Submitted by Susan Fahnstrom Thanks Susan!

Marriage: Marriage date, 29 Jul 1822 Vital Records Index - North America; FHL #589486, Rhea, Tennessee 1886-1895.

Census: U. S. Census Johnson Co., Arkansas 1840, 1850, 1870, by Wendy Elliott and Virgie Wulff.

Land: Land Records for Johnson Co., Arkansas 1853-1872

Notes: I.G.I. Research by Virgie Wulff, Wendy Elliott and Erma Vanderstaay. Personal knowledge and letters of Vicy Acord Hefner. Was the son of Abner Casey. Photo of Turner Casey in possession of Velda Schamp Nichols. View photo of Turner Franklin Casey Johnson County Scrapbook®

Biography:
When he was about 30 years of age, he was one of the party chosen to select the route over which the Cherokee Indians were moved from Georgia and Tennessee to Indian Territory. On the return trip, he and a few others traveled through the Ozark Mountains, following Big Mulberry Creek and crossed the Divide, then down White River for a ways. They liked what they saw. The land was fertile, game was plentiful, transportation facilities not too far away. And malaria, the dreaded disease of the lowlands, was not too prevalent in the mountains. He had farmed in Tennessee, while he studied for the ministry, for several years. The better land in Roane County was all held by large plantation owners and game had become scarce. By the time Turner returned to his home from the trip through Arkansas, he was anxious to move to the new area that offered some opportunity and where he could put down roots and raise his family.

In 1835, he and several of his kin and many of their neighbors made up a wagon train at Paris, Henry Co., that was to go to Arkansas Territory, seeking a better life. They rounded up their cattle, loaded their household goods and families into covered wagons and started west, a journey of more than 600 miles which took them over ten months to make. Practically all of the families joining the train were those whose ancestors had lived as neighbors in Virginia more than 100 years before this, and whose descendents are still living as neighbors all the way from Arkansas to California. Upon their arrival in their new home, the settlers started building their log cabins and clearing the land. Soon Turner and his father Abner Casey II, who was a millwright, started building a watermill on Mulberry Creek where it flowed across Turner's land, a mill where settlers could grind their wheat and corn into flour and meal for their basic foods. Here, Turner F. Casey, minister of the Baptist faith, a miller, lived the remainder of his life. His farm in sections 20 and 21, Township 12 N - range 24 West, was just east of the present town of Oark.

There are those living in Johnson County in 1970 who remember hearing their grandfathers tell of the camp meetings held by Turner Casey in those early days. They also recall that he was the preacher who married their grandparents and great grandparents. He was recognized as an upright citizen and an outstanding Baptist Minister. He was opposed to secession, as were many living in the community, but was too old to take up arms in the Civil War. Both Turner and his wife Sarah Ann, were buried in Oark Cemetery.

Copy of an original marriage license written in the handwriting of Turner Casey as follows: "I Turner Casey, a Baptist Minister of the Gospel of Christ do hereby certify that I did solemnise the rights of matrimony in the County of Johnson and State of Arkansas on the 16^th day of November A.D. 1868 between Columbus Stuart aged 26 years and Frances Acord aged 19 years both of the County and State aforesaid. Filed this 23^rd day of Dec 1868".

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