DAVID TURNER GRAVESTONE PHOTO
Independence Daily Reporter, Tuesday, May 3, 1904:
David Turner died last night at 12:40 o’clock after a brief illness which began Sunday morning. He was up town Saturday evening. Mr. Turner had been feeble for a ong time and his death was directly due to nervous prostration. Deceased has been a resident of Independence for 25 years or more. He was 76 years old. No arrangements for the funeral will be made until the absent children can be communicated with. There is a son in Denver and one in New York City. Another son lives on a farm near Independence and there is a daughter, Mrs. Al. Inscho.
Independence Daily Reporter, Thursday, May 5, 1904:
The funeral of David Turner will take place next Sunday afternoon at 2 o’clock from the late residence. The services will be conducted by the Knights Templar and the interment will be in Mt. Hope cemetery. The Independence Concert Band has been engaged to escort the funeral cortege. Geo. Turner, a son who resides in New York City, is expected to arrive tomorrow morning. Another son, David, who lives in Denver, is unable to come on account of illness.
Independence Daily Reporter, Monday, May 9, 1904:
The remains of David Turner were laid to rest yesterday afternoon and were escorted to Mt. Hope cemetery by the Masonic fraternities, of which he had long been a faithful member, and also a delegation from the G. A. R. The procession was headed by the Independence Concert band.
South Kansas Tribune, Wednesday, May 11, 1904, Pg. 4:
Tuesday evening last week David Turner, a well-known citizen, died after a brief illness, aged 79 years. Mr. Turner with his wife and family came to Independence from Ohio in the ‘70s and leased an Elk river valley farm, and where he was very successful. Later he purchased a large farm in the Verdigris valley which he improved and brought to a high state of fertility. But as age crept on, himself and wife located in town where they could enjoy more of rest. He was an old soldier and a member of the Grand Army, also a member of the Baptist congregation, a Master Mason who had attained the Knights Templar degree, and for years was one of the active members and an officer. While quite feeble the past few months he was able on the previous Saturday to ride out and visit his daughter, Mrs. Inscho’s family, but on Tuesday he suddenly grew worse, and before either of the children could be summoned had passed away. The funeral was delayed until Sunday in order that his son George could arrive from New York and his son David from Denver, but illness prevented the latter. His pastor, Rev. W. E. Bates, conducted a short funeral service after which the remains were escorted to the cemetery by the Knights Templar accompanied by the Concert band and by McPherson Post, G. A. R. and a great concourse of friends. At the cemetery each of the organizations performed the last rites of their order, concluding with the firing of three volleys over the grave and benediction by Rev. Bates.
Contributed by Mrs. Maryann Johnson a Civil war researcher and a volunteer in the Kansas Room of the Independence Public Library, Independence, Kansas.