Franklin-Marion County TN Archives Obituaries.....Turney, Peter October 19, 1903 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/tn/tnfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Gallagher gallagherj@cafes.net August 22, 2005, 3:27 pm The Franklin County Truth and News Journal, Winchester, Tennessee - Thursday, October 22, 1903 Governor Peter Turney's obituary in Thursday, October 22, 1903, The Franklin County Truth and News Journal, Winchester, Tennessee: EX-GOV. TURNEY DEAD Passes Away at 3:30 Monday Afternoon Surrounded by the Members of His Family. Governor Peter Turney passed away to the great beyond at 3:30 Monday afternoon, after suffering for several weeks from a gouty kidney and prostatic disturbance. It was known that the distinguished patient had but a remote chance for recovery and the members of his family were all present at his bedside when the death summons came. The death of Governor Turney nevertheless came with a shock to his friends in Winchester and the State. There are many of his old comrade in arms living who fought side by side with him during the war, and to these his death will be a personal bereavement. Winchester itself will mourn him deeply and sincerely as one of the sons who have reflected honor upon her by his splendid courage upon the battle field and his notable achievements in civil life. The following from the Nashville Daily News covers the important incidents of Gov. Turney's career: "One of Tennessee's biggest men answered the final call when Hon. Peter Turney passed into the life beyond and closed his eyes in the last long sleep before the coming of eternal life. Few men were so well known in Tennessee and none had brighter records of honorable service to their State than ex-Gov. Turney. All his long life he was a Tennessean, and the State had ever the call on his services in time of need. Whether in war or peace his services were freely given and were greatly felt. A biographer says of him: 'He was a man of the highest order of intellectual and legal ability, lofty courage, and unspotted integrity.' The quotation is a simple expression of the man's character. "Peter Turney was born in Jasper, Marion county, Tenn., Sept. 22, 1827. He was the son of Hon. Hopkins L. Turney, a noted antebellum lawyer and statesman. The future Governor and Chief Justice of the State spent his earlier years in Winchester, where his father moved in 1828. He was educated at the Winchester schools, and had become a surveyor at the age of 17 years. He followed this profession for six months and then took up the study of law in his father's office. The elder Turney was elected to the United States Senate the same year, and the boy went into the office of William E. Venable to complete his legal studies. He was admitted to the Winchester bar Sept. 22, 1848, his 21st birthday. He practiced law with his father for nine years, when the latter died. Peter and his brother, Miller F. Turney, then went in together and practiced at Winchester until the outbreak of the Civil War. "Peter Turney was a strong advocate of 'secession' and stood ready to fight for his principles. Early in 1861, and before Tennessee had seceded, Franklin county virtually seceded from the State in favor of the Southern cause, and Peter Turney raised a regiment in Franklin county and marched it to Virginia. It was Turney's First Tennessee, afterwards famous throughout the country for its bravery and the utterly reckless manner in which it fought. Col. Turney had his men encamped at Harper's Ferry and drilled into some semblance of militarism before his home State joined the ranks of the Confederacy. "When the State did secede and send out troops another First Tennessee was raised, but Turney's never lost the name, and there were two First Tennessee's in the Confederate Army. "The young lawyer-soldier proved himself a valorous man in the four years' bloody struggle that formed the Civil War. In every action he was conspicuous for his gallantry, and was finally desperately wounded at Fredericksburg. He, with his command, took part in the battles of Seven Pines, Second Manassas, Cedar Run, Harper's Ferry, Antietam, Sharpsburg, Fredericksburg and many others. At Fredericksburg a bullet struck him in the mouth, carrying away all his upper teeth, two of his lower and a section of his tongue, and lodging in the back of the neck. It is related of him that he was so desperately wounded that the surgeons would not probe for the ball or extract it, and that his wife courageously took a pocket knife, made an incision in the back of his neck, and extracted the bullet. After that the gallant soldier rapidly recovered, and was soon at the front again. "His bravery in battle won him many enconiums [sic] from his superiors, and he was recommended for promotion by Gens. Robert E. Lee, A.P. Hill and James J. Archer. The official recognition of his services never came, however, and it was rumored strongly that the fact that he was not on the best of terms with high state dignitaries of the Confederacy was responsible for it. "In August, 1863, Col. Turney was sent to Florida for service, and was later appointed to command the eastern district of the State. He commanded the Confederate troops at the battle of Three Mile Creek. "After the surrender at Appomattox Col. Turney returned to his home at Winchester. He was without means, and his property consisted of a house and lot in his home town. "Through the trials and the aggravated annoyances of reconstruction days he struggled with the adversity that threatened him with other Southerners, and showed his bravery no less in the meeting of the new conditions than in the battles of the war just ended. He practiced law and by constant application and unceasing labor won no little success. His name soon became well known through the State and he was considered an authority in all matters pertaining to his profession. It was quite in the natural order of things that he should be elected to the Supreme Court Bench in September, 1870, and his record on the bench more than justified the choice of the people. He served on the Supreme Court Bench from 1870 until 1892, when he resigned the Chief Justiceship to make the race for Governor. In doing this he answered the call of the State Democracy and led their forces to victory. After his first term he again made the race and won out in one of the most exciting elections the State has ever known. The Republicans nominated H. Clay Evans to make the race and put forth their best efforts to land the plum. They went to the length of contesting the election, but lost out in the end." The Funeral. The funeral arrangements for Governor Turney were changed somewhat for several reasons. It was impossible for Bishop Gailor to conduct the services on account of his absence in Washington. Chaplain Wm. Guerry, of Sewanee, officiated, assisted by the Revs. Mr. Killheffer, of Winchester and Fayetteville, and Dr. Rodriguez, of Tullahoma. It was also decided best not to have services at Trinity Church on account of the serious illness of Gov. Turney's daughter, Miss Dixie, but simply to hold services at Wolf's Crag at the appointed time, Thursday afternoon at one o'clock. The house and grounds were thronged with old soldiers, relatives and friends, come thither to pay the last tribute of respect to a noble Christian gentleman. The services began by a choir singing "Nearer my God to Thee," and then the impressive burial service of the Episcopal Church was read. At its conclusion the choir sang "God be with you till we meet again." Chaplain Guerry then reviewed the life of Gov. Turney in an earnest and eloquent address, eulogizing him for the record he had made for himself in the history of Tennessee. The casket was then removed from the house, the members of Cheatham and Turney Bivouacs standing with bared heads on each side of the walk as the remains of their old comrade were carried to the hearse. The funeral cortege was over a mile long, headed by about seventy-five Confederate veterans on foot. One carriage was filled with magnificent floral emblems. Services at the grave were under the direction of the U.C.V.'s. Upon the conclusion of the Episcopal burial service Capt. M.B. Pilcher, of Nashville, read the bivouac service. An impressive and touching ceremony then followed. Each veteran deposited a sprig of evergreen in the grave and a bugler sounded "taps." The pall bearers were: ACTIVE PALL BEARERS. Judge Fite. Col. Smith. Mark Cockrell. H.B. Talley. E.B. Craig. J.J. Vertrees. Smith Alexander. A.J. Skidmore. HONORARY. Judge John F. Wilkes. Senator E.W. Carmack. Judge John K. Shields. Gov. J.B. Frazier. Judge Snodgrass. Ex-Gov. McMillan. Col. Tomlinson Fort. Ex-Gov. Buchannan. [sic] Judge John W. Childress. Judge R.M. Barton. Judge H.H. Lurton. Judge S.F. Wilson. Senator W.B. Bate. Judge John Taylor. Every public and private vehicle in Winchester was secured to be in line, and from 2 o'clock until after the services were concluded, every business house in Winchester was closed. It was one of the largest funerals ever known in Winchester and demonstrated the esteem in which the deceased was held. Among the prominent out-of-town visitors were: Gov. James B. Frazier. Ex-Gov. John P. Buchannan. [sic] Ex-Gov. Benton McMillan. Senator Wm. B. Bate. Senator E.W. Carmack. Capt. John W. Morton, Secretary of State. Reau Folk, State Treasurer. Capt. Mynders, Superintendent Public Instruction. Judge H.H. Lurton, U.S. Court of Appeals. Judges John M. Taylor, R.M. Barton, S.F. Wilson, of Chancery Court of Appeals. Judges John F. Wilkes, of Pulaski, and John K. Shields, of Knoxville, Supreme Court of Tennessee. Judge Snodgrass, of Chattanooga. Judge Fite, of Lebanon. Capt. Shipp, E.B. Craig, Col. Tomlinson Fort, Dr. Parmer, Chattanooga. Col. A.M. Shook, R.J. Riddle, John P. Hickman, W.S. Morgan, Judge John W. Childress, Nashville. Capt. A.T. McNeil, Law Department of the University of the South. [Governor Turney was buried in Winchester City Cemetery.] [Spelling, capitalization, and punctuation is as it appeared in article.] File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/tn/franklin/obits/t/turney3gob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/tnfiles/ File size: 11.3 Kb