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			TRUMAN J. AND CAROLINE (COVILLE) TURRILL

	Truman J. Turrill was born in Wyoming Co., N. Y., March 29, 1809.  His father, Ebenezer 
Turrill, was a Vermonter, and when quite young emigrated to Wyoming County, where he married Miss
Hannah Brundage; moved from there to Yarmouth, Canada, and located on some wild land, which he 
improved.  In the wilderness home they saw very hard times, and only kept the wolf from the door 
by the strictest economy.  The farm was paid for by selling black salts and potash, both made 
from ashes.  On this farm he remained till his death, living to see a well-improved farm and good 
times.  There were eleven children, Truman J. being the fifth.  He grew to manhood on the 
home-farm, which he helped to improve, as he had previously done a leased farm.  Arrived at his 
majority, Truman set out in life with only a knowledge of life in its hardest aspect, and well 
endowed with health and strength. He for a time worked a rented farm, then bought a lot of the 
Canadian government, which he improved, and on which he lived twenty years.  His farm proved to 
be a poor one, and in 1853 he sold it for six hundred dollars, and with that amount came to the 
States, and in Bloomer, where his wife's brother had previously settled, he bought one hundred 
and sixty acres of new land on section 35,  and in May of that year, with a yoke of oxen and a 
noble pair of horses before covered wagons, they moved into the new home in the woods.  Part of 
the way there were no roads, and they cut their way through.  A log house, then the largest one 
in town, was built, and life in the new home was begun.  The first year Mr. Turrill was well, and
he made a good start in clearing.  Then came five years of sickness, caused by a fit of apoplexy,
and for a period only hard times and suffering were known by the family.  Debts were incurred 
which made it necessary to sell off part of the land.  After a time returning health brought 
strength, and the work of clearing was again pushed on, assisted by the children who were large 
enough, and numbered eleven.  Mr. Turrill was one of the best shots and hunters for many miles 
around, and supplied his table with the best game forests afforded.  In politics he is a 
Republican, as are all his boys, but he has never sought office.  March 8, 1930, he married Miss 
Caroline Coville, daughter of James and Marabee (Dillingham) Coville.  She was born in Otsego 
Co., N. Y., Jan. 25, 1809.  Left an orphan at the age of eleven, Mrs. Turrill has seen much of 
the rough side of life.  To them have been born the following children: Hiram, born Aug. 15, 
1831, married to Margaret Huff; Maria, born June 5, 1833; Hannah C., May 31, 1835, died March 10,
1866; Reuben, July 9, 1837; James, Feb. 10, 1840, died in the army July 25, 1863; Sarah, may 1, 
1842; Franklin, July 12, 1844; John, April 4, 1846; Mary, Sept. 4, 1848, died Oct. 4, 1867; 
Isaac, born Sept. 20, 1850, married, June 22, 1879, to Miss Amy A.  Smith, who was born June 2, 
1861; and Julia Ann, Aug. 3, 1852.  Four of Mr. Turrill's sons were in the army, and three of 
his sons-in-law, and all saw active service.  His sons were Reuben, who enlisted in the fall of 
1861 in Company H, Sixteenth Michigan Infantry, and served four years; went out as a private, and
for bravery was made first lieutenant; he was in thirty-three battles.  Hiram was in the Third 
Michigan Infantry, and was in many engagements, as was John, who was also in the Third.  James 
was for eighteen months in Berdan's Sharpshooters, and saw much hard fighting.  This is a record 
few families can equal, and shows the patriotism of Mr. Turrill and his noble family.



This biography is taken from "HISTORY OF IONIA AND MONTCALM COUNTIES, MICHIGAN" 
by John S. Schenck. Philadelphia:  D. W. Ensign & Co., 1881.  Page 428.  Bloomer.