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Turk



THEODOCIUS TURK was born ca 1750, left his LWT dated 10/1804, probated 3/10/1805, Baldwin Co. Will Book A, page 52, naming his wife, Verlinda, and children: John, Laban, Theodocius, Thomas, Nancy and Mary Horton. Also named grandson Theodocius Turk. Theodocius was married to Verlinda Findley. This according to AFN:G05Q-VH, Ancestral File, Church of Jesus Christ of Later-Day-Saints. Theodocius Turk was listed on the Wilkes Co., Ga. Remnant Tax Digest of 1792-1794, 1- 1/2 polls, 1 slave, 300 acres. Also, William Turk, 1 poll, 200 acres, Wilkes Co. Theodocius Turk was the son of John Turk who was b. 1714 in Ireland and d. 11/22/1755 Augusta Co. Virginia, and his wife, Agnes, according to above Ancestral File.

The South Carolina family appears to be from the following immigrants, viz:
From the book, Immigants to South Carolina 1763-1773 by Janie Revil, in Council Journal 33, pp. 178-184, at a meeting on 6/22/1767, petitioners for warrants of survey on the Bounty. "The petitioners set forth that they were protestants and had lately arrived in this province on the encouragement of the Bounty". Arrived on the ship "Nancy, Capt. Hannah, commander, were - John Turk, age 47, Jane Turk age 47, William Turk age 20, Jannet Turk age 17 and Ann Turk, age 13.
This John Turk was granted 200 acres in Granville Co. on the waters of Calhoun Creek, one of the branches of Long Cane, bounded on the southeast by land laid out for Lowry and John Milligan, other sides vacant, survey certified 11/16/1767, and granted 3/8/1768. Jannett Turk was granted 100 acres in Granville Co. on waters of Long Cane, bounded on southeast by John Wilson, other sides vacant, survey certified 9/1/1767, granted 3/8/1768. And William Turk was granted 100 acres in Granville Co. on northeast branch of Calhoun Creek a branch of Long Cane Creek, bounded on northeast by Lowry and Howard and on the southeast by Samuel McMurty. This puts John Turk on Long Canes Creek several years after the massacre. Again, the Cherokees were still in the area, so settlement there was a daring feat.
The LWT of John Turk, planter, Box 110, pact 3204, Abbeville, S. C., dated 7/21/1794, recorded 3/26/1795, Abbeville District, name exrs as his wife, Jean Turk, and Joseph McMurtrey. All land went to his wife Jean, except 100 acres to their daughter.

The book, Descendants of William and Margaret Archibald Turk by Helen Turk Watson (1990) deals with the descendants of the above John Turk of Abbeville Co., S. C. There is nothing in this book which ties this South Carolina family to the Theodocious Turk family in Georgia. If we really wanted to learn the lineage of Theodocious Turk, we probably need to search in Augusta Co., Virginia, and make comparisions with the S. C. family. Children of Theodocious Turk:
Long Cane Creek
The Massacre of Long Canes. In 1760, early settlers to the Long Canes in South Carolina carved farms out of the dark forests of this northwestern corner of the colony which belonged to the Cherokee Nation. As the French and Indian War raged along the frontier, word went that that war parties were spreading south causing the Long Canes to be abandoned. Even so, a party of settlers was caught fording the creek. In the mud and rain with wagons stuck to axle hubs and struggling to flee, they were massacred. This area included Calhoun Creek where the Calhoun family resided. Catherine Calhoun was massacred on that day. From the SC Gazette, 1760: Yesterday night the whole of the Long Cane settlers, to the number of 150 moved off with most of their effects in wagons to go towards Augusta in Georgia and in a few hours after their setting off, were surprised and attacked by about 100 Cherokees on horseback, while they were getting their wagons out of a boggy place. They had amongst them 40 gunmen, who might have made a very good defense, but unfortunately their guns were in the wagons; the few that recovered theirs fought the Indians half an hour, and were at last obliged to fly. In the action they lost 7 wagons and 40 of their people killed or taken -- including women and children the rest got safe to Augusta whence an express arrived here with the same account on Tues. morning.

Notes:

Baldwin Co., Estate of Theodosios Turk, deceased
Baldwin Co. Returns, Vol. A (1813-1820)
Page 23. 6/1807, paid account of Hubert Reynolds
3/26/1811, cost of suit in Baldwin Superior Court.
8/27/1812 Thomas Turk's schooling
1806-1807, Nancy Turk for hire of her negro girl.
Page 102. Paid taxes 1809-1813; William Lane for schooling, 75/1816, Thomas Kinan for cost of final settlement of a suit, Lovet Smith vs. Theod. Turk and William Horton, exr. 7/13/1814, paid Seaborn Jones for cost in a suit versus said estate. /s/William Horton, exr.
Baldwin Co. Returns, Vol. C
Page 30-31. 1/5/1825, cash paid to Mary Turk to lay out for the use of the family, cash on note given by decd to J & G McGehee for one negro boy, cash for letters of administration, cash paid Thomas Turk for making 15 pair of shoes and one coffin for use of family, etc. Loyd Johnson, admr.
Page 64-66. Cash paid out to H. P. Humphrey, N. J. Nichols, S. G. Reddy, John R. Wooten, Wiley & Baxter, Sanford & Crafts, Thomas B. Stubbs, B. A. White, Davis Cooper, Stanford & Wynn, James McGehee, Archabald Steel, Thomas J. Buchanon, John Russell, Allen L. Nichols, Joseph Washburn, John Miller, John T. Rowland, William J. Davis, Clerk, A. H. McFarlen, Henry Gee. /s/Mary Ann Turn, admx.
Page 164 Division. Georgia, Baldwin Co. By virtue of an order issued from the Honorable Court of Ordinary for the county aforesaid, we, the undersigned, for equally to said order divided the Estate of Theodocious Turk and apportioned to Daniel Scurlock as follows: Three negroes, namely, Levi, Harriet and Nathan.
To Benjamin Moore, 3 negroes, namely: Harry, Caroline and Ned. 5/14/1827. Recorded 12/2/1827
Page 466.
Division, Georgia, Baldwin Co., division made to Thomas Turk 7/30/1830
Page 109, Sales & Wills Book B, 1806-1816
Inventory of Estate of Theodocious Turk. Negroes - Peter, Cato, Daniel, Jim, Betty and girl child, Ann, Charity, Jenny, Celia, Judy, Fanny, Ned, James, Spencer, Bob One account of Laban Turk 19.00 Warrant No. 261, 640 acres Account of monies paid to John Turk and Laban Turk.
Georgia, Hancock Co., James H. Jones, Deputy Clerk, "I, James H. Jones, deputy clerk of the Court of Ordinary to satisfy that the above and foregoing is a true exemplification of all the returns made and recorded in said office, Estate of Theodocious Turk, decd. 7/8/1813 /s/William Horton and Theodocious Turk, exrs.
Baldwin Co. Book D, Annual Returns-
Page 36, Ordered by Court to set aside William J. Turk his portion, leaving remaining part undivided between the widow and children. Negroes, Anarchy, Elijah, Sanson and Lany.
Page 80-81, Green B. Buchanan, admr. Cash accounts of William J. Turk and Thomas Turk. 1832.
Page 90, Paid Thomas Turk for land $1500.00 and $1400.00; William J. Turk. 1833.

7/10/1830, Habersham Sheriff Sales - Lot of Land No. 8/5 dist. levied on property of William A. Austin to satisfy executions or fifas in fifas of D. B. Mitchell. /s/A. Mauldin, D. Sheriff. (Union Recorder Newspaper)
1/15/1831, Georgia, Baldwin Co., 4 months after date, application will be made to the Inferior Court of said county when sitting for Ordinary purposes for leave to sell the property of Theodocus Turk, late of said county, deceased. /s/Mary Ann Turk, admx.
11/22/1831, Georgia, Baldwin Co., 1/15/1831, Georgia, Baldwin Co., 4 months after date, application will be made to the Inferior Court of said county when sitting for Ordinary purposes for leave to sell the property of Theodocus Turk, late of said county, deceased. /s/Green B. Buchanan, admr.
Greene Co., Ga. Deed Book 1, page 117-120, 9/15/1785, William Lamar of Washington Co. deeded to Theodocious Turk of Wilkes Co., 300 acres on Pounds Creek.
Page 589-590, Greene Co., 7/20/1792, Nathaniel Dean and Nicey Dean, his wife, of Wilkes Co., deed to Theodocious Turk, for 150 pds. 287 1/2 acres in Greene Co. on Rocky Creek.
Greene Co., p. 707-8, 1/28/1792, Thomas Turk of Greene Co. to Joseph Henry, for 15 pds., 22 acres in Greene Co. on Ogeechee waters, being part of said tract originally granted to said Turk.
Hancock County. Theodocious Turk, guardian of Malinda Turk and William Turk, sec. on a bond for $2,0000 3/16/1805, Hancock Co. Deeds 1794-1804.

Sources:Greene County Deeds and Estates; Baldwin County Deeds; Immigrants to South Carolina by Revil; Wilkes County Tax Digests; Ancestral File, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.