George E. Turrentine
GEORGE E. TURRENTINE, Insurance Agent and Real
Estate Broker, Gadsden, was born in this town April 17, 1857, and is a son of
Daniel C. and Caroline E. (Lucy) Turrentine, natives, respectively, of Milledgeville, Ga.,
and Petersburg, Va.
The senior Mr. Turrentine was born in 1807; received a good education; was a
merchant early in life; came to Alabama in 1842, and was the first settler and
erected the first house ever built upon the site where now stands the
flourishing city of Gadsden. A part of the house is still standing, and is
located on the corner of Broad and First streets. It was built for a hotel and
stage stand, and was the popular rendezvous and relay station for the early
travelers between New Orleans and the capital of the United States. In addition
to his hotel, Mr. Turrentine carried on a small mercantile business.
He was also the first merchant in Gadsden, and was an active temperance
organizer and influential politician. Mr. Turrentine was a prominent member of
the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and organized the first Sunday-school ever
known in Etowah County.
He was also a prominent Mason, a general of militia in ante-bellum days, and participated
in behalf of the South during the
war between the States. He died in September, 1883, and his wife in July, 1881.
He reared a large family of children, several of whom survived him. One
of his sons, William T., was killed in the Seven Days' Fight around Richmond; another son, James L., served through the war;
Samuel M. is dead; Joshua L., D. C. Jr., George E. and Albert F. constitute the
surviving male members of his family. Of his
daughters, Catherine and Leila I. are dead; Josephine is the wife of
R. O. Randall; Adelaide V. is the wife of A. Harris; Lillie A. is
the wife of J. J. Anshutz; Minnie E. is the wife of N. N. Polk;
Carrie L. is single.
George E.
Turrentine was reared in Gadsden, where he received such education
as was practicable before attaining the age of fourteen years. He
began life after leaving school as a farmer, and to that and the
teaching of school applied himself for several years. In 1883 he
entered into his present business. He and his partner represent
twenty-three large companies and carry about all the insurance of
Gadsden.
Mr. Turrentine was
appointed justice of the peace in 1883, resigned it in 1884, and was
appointed notary public. He is a Mason, a member of the Knights of Pythias, and of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South.
Source:
McCalley, Henry, Northern Alabama :
historical and biographical.
Birmingham, AL: Smith & De
Land, 1888, pp. 835.
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