Dempsey Fielden and Sarah Turner, Texas County Missouri

Texas County, Missouri Genealogy Trails

Dempsey Fielden & Sarah Turner

Provided by Marguerette (House) Powell, zmpdhp@sbcglobal.net ©2006
Submitted by: Kerma Breedlove

Dempsey Fielden and Sarah Turner:

According to the book "The Fielden Stream - A Family History of the Fieldens of East Tennessee" by Marvel L Fielden, Dempsey Fielden was born ca 1821 in NC to John and Mary Fielden. Dempsey's siblings were James S Fielden, wife Elizabeth; Elizabeth Fielden, husband Lewis Elmore; and Lucy Fielden, husband Enoch Alred.

Marvel indicated that "Dempsey Fielden 'came of age' in Anderson County, Tennessee.
He apparently came from North Carolina to Jefferson County, Tennessee, as an infant or small child. As a teenager he moved with the family to Anderson County. Following his marriage in 1842, he bought 100 acres of land in 1846 which he sold in 1852 (the same date his brother, James S., sold his 240 acres). In the 1855 Tax Book, Dempsey is listed as owning 200 acres." However, Marvel could not find a record of when Dempsey bought or sold this land.

Sarah's parents were John and Sylvania Hopper Turner. In Grainger Co., TN, there is a marriage record for John Turner and Vany Hopper dated 24 Aug., 1806. Sarah's death certificate listed her father's name as John Turner, mother's name was left blank. According to death record of a daughter, Sarah Turner was born in Anderson Co., TN. John Turner was on the 1830 Anderson Co., TN census but by 1840 had moved into Knox Co., TN. Raccoon Valley Tn is mentioned in a deed for Knox County.

Sarah's sister, Sylvania 'Vania' Turner, married James 'Milton' Neal. Milton and Vania were living next door to Sarah's parents at the time of the 1850 Knox Co. census. Both Vany (Hopper) Turner and Sylvania (Turner) Neal were listed by the name Syloand on this census.

Other possible siblings of Sarah:

Gabriel Turner, listed as age 20-30 on the1840 Knox Co. census. Gabriel signed the marriage bond for Sarah Turner and Dempsey Fielden. Gabriel also signed as witness to a deed for John Turner.

John Turner, Jr and Rebecca Petree were married 18 January 1841. John's estate records include James Milton Neal as a buyer and a note for Gabriel Turner which had not been paid. George Petree was named administrator for John Turner, Jr.

Cynthia Turner married George Petree 23 Dec., 1838 Knox Co., TN. George and Cynthia named one daughter Laveny, listed as Vany in different census years.

Zilpha Turner married James H Fielden 26 Sept., 1845. James S. Fielden, brother of Dempsey Fielden signed the marriage bond with him. Zilpha died 21 July 1912 in Ohio Co., KY. The death certificate lists father as James Turner in lieu of John and mother's maiden name as Hopper.

Mercey Turner is still living at home in 1850 according to the census.

The 1830 census indicates that John Turner may have had at least 9 children if not more.
One researcher, Barbara Turner has indicated that Pascal Turner is a son of John and Vany Turner.

Dempsey married Sarah Turner 18 January 1842 in Knox County, TN. According to the birth dates of their children, Dempsey and Sarah moved to Texas County, Missouri about 1857, probably with the Milton and Vania Neal family.

Dempsey purchased two parcels of land at the land office in Springfield, Greene County, Missouri. Issue date for both, # 27334 and # 27775 was 3/1/1860, and each one was for 80 acres.

#27334
Location NENW and SESW - Sec. Block 36 and 25
Township 32-N and 32-N; Range 11-W and 11-W
State MO, County Texas

#27775
Location SENW and NWNW - Sec. Block 36 and 36
Township 32-N and 32-N; Range 11-W and 11-W
State MO, County Texas

Dempsey and Sarah are buried in the Fielden family cemetery on the homestead in Success, Texas Co., Missouri. (Sarah's sister, Vania, is buried in the Liberty Cemetery in Texas Co., Missouri.) Bushwhackers killed Dempsey in 1866 and Sarah died 20 March 1913 at the home of her son, R. C. Fielden in Turley, Texas Co., Missouri.

Children of Dempsey and Sarah Turner Fielden

1. John Lee Fielden: 12 Oct 1842 - 04 March 1915
Born in Anderson Co., Tennessee
Married: 01 July 1866 - Sarah (Sallie) Howard Coats
Location of Marriage: Home of Polly Coats Hughes
Buried: Union Cemetery, Piney twp, Texas Co., Missouri.

Sallie's parents were James and Elizabeth Hart Coats. James and Elizabeth had 13 children. The 1860 Texas Co., Missouri mortality
census indicates Elizabeth died Dec 1859. James Coats remarried to Cammaliza Forrester Crawford, a widow with 6 children. James and
Cammaliza had 6 more children. Sallie went to live with her brother and then her sister, Polly Coats Hughes Texas Co., Missouri.

Children of John and Sallie:
Nancy Jane: married 1. James Rycroft 2. Ralph Simpson
James Madison: married 1. Manerva J. Phelps 2. Mary E. Brown
Sarah Lewiza: married 1. William H. Ross 2. James M. Farris
Mary Elizabeth: married George Washington Wood
Richard Stricklin: died at age 3
Vinettie: married 1. Floyd Winfield Graham 2. Ivey A. Simpson;
Iva Candes: married William "Willie" Samuel Wood.
Notes: 1. George and Willie were brothers. 2. There was also one male infant who died at birth

2. Mary Jane Fielden: 21 Apr 1845 - 06 June 1871
Born in Anderson Co., Tennessee
Married: 06 Oct 1866 - Henry Clary McDonald, son of James and Frances Smith McDonald
Buried: Fielden Cemetery, Upton twp, Texas Co., Missouri
Children as listed in census
Sarah: Age 3 in 1870 and 12 in 1880
James Edward: Age 3/12 in 1870 and 10 in 1880

3. James Fielden: 1847 - 1900
Born in Anderson County, Tennessee
Married: 06 June 1869 - Tinsley Josie P. Jones
Married: 26 Nov 1876 - Sarah Ann Clementine Johnson
Buried: Fielden Cemetery, Upton twp, Texas Co., Missouri.
Children of James and his wives:
Sarah E.: Age 10 in 1880
John D.: Age 5 in 1880
Margaret A.: Age 2 in 1880
Cynthia M.: Age 6/12 in 1880

Sarah Ann Clementine is referred to as "Aunt Tine" in a story involving a tornado in Sherman, Texas May 15, 1896. Sarah was visiting with
some of her Johnson family and had Cynthia and Maggie were with her. John D was killed in that same storm.

4. William Fielden 29 Nov 1849 - 08 Apr 1941
Born in Anderson Co., Tennessee
Married 09 Feb 1878 - Nancy Elizabeth Myers, d/o Burgess and Winifred Sitten Myers
Buried: Bolivar Cemetery Polk Co., Missouri
Children of William and Nancy:
Dora L:
Lucy: married Moss F. Smith of Mountain Grove, Wright Co., Missouri.

5. Alfred (Alford) Houston Fielden: 1851- 1890
Born in Anderson Co., Tennessee
Married: 07 Apr 1872 - Mary Priscilla Cox
Buried: Fielden Cemetery, Upton twp, Texas Co., Missouri
Children of Alfred and Mary:
Sarah Irene: Age 6 in 1880 census; married Francis J. Burney
Stephen Augustus: Age 5 in 1880 census; married Mary Hettie Combs
William Allen: Age 3 in 1880 census; married Alice F. Gibson
Emma R.: Age1in 1880 census;

Mary married Edward Payn ca 1892. By 1900 the family was living in Creek Nation Indian Territory.

6. Allen M Fielden: 06 Sept 1854 - 26 Feb 1907
Born in Anderson Co., Tennessee
Married: 20 Oct 1878 - Ibbie J. Teague, d/o James Willis and Hettie Cox Teague
Buried: Perkins Cemetery, Perkins, Payne Co., Oklahoma.
Children of Allen and Ibbie:
Candis Ann: died young
William A.: Age 20 in 1900 census; married Sarah E. Hufstedler
Richard Calloway: Age 18 in 1900 census; married Jessie Sullivan
Hetty L.: Age 17 in 1900 census
Willis M.: Age 15 in 1900 census
Myrtle Mae: Age 7 in 1900 census

In 1900 this family lived in Roubidoux, Texas Co., Missouri. Evidently Ibbie and Allen separated, but have not located information regarding
Ibbie after the separation.

7. Sarah Elizabeth Fielden: 1857 - 1870
Born in Texas Co., Missouri
Buried: Fielden Cemetery, Upton twp, Texas Co., Missouri.

8. Richard Columbus Fielden: 14 Oct 1859 - 11 Jan 1932
Born in Texas Co., Missouri
Married: 13 Feb 1884 - Roana Clementine Hart
Married: ????? - Catherine Eliza Robards Roderick
Buried: Liberty Cemetery, Upton twp, Texas Co., Missouri
Children of Richard and Roana:
Agnes Rose: Age 15 in 1900 census; married E. Anthony Davis
Everett Leslie: Age 12 in 1900 census; married Ethel Stewart
Ora Matilda: Age 9 in 1900 census; married Jacob Arnold Fletcher
Edith Blanche: Age 6 in 1900 census; married Everett Bray
Ralph Wilbert: Age 2 in 1900 census; married Bernadine Douglas
Walter Ray: Age 9 in 1900 census; married Anita Davis

In 1900 the family lived in Upton twp, Texas Co., Missouri. Richard died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Edith Bray of Peru, NE.

9. Nancy Ann Fielden: 24 July 1863 - 13 Jane 1911
Born in Texas County, Missouri
Married: 21 Oct 1883 - William Henry Teague, son of James Willis and Hetty Elizabeth (Cox) Teague.
Buried: Fielden Cemetery, Upton twp, Texas Co., Missouri
Children of Nancy Ann and William Henry Teague:
Andrew Jackson: Age 17 in 1900 census
Sarah Elizabeth: 1884-1885 (Fielden Cemetery)
Nancy Rozettie: Age 14 in 1900 census
James Dempsey: Age 12 in 1900 census
Henry Gilbert: Age 9 in 1900 census
Herbert Wesley: Age 7 in 1900 census
Lee Ola: Age 5 in 1900 census - name listed as Rhoda L
Lula Ancyviolet: 1896-1898 (Fielden Cemetery)
Bertha Rozella: Age1 in 1900 census.
Jonnie Matilda: Age 8 in 1910 census
Benjamin: Age 6 in 1910 census
William Henry Teague and Ibbie J (Teague) Fielden were siblings.
The 1876 special census for (Roubidoux) Texas Co., MO shows Stephen Cox, Sarah J. Cox, Ibbie Teague age 10-18 and W. H. Teague age 10-18.

At the time of the1880 census William, age 16, is still living with his grandparents, Stephen L. and Sarah J. Cox.

William and Nancy were living in Spring River twp, Randolph Co., Arkansas by 1900.
In 1910 William Henry and Nancy Ann are in Upton twp, Texas Co., MO living next
door to William H and Louise R. Neal.
Sarah Fielden "mother-in-law" is living with them on the 1910 census.

"Bits and Pieces"

Ola Teague Jones, a granddaughter of Dempsey and Sarah, remembered many things about her Fielden family. Sarah lived with Ola's parents when Ola was 15 years old. Ola had pictures of Dempsey, Sarah, and Sarah's sister, Vania Neal.

Ola's sons cleaned the Fielden cemetery and placed new markers where Ola remembered family members being buried. There are very few tombstones left.

Notes as written by Edna Eugenia Wood House, g granddaughter of Dempsey and Sarah Turner Fielden:

"Dempsey Fielden married Sarah Turner, they were living in Tenn when the first children were born, later moved to Missouri.

When John Fielden and Sally Coats married, they moved in with Dempsey and Sarah, and made their first crop on the old "Success" farm. Great Grandfather,
Dempsey bought John and Sally their shoes when they needed them, just like he did the rest of the family, told grandmother that he was planning to buy their things to set them up to house-keeping in the fall.

But Dempsey Fielden was killed some time between July and the late fall of 1866, soon after the War, on his farm home by Bushwhackers. He had gone to the barn to feed his stock, three men rode up on horses at a run and shot Great Grandpa down and rode back the way they come as fast as their horses would go, all three had sacks over their heads, so no one knew who they was.

The story of the Indian girl was told to me by Aunt Nettie (Fielden) Graham. My mother only remembers that her grandmother was Indian. Lou Ella (Wood) Loman also remembers her Great Grandmother Sarah (Turner) Fielden. She told me when she was a young girl that she called her Great Grandmother "Her little Grandmother" and her Grandmother, Sally (Coats) Fielden "Her Big Grandmother" as Sallie was larger than Sarah.

Great Grandmother Sarah used to ride a horse from Success Mo. to Union Baptist Church.She would have been near sixty years of age. She wanted to go with Sallie and John to church. Lou Ella says she can remember Great Grandmother praying in the home of John and Sally, her prayer was that she wouldn't live to see any of her sons or grandsons go off to war. That was in the early years of 1900 before the War.

I can remember my Great Grandmother, Sarah (Turner) Fielden. I can remember playing by her rocking chair. She stayed with my Grandpa, John Fielden. The year she was 102 years old, mom said she died at 103 in the home of one of the other children (Uncle Rich)

Sometime around 1962, Clyde, Duane and I went to Ola Jones home in Houston, Missouri.(her mother was a daughter of Dempsey and Sarah Turner Fielden so she is a cousin of Iva (Fielden) Wood) We all went to Success, Mo. to look for Great Grandfather's farm and the Fielden Grave Yard. Ola knew how to get there as her mother is buried there. It was really a treasure to me. We found the old foundation of the old farm house. The children are all gone. I could look and see the beauty of the old farm. In walking distance of the old farm is the Grave Yard - was on part of Dempsy's farm. Ola said just a few years before we was there you could have seen over a 100 graves with tall stones. Just a few left when we was there."

Letter from Dora Fielden to Iva Candes Fielden Wood - July 20, 1954
Dear Cousin Iva;
Just a few lines to extend to you my love and sympathy in the going of your sister, Nettie. We shall miss her, yes, but we have the comfort and hope of meeting her again in the Promised Land. May all of us be ready to meet her there. Did she have heart trouble? So many people do these days. I have heart trouble and have to take one heart tablet each day. I have had high blood pressure for several years and as a result have to sleep two or three hours each day, especially in hot weather. Lucy does not mind the hot weather much and has wonderfully recovered from her crippled condition. She can walk with out her crutches but does use them quite a bit yet, to avoid being so tired. We go to church regularly and get a lot of joy out of life. The Lord has been wonderfully good to us in many ways. Let us hear from you again.
Your cousin,
Dora Fielden

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