In 1802 Henry's father, Jacob Turney, moved his family to Smith County, Tennessee and the family were among the first settlers there. Because of this move Henry Turney's formal education was limited.

Henry Turney fought in the Creek Indian War of 1814 and the War of 1812-1814. He was mustered in as a Private in the 1st Regiment Mounted Gunmen (Dyer's) Tennessee Volunteers, Capt. Bethell Allen's Company on September 28, 1814 and was at the Battle of New Orleans on January 1, 1815. He was discharged April 27, 1815 at Nashville Tennessee with his Expiration of Service on May 4, 1815.

On July 28, 1819, Henry Turney was appointed Lieutenant-Colonel in the 24th Regiment of the Militia of the Alabama Territory by Wm. W. Bibb, Governor of the Territory. Early in 1821 he went to New Orleans and on or about October of that year he sailed from New Orleans to Cuba bearing dispatches from General Andrew Jackson to two U.S. ships of war, the Hornet and Pauper. These dispatches stated that the United States was agreeable to a '...treaty between the United States and Spain...'. After the treaty papers were delivered to the Spanish ambassador in Cuba the Hornet, with Henry Turney aboard, was ordered to Pensacola, Florida. Henry Turney mustered out of the service and resided in Pensecola for a year.

Henry Turney served as a member of the first Grand Jury of the First Court in Pensacola, Florida under the laws of the United States. Andrew Jackson sat on the bench and would often instruct the Grand Jury on how to conduct itself.

From Pensacola, Florida Henry Turney moved to Mobile, Alabama and for two years merchandised - the firm of Turney and Duvall. In 1820, Henry Turney had married Miss Mary Russell of Winchester, Virginia. Two children were born to them. After one child and his wife died in early 1824, Henry Turney returned to Tennessee, going to Franklin County, Tennessee. In late 1824, he married Miss Delilah Pigg and moved to Lincoln County, Tennessee. In 1833 he moved to Delina, Marshall County, Tennessee where he spent the rest of his life.

In the 1830s Henry Turney studied Law, probably articling with the Samuel Turney/Hopkins L. Turney law firm in Winchester, Franklin County, Tennessee.

Between 1843-1847 Henry Turney was elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives 25th and 26th General Assembly (Democrat, Lincoln County)

Henry Turney's public record in Tennessee was just and honest. For thirty years he was a Justice of the Peace.

He was opposed to secession of the States. Prior to the Civil War he proposed to convene a convention of wise statesmen hoping they would meet to suggest compromise measures to secession. But, when the southern states commenced seceding, he deceided Tennessee had to side with the Secessionists. He, accordingly, gave up to the Confederacy every son (except the youngest who was only 15 years of age), five in number, and two sons-in-law, for the fight.

In 1880 he was recorded as living with his widowed daughter on her farm in Delina, Marshall County, Tennessee.