Turner, Fountain

Born: 1795-02-03 Madison County, Kentucky

Died: 1884-01-07 Coles County, Illinois

Fountain Turner was a farmer, stock-raiser, postmaster, and pioneer of Coles County, Illinois. In December 1818, Turner married Elizabeth Phelps, with whom he had nine children, one of whom was Samuel Turner. Fountain and his family settled on a farm in Madison County, Kentucky, where they remained until 1834, when Fountain and his family moved to Coles County, Illinois. He established a large farm there and joined the Christian Church. In 1838, Turner was postmaster of Bachelorsville. He served as postmaster of Hitesville in 1847. In 1850, he owned $5,000 in real estate. By 1860, the value of Turner’s real property had increased to $6,500, and he had a personal estate of $1,200.

The History of Coles County, Illinois (Chicago: Wm. Le Baron, Jr., 1879), 605-6; Record of Appointment of Postmasters, 1832-1971, NARA Microfilm Publication, M841, 145 rolls, Records of the Post Office Department, RG 28, 1832-1844, 12b:486; 1845-1855, 18:32, National Archives Building, Washington, DC; U.S. Census Office, Seventh Census of the United States (1850), Coles County, IL, 108; U.S. Census Office, Eighth Census of the United States (1860), Coles County, IL, 280; Gravestone, Ashmore Cemetery, Ashmore, IL.