The son of James Turpin, in 1860 he was a laborer living with his father in Alloway, Salem County, New Jersey. By 1864, he stood 5' 6" tall and had brown hair and blue eyes. He is in the 1860 census as a fourteen-year-old.
A Civil War veteran, he enlisted in Philadelphia with the U.S. Navy at the overstated age of twenty-two and mustered August 14, 1864, serving aboard the C. P. Williams, Princeton, and New Hampshire. He discharged sometime during 1865, most likely following completion of his one-year term of service.
In 1870, it appears he was a clerk for a carpet store in Camden, New Jersey. He married Mary E. Lewis and fathered Robert (b. @1874), Ida V. (b. 11/01/75), Henry J. "Harry" (b. 12/27/77), Margaret (b. @1880), Charles (b. 12/21/81), Elizabeth (b. 01/??/83), Lilith (b. 01/??/88), Florence May (b. 02/18/86 - married Harvey E. Martin), Samuel (b. 02/??/90), and Roy (b. 12/??/97). By 1880, he was a painter living with his family in Swatara Township, Dauphin County.
On the evening of February 7, 1899, at the tail end of an alcoholic bender of several days length, he left home after telling his family that if he had not returned by 8:00 PM, they could assume that he had shot himself. He then headed for the bar in Steelton's Central Hotel and demanded a drink. When the bartender refused to serve him, Turpin pulled out a revolver and said, "This would end it." He then walked outside the hotel, put the pistol just below his right ear, and pulled the trigger. He died at 1:00 AM the following morning.
A Civil War veteran, he enlisted in Philadelphia with the U.S. Navy at the overstated age of twenty-two and mustered August 14, 1864, serving aboard the C. P. Williams, Princeton, and New Hampshire. He discharged sometime during 1865, most likely following completion of his one-year term of service.
In 1870, it appears he was a clerk for a carpet store in Camden, New Jersey. He married Mary E. Lewis and fathered Robert (b. @1874), Ida V. (b. 11/01/75), Henry J. "Harry" (b. 12/27/77), Margaret (b. @1880), Charles (b. 12/21/81), Elizabeth (b. 01/??/83), Lilith (b. 01/??/88), Florence May (b. 02/18/86 - married Harvey E. Martin), Samuel (b. 02/??/90), and Roy (b. 12/??/97). By 1880, he was a painter living with his family in Swatara Township, Dauphin County.
On the evening of February 7, 1899, at the tail end of an alcoholic bender of several days length, he left home after telling his family that if he had not returned by 8:00 PM, they could assume that he had shot himself. He then headed for the bar in Steelton's Central Hotel and demanded a drink. When the bartender refused to serve him, Turpin pulled out a revolver and said, "This would end it." He then walked outside the hotel, put the pistol just below his right ear, and pulled the trigger. He died at 1:00 AM the following morning.
The son of James Turpin, in 1860 he was a laborer living with his father in Alloway, Salem County, New Jersey. By 1864, he stood 5' 6" tall and had brown hair and blue eyes. He is in the 1860 census as a fourteen-year-old.
A Civil War veteran, he enlisted in Philadelphia with the U.S. Navy at the overstated age of twenty-two and mustered August 14, 1864, serving aboard the C. P. Williams, Princeton, and New Hampshire. He discharged sometime during 1865, most likely following completion of his one-year term of service.
In 1870, it appears he was a clerk for a carpet store in Camden, New Jersey. He married Mary E. Lewis and fathered Robert (b. @1874), Ida V. (b. 11/01/75), Henry J. "Harry" (b. 12/27/77), Margaret (b. @1880), Charles (b. 12/21/81), Elizabeth (b. 01/??/83), Lilith (b. 01/??/88), Florence May (b. 02/18/86 - married Harvey E. Martin), Samuel (b. 02/??/90), and Roy (b. 12/??/97). By 1880, he was a painter living with his family in Swatara Township, Dauphin County.
On the evening of February 7, 1899, at the tail end of an alcoholic bender of several days length, he left home after telling his family that if he had not returned by 8:00 PM, they could assume that he had shot himself. He then headed for the bar in Steelton's Central Hotel and demanded a drink. When the bartender refused to serve him, Turpin pulled out a revolver and said, "This would end it." He then walked outside the hotel, put the pistol just below his right ear, and pulled the trigger. He died at 1:00 AM the following morning.
A Civil War veteran, he enlisted in Philadelphia with the U.S. Navy at the overstated age of twenty-two and mustered August 14, 1864, serving aboard the C. P. Williams, Princeton, and New Hampshire. He discharged sometime during 1865, most likely following completion of his one-year term of service.
In 1870, it appears he was a clerk for a carpet store in Camden, New Jersey. He married Mary E. Lewis and fathered Robert (b. @1874), Ida V. (b. 11/01/75), Henry J. "Harry" (b. 12/27/77), Margaret (b. @1880), Charles (b. 12/21/81), Elizabeth (b. 01/??/83), Lilith (b. 01/??/88), Florence May (b. 02/18/86 - married Harvey E. Martin), Samuel (b. 02/??/90), and Roy (b. 12/??/97). By 1880, he was a painter living with his family in Swatara Township, Dauphin County.
On the evening of February 7, 1899, at the tail end of an alcoholic bender of several days length, he left home after telling his family that if he had not returned by 8:00 PM, they could assume that he had shot himself. He then headed for the bar in Steelton's Central Hotel and demanded a drink. When the bartender refused to serve him, Turpin pulled out a revolver and said, "This would end it." He then walked outside the hotel, put the pistol just below his right ear, and pulled the trigger. He died at 1:00 AM the following morning.
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U. S. Navy N. Atlantic Squadron. aged 55y 25d
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