Clopton Family Genealogical Society

 

 

 

 

Miles Turpin

 

 

 

Willie Alexander (Werne) Turpin

 

 

 

Miles Alexander Turpin

 

 

William Clopton, Gentleman + Ann Booth

William Clopton + Joyce Wilkinson

George Clopton, Sr. + Jane “Jenny” Jones

Edwin J. Clopton, Sr. + Coles

Edward Andrew Jackson Clopton, Esq., C.S.A. + Anne Waring Latane’

Susan Latane’ Clopton + Jackson Turpin, Esq.

Miles Turpin + Willie Alexander Werne

 

 

Generation No. 1

 

        1.  Miles¹⁰ Turpin  (Jackson⁹, Miles⁸, Miles⁷, Michael⁶, Lusby⁵, Michael⁴, Michael³, Michael², Lionel¹)¹ was born December 11, 1873 in Richmond, Virginia², and died April 28, 1934 in Chicago, Ilinois and buried April 30, 1934 at Graceland Cemetery, Chicago.  He married Willie Alexander Werne, daughter of Henry Werne and Lucy Alexander.  She was born 1875 in Louisvile, Kentuck, and died December 21, 1946 in Chicago, Ilinois at the residence of her sister, Mrs. Volney Bryan, and buried December 28, 1946 at Cave Hill Cemetery³.

        Willie's mother died when she was 15, leaving her to raise her siblings.  She often ran out of money.  If her Uncle Joe Werne had not dropped by with some cash from time to time, they all would have starved to death.  All of this responsibility naturally took quite a toll on her, and she is remembered as being a very dour, unhappy adult.

       

Child of Miles Turpin and Willie Werne is:

        2                 i.    Miles Alexander¹¹ Turpin⁴, born July 29, 1903 in St. Louis, Missouri; died February 27, 1989 in Wickenburg, Maricopa County, Arizona.  He is cremated at Westside Crematory March 2, 1989.  He married (1) Virginia Ruth Sheffield.  He married (2) Ruth Farr Canary February 21, 1931 in Chicago, Cook County,  Illinois, by The Reverend C. L. Hubbard⁵; born November 5, 1905 in Chicago, Ilinois; died July 2, 1963 in Pasadena, California.

"After graduating from Dartmouth, Miles moved to Chicago to, in his words, "sell ties for Marshall Fields or sell space for the Chicago Tribune - I chose The Tribune."  He sold display space for the newspaper.  There he met and married Ruth, who was also working at the Time selling classified space.  Ruth attended the University of Southern California in the 1920's where she was a Delta Gamma.  In the 1950's she was President of the South Pasadena, California School Board and remained active with her college sorority.  Ruth's father was married twice.  His first, Sally Hatheway, was born in Meridian Connecticut.  Dan was an entertainer.  He performed bicycle stunts before European Royalty.  Two of their five children were born in Europe, Hazel in London, and Bob, in Paris.  Not long after the birth of twin daughters, Catherine and Dorothy in Springfield, Massachusetts, Sally left Dan and eventually married millionaire Joe Prescott.  Ruth's mother, Anne May Farr, raised all the Canary children with equal love and devotion.

When Miles announced his engagement in January of 1931, his grandmother, Susan Latane (Clopton) Turpin, wrote him a letter from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, dated February 24, 1931.

My dear grandson,

Your letter of the 30th of Jan. received and enjoyed and appreciated.  I would love to hear from you more frequently.  I was so glad to know you had found "the girl of your dreams" and are so happy over your prospects.  My dear boy it is a happy time, although I am 80 I haven't forgotten our youth and when my dear husband died he was just as much of a lover as he had ever been.  That is the way to be happy in married life, don't forget to tell her how much you love her afterwards.  I love the name of Ruth and I wish you and Ruth a long and happy married life.

Devotedly

Grandmother

 

Unfortunately, Miles' parents didn't share his grandmother's enthusiasm.  His mother didn't approve of his choice of a wife.  In fact, the first time they met, Willie said, "My dear, you look just like a peasant."  Later on she informed poor Ruth that Miles could have married the Governor of Kentucky's daughter and she couldn't figure out why he married Ruth instead.  Now THAT'S a mother-in-law.

Ruth brought lots of love to their marriage, and brains.  She was one of the California child geniuses studied by Dr. Termin in his study to determine if intelligence is hereditary.  Both of their sons were part of the study as well.

Miles George Turpin

 

 

 

 

Endnotes

 

1.  Miles George Turpin provided this information unless otherwise noted.

2.  State of Illinois Standard Certificate of Death Number 14427.  His last residence is an apartment in Detroit, Michigan.  The information is taken from hospital records.  His mother is Susan Clopton, his father, Jackson Clopton, both of Richmond, Virginia.

3.  Newspaper Obituary.

4.  Miles George Turpin provided this information unless otherwise noted.

5.  State of Illinois, Cook County, Marriage License number 1304085.

 

 

 

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