Crawford Co., AR - Biographies - John B. C. Turman

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John B. C. Turman was born October 29, 1836, and is a son of James W. 
and Jane (Copps) Turman, natives of Tennessee. The father left his 
native State about 1822, and engaged in the stock business in 
Missouri, driving stock to St. Louis. In 1843 he immigrated to Carroll 
County, Ark., engaged in farming, and in 1846 represented the county 
in Congress. In 1848 he came to Crawford County, and engaged in the 
mercantile business near Van Buren until his death in 1870. To Mr. and 
Mrs. Turman nine children were born, eight of whom are now living: 
William F., John B. C., Carroll A., Mary J., Alfred W., Miranda, 
Austin C. and Nimrod. James is the one deceased. Mrs. Turman came with 
her husband to this county during its early history, and died here in 
1870. Bright Turman, the grandfather, was born in Tennessee, came to 
Carroll County, Ark., in an early day, and died in 1846. After his 
death his wife, Mary, went to Texas, and died there in Scott County. 
Matthew Copps, the maternal grandfather, went from Tennessee to 
Missouri by boat, and died in 1843. His wife, Sallie, went from Ripley 
County to Lawrence County, where she died in 1855, aged seventy. She 
also was a native of Tennessee. Our subject came with his parents to 
Carroll County, Mo., when six years old, and until 1857 lived at home, 
acquiring but a common-school education, and having to travel three 
miles to the school-house. In 1862 he went to Missouri and enlisted in 
Company D, First Arkansas Volunteer Cavalry, as private. Eleven days 
later he was made sergeant, and in February, 1863, became second 
lieutenant in Company M, of the same regiment, and June 11, 1865, was 
made captain. He was with Gen. Seafield on his advance into Arkansas, 
and participated in the battles of Fayetteville and Piney, Ark., among 
others. After the war he returned to farming in Arkansas. In December, 
1866, he married Sarah J. Snow, [p.1205] daughter of Randolph and 
Nancy (Walker) Snow, natives of Tennessee and Alabama, respectively. 
Mrs. Turman was born in this county July 4, 1842, and is the mother of 
seven children: Alice R., Emma F., Nancy J., Ollie B. and Lillie M., 
living, and Ward B. and an infant, deceased. In 1868 Mr. Turman was 
chosen to represent this county in the Lower House, which he did for 
two years, since which time he has been engaged in farming. He is 
clerk of the Legislation Board, and is now holding his second term as 
justice of the peace, having been elected on the Republican ticket in 
a Democratic township. His farm contains eighty acres, twenty-five of 
which are cultivated. He is a member of the G. A. R. and Wheel.