chester Bernard Turpin, son of Chase E. Turpin and Emma L. Norman Turpin, was born in Scott County, Nov. 22, 1919. He attended the schools in Scott City and graduated from the Scott Community High School in 1937. Chester went into the post off and worked there for 35 years with the exception of his three years in the United States Navy before retiring.

Aletha Pauline Turpin is one of two children of Paul M. Kitterman and Iantha L. Blake Kitterman, originally from Osceola, Missouri, moving to Scott City, Kansas in July of 1939. Aletha Pauline attended schools in Missouri and Scott Community High School of Scott City.

Chester and Pauline were married April 4, 1940. To this union were born: Larry Chet, March 16, 1942; Gary Paul, Nov. 10, 1948; and Tamra Renee on April 6, 1960. Tamara Renee died on Dec. 22, 1961.

Chester and Pauline have four granddaughters, Tara Renee Turpin Williams, Jennifer ReShaun Turpin, Stephanie DeVaun Turpin and Cameron Elizabeth Turpin; one grandson Curtis Duane Turpin and on great-grandson, Caleb Leon Williams.

Chester and Pauline love to travel to the Rio Grande Valley of Texas, spending six months of the winter there where they take part in crafts and square dancing. Their summers are spent loving and helping spoil their grandchildren in Scott City.

Chester and Pauline are members of the First Baptist Church in Scott City, Kansas."


Best wishes!

Jon B. Bryan
Livermore, CA
E-address: jonbryan@home.com