Thomas Lide Turner (1883) and Zadie Idell Watson of Marion Co, SC

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• 27 Dec 2009 - Reformatted old page. Several minor updates.

I (Marty Grant) am a Great grandson of Thomas and Zadie Turner. I never met either of them, they both died before I was born.

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Thomas Lide Turner was born 5 Jun 1883 (per tombstone and death certificate) in Marion Co, SC, probably just east of Mullins.  It seems fairly likely that he was named for the Rev. Thomas P. Lide (c1846) who was from neighboring Darlington Co., SC, but who served Reedy Creek Baptist Church in Marion during the period when Thomas Lide Turner was born.

Thomas L. Turner is a son of Daniel T. Turner and Laura Virginia James. This was common knowledge in the family (and told to me by several of Thomas' children), and is also proven by the 1900 and 1910 census, and Thomas' death certificate.

Thomas was home with his parents for the 1900 census ("Thos. E." born June 1883). He was head of household in 1910 with his parents and brother living with him. His nephew Kemper Floyd is with them too, listed as an "Adopted Son" (his mother was dead): Reaves Township, # 178/179 Thomas L. Turner, Head, 23 single, SC-SC-SC, Farmer; Daniel, Father, 63 married once, 42 years, Laborer; Virginia, Mother, 69 married once, 42 years; Rudolph, Brother 36 single, Carpenter; Mary Watson, Boarder, 18 Laborer; Kemper Floyd, Adopted Son 12.

Note that Mary Watson was living with the Turners in 1910 as a "boarder." Thomas married her sister four years later.

On 10 Sep 1914, Thomas married Zadie Idell Watson in Mullins. Their marriage record listed him as "Thomas Lide Turner", age 24, of Mullins, and her as "Zaidell Watson", age 18, of Mullins.

Zadie was born 10 Sep 1896 in Columbus Co, NC, somewhere near the Delco community. She was a child of William H. Watson and Mary Catherine Davis of Columbus County. She was home with them for the 1900 census. Apparently they both died while the children were still small. I did not locate Zadie on the 1910 census, but her sister Mary Watson was residing with Thomas L. Turner and his parents in Marion Co, SC. I don't know why she wound up there, or with them, but that would explain how Thomas met Zadie, via her sister Mary.

Thomas and Zadie  were listed on the 1920 census in Marion Co., SC: Reaves Township, # 178/191 Thomas L. Turner, Head, 36 married, SC-SC-SC; Zadie I. wife 21 married, NC-NC-NC; Laura V. Daughter 4 6/12 SC-SC-NC; Robert L. Son 2 11/12; Gladys Daughter 11/12; Gertrude Daughter 11/12.

They are listed on the 1930 census in Marion Co., SC: Reeves Township, # 166/177, A. C. L. Highway, Thomas L. Turner, Head 46 married at age 31 SC-SC-SC; Zadie I. wife 34 married at age 18; Laura V. daughter 15; Robert L. son 12; Gladis daughter 11; Gertrude daughter 11; Jona P. son 9; Hary son 6; Cary daughter 6; Doretha daughter 3 2/12, Neely son 3 2/12.

Thomas L. Turner died on 1 Mar 1953 of "Pneumonia due to Influenza" (per his death certificate). He was buried at the McMillan Cemetery, east of Mullins. He and Zadie have a shared stone. His side says "Thomas Lide Turner Jun 5 1883 - Mar 1 1953."

Zadie died on 3 Nov 1963 of "Cerebral Hemorrhage due to Hypertension, Due to Gen. Arteriosclerosis" (per death certificate). She is buried at the McMillan Cemetery next to Thomas. Her side of the tombstone says "Zadie Idell Turner Sept 10, 1896 - Nov 3, 1963".

Children of Thomas Lide Turner and Zadie Idell Watson. Thomas and Zadie had 11 children as proven by the 1920 and 1930 census as well as family knowledge. Those children included three sets of twins. One of the twins was my grandmother Gertrude Turner who married Alva Campbell. 

• See Daniel Turner Researcher List