Walter William Turner

Walter Turner had Parkinson's Disease

Grandpa started feeling the affects of Parkinsons Disease in 1917 and kept deteriorating until his death. They say death was caused by starvation due to not being able to swallow any longer.

Story related by Henry Turner.

Walter Turner and Parkinsons disease

As I recall my father's story of the onset of Parkinsons by my grandfather, he and Dad were loading sacks of grain onto a wagon. Grandpa kept dropping the sack and commented that something was wrong. That was about 1917. The disease slowly destroyed the muscle control. He was still raising a large garden at their home in Kamiah, Idaho in the late 1930s, but he soon got so grandma had to feed him and he couldn't talk much over a whisper as long as I can remember.

Henry Turner

The Walter William Turner and Estella Eldora Newkirk Story

      Chapter Three

The Grandparents

Walter William Turner and Estella Eldora Newkirk

Walter Turner was born Jan. 18, 1871 near Belleville, Republic County, Kansas. His father, Isaac's, family moved on a regular basis since they obtained contracts to work on the railroads being built through out the United States at that time. His siblings were born in Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska. Not much is known about his childhood, schooling, or youth, therefore his story begins in the 1890 era when the family had moved to Saratoga (Togi), MacDonald County, Missouri where he started dating Estella Newkirk. While courting he presented Estella with a nice photo album with a beautiful card to his beloved. He didn't sign the card, but the thought was there.

Estella Eldora Newkirk was born in Elwood, Clinton County, Iowa August 26th 1875 . Estella said all she remembered of Elwood was a snowball bush in her grandmother's yard. They left for Kansas in 1879, but land records indicate the had sold their land in Iowa in 1876. Several babies were on the way for the Newkirk families which may have held up the move. Estella has said that Abraham thought the change to a new country would be good for her health as it appears she had been sickly. Another story is that four wagons left Iowa for Kansas and Estella's father got delayed by being stuck. It was said that he was to catch up. They were headed for Rice County and Estella' family ended up in Graham County. The actual story may never be known, but the family lived in Graham County until 1888.

Estella remembers some of the trip or at least some of the stories told by her parents such as storing eggs for their use on the way and packing them in oats that was feed for the horses. She gives her age as between 3 and 4, sister Josephine at 8, sister Rebecca at and brother Robert Berchard as 1. She also remembers having a doll made of wax which they tied to a bow in the covered wagon at night as they slept in the wagon. One night in the rain water ran down the string and melted the dolls head bringing her first doll to an end. They met up with a family named Hall when nearing the end of their journey and Estella was allowed to ride with them on a small box in the front of the wagon. She either went to sleep or they struck a rut and she fell out of the wagon under the horses feet, unhurt but frightened. Estella's mother's cousin, Kitty Webster, lived near Roscoe, Kansas. They lived in a sod house with a thatched roof and the ground for a floor. Estella's father took out a homestead three miles from the Websters.

Later the family got some cows and the children would take them about a half mile to a neighbors for water. There was no water on the homestead. Stella remembered riding the cows and tying ribbons on their horns and tails. The family usually butchered two hogs in the fall. Stella and her siblings would put rocks in the bladders and blow them up like balloons so they would rattle.

It was Christmas eve in 1880 when the parents had a party for the children. Stella got her second doll, a china doll with yellow hair. She was named Sophia Belle for two of her father's sisters. The doll was in the possession of Clara Jay, her youngest daughter when Clara passed away in September of 2005. I suspect she is now in posession of one of Clara's grandchildren. Perhaps, Tana Rae the daughter of Clara's son Fredrick (Fritz).

It was Thanksgiving day in 1881 that Stella's mother died. During her mother's illness Aunt Kitty Webster promised to take care of the children until the older children were old enough to marry. It was a bad time for the family as all the money had been spent on doctor bills. To add to the problems there was two years of crop failures. Stella and her siblings were taken to Rice County by their father where he worked in the harvest. Stella was about six years old when her mother died. Her older sister, Josephine (Josie) picked up potatoes for her Uncle Dick for singing lessons.

Insert Stella's story about life in Graham County, Kansas.

Back home in Graham County for the winter the family would visit the neighbors. Stella wrote that it was very cold, but they would visit neighbors and they would play and sing songs. Some of the songs Stella remembered were "Old Jones Singing School", "Farmer John", "Whistling John", "Trill Bird Up In The Apple Tree", "Come Down in the Meadow". Bert and Stella would sing "Don't Slam the Door" and the dutch song together Since there was a board floor in their house, a family by the name of Chapman would visit. There were three boys and one girl in the Chapman family as Stella remembered. Mr. Chapman played the violin and the cildren would dance. They had treats of parched sweet corn and wild sand plums. One year there were peaches and cherries, but the trees were winter killed. The cottonwood trees were cut and Stella's father had a croquet court for the children where the trees had been.

Stella was 13 years old when the family left the Graham County Homestead and left for Arkansas in September of 1888. Stella kept a diary of their trip as follows. I was thirteen and my brother and I rode horseback as far as Geneseo. (That's where Uncle Dick lived in Rice County.

Stella Newkirk, Roscoe, Kansas, Graham County.

Saw first train at Stocton September the 17,

September 13th hard storm of rain and hail this morning, moved on to Bunker Hill and took dinner, worse than Graham County. No crops but wheat, camped at Lorrance. September 14th went through Wilson and took dinner just this side, camped at night about a mile from Ellsworth.

September 15th, took dinner 3 miles northwest of Tomas and on to Geneseo, done some trading. Went to Trandp, stayed Sunday the 16th, went to Sunday school, seen some of our old schoolmates, stayed at Grandpa's till Monday afternoon then went to Uncle Gabe's and stayed till Monday night, had a splendid time.

September 18th, camped for dinner 4 miles west of Hutchenson, went up to town, done some trading, went on across the Arkansas River. On the Hutchenson Bridge about a quarter of a mile long saw the first street cars in Hutchenson. Crops are looking better. Beautiful groves and orchards. Beautiful country.

September 20th Camped for dinner between Mt. Hope and Maven ate dinner in the shade of a hone locust tree campe at night 20 miles from Hutchenson.

September 21st Went through Collwitch camped for dinner about one and 1/2 mile from the Valley Grove schoolhouse. Then went to Witchita done some trading went out east of town and camped over night. We met Uncle Gabe and Isaac at the O.K schoolhouse. Uncle Gabe stayed all night with us then took the train for home in the morning.

September 22nd Rained all morning it was so muddy that we did not travel all day. We went down town in the evening to see the streetcars.

September 23rd Sunday Stayed in the same place all day

September 24th drove on stopped for dinner between Udall and Winfield and hitched up and went on.

September 25th Went to Winfield done some traiding drove out and camped about 4 miles at a schoolhouse met nine loads of apples and one of pawpaws going west

September 26th Camped for dinner in the shade of an Elm tree, first cotton we saw was at Dexter camped over night between Dexter and Cedarvale near Elgin

September 27th went on through Cedarvale camped for dinner near west Kena, sent on to Weneema and camped over night at middle Kena first persimmons we saw were at M. K.

September 28th Went through Sedan camped at Peru splendid crops and lots of cotton. Went through Union city camped at night at China

September 29th Went through Union City camped for dinner six miles west of Coffeeville at a schoolhouse went about 2 1/2 miles and camped over night and Sunday on Onion Creek. Had a swing in a walnut tree had squirrel for supper for Sunday night

October 1st 1888 started on again went through Coffeeville camped for dinner at Snow Creek camped over night nine miles west of Catalpa

October 2nd Went through Catalpa done some traiding went on camped for dinner in the edge of the Nation. Drove on til about 4 oclock then we stopped in a grove and went Hickory nutting got two pails could of got more stayd there over night

October 3rd Camped for dinner about 10 miles west of Harland's fairy went on about 2 miles saw two bears went on camped over night three quarters of a mile west of Harland's Fairy

October 4th Camped for dinner at Maysville went to Cherokee City met Mr. and Mrs. Bins, Mrs. Wilkins and family

And now we are in Missouri we got here the 21st of August 1889. (when Nation was mentioned that meant Indian Territory, sometimes referred to as Indian Nation.

The above was typed by Emma Hamilton from the original diary and the spelling and punctuation and grammer were left as nearly as possible to the original.

There is no explanation given for the time between October 4th 1888 and August 21st 1989. It is assumed this Newkirk family stayed in the Indian Nation during that time.

Aunt Kitty Webster did take care of the children as they grew up Stella said that Mrs. Webster taught her to be a lady. The Websters had a boy named Guy who died in Lindsay, California in 1945. Stella taught school in a small schoolhouse that was used as a Mormon Church in the 1970s. Aunt Kitty's husband, Melvin, was the namesake for Melvin Turner whose story appears in Chapter 2.

Walter Turner and Estella Eldora Newkirk were married on tthe 25th of September 1898 at Southwest City, Missouri. Walter had chosen a middle name for himself. He added William as a middle name probably because his grandfather was named William. The move to Idaho and their first homes there have been described in Chapter 2 as well as the history of their son, Melvin.

Walter had to haul water to the homestead near Athol, Idaho and had a wooden tank wagon for that purpose. Walter provided the transportation for the children going to school. Benchs were attached to a wagon for seats for the children and the wagon was pulled by two white horses. It appears that there were 11 passengers two of which appear to be adults. My recollection is that the teacher was a male so the older girls must have been students. I have a copy of that picture.

There were two additions to the Turner family during the time spent in Kootenai County, Idaho. Emma Elizabeth being born April 11, 1904 and Arvilla May 25 May 1907. Both these girls were two young to go to school there. There is a picture of Arvilla riding a cow, the cow appears to have extra legs as baby Arvilla was being supported. Emma was standing nearby.

A gentleman by the name of N. Berdan was a neighbor and for some reason left the area and left a full set or James Fenimore Cooper's stories at the Turner residence saying he would be back for them some time in the future. Mr. Berdan never returned and the books were passed down until I now have them. I don't know if Walter read much or not, but Melvin has probably read the whole set.

As stated in Chapter 2, the Turner family sold the homestead and moved to Idaho County, Idaho where Walter had several brothers Willis was farming a substantial amount of land. He had built the largest barn in the area which was a landmark there for many years. Elmer (Slim) also farmed but not as extensive as Willis. George Edward lived nearer the town of Grangeville and was the most conservative of the brothers. He was a master at keeping old machinery working. He was probably the most successfull of the group. Henry, for who I am named did some farming, but also worked in the gold mines in Elk City, Idaho. I have been told that he walked from Grangeville to Elk City, probably 50 miles in the dead of winter. When a young man he was quite a dude, but as he got older he lost that touch. He never married, but was generous to us at Christmas time. Another brother, Hubert, lived in Minnesota and provided wild game and fish to his family for food They were very poor and his wife Jane Dunlavey held the family together. The boys in Idaho were competitive with each other including Walter. Hubert's son, George, said the family would never have survived without wild game.

Walter had a house built on Big Butte and farmed the surrounding area. He was doing well and in 1916 bought a new automobile, a 1916 Studebaker. He attempted to drive it home but it was a piece of machinery he couldn't handle. He frightened himself by running off the road driving home from the dealer. From that time on Melvin was the driver. I have pictures of the automobile with Melvin driving, Walter, his family and his parents are in the car. I'm told it had drop seats at the side allowing for more passengers.

The fourth child came along while the family was living on the Butte. Clara Imogene was born 29 August, 1913. She liked her pets and I have a picture of her pulling them around on her sled. Arvilla liked all kinds of animals, but it appears her favorite might have been a little pig. I have a picture of her holding the pig wraped in a blanket.

The older girls started school at Big Butte school and attended there until Melvin had graduated the 8th grade in 1915. It must have been in 1916 that they moved to Lewis County, south of the town of Craigmont. Walter farmed there, but I know not if he bought land. I have a picture of their 8 horse team they used at that time. Clara started school in Craigmont and Arvilla attended grade school and some of her high school years. Emma graduated from Craigmont Highschool in 1924. There is a picture of her eighth grade class of 1920 when big brother graduated from highschool. Arvilla graduated from the Kamiah Highschool in 1927. Clara was in the Kamiah Band and graduated from Kamiah Highschool in about 1931.

Walter bought a home in Kamiah in 1925. He was no longer able to farm due to his worsening Parkinson's disease. The Indenture purchasing the home is dated the sixteenth of May, 1925. The purchase was made forom A. M. Roberts and Mary J. Roberts, his wife. The Roberts had bought the land from John Stuart a widower, living in Zillah, Washington. The property consistet of Lots 18, 19and 20 of Block 4 in the Jackson Addition to the Town of Kamiah. There is an abstract indicating all the past owners of the land of which one was the Lookingglass family. That family was Nezperce Indian and he was Chief of the Tribe.

Walter was able to garden for some time after he contacted Parkinsons. He had a nice piece of rich ground that provided a beautiful garden. Kamiah is a good garden area. He worked in his garden for several years, I believe even after he had to be helped from his chair. The disease continued to progress and Walter got to the point where he could not speak above a whisper and he could no longer feed himself. He suffered as much from the inability to provide for his family as he did from the disease and consequently was a very unhappy person. The family had some money left from their savings and loaned Melvin to buy some land in 1927. See

Chapter 2. Part of Walter's income was from the interest on that and perhaps other property he had sold, but the main source of income was provided by his daughter, Arvilla, who stayed with her parents and took care of them until they passed away. We descendants owe a great deal to Arvilla for sticking by her parents.

Walter passed away June 23, 1941. His wife Stella said he had come to the point where he could no longer swallow and in reality starved to death. She said that on his death bed he spoke to her as clearly as he did as a young man. Walter was laid to rest in the Hopewell Cemetery a few miles from where their home was on Big Butte.

Stella and Arvilla continued to live in their home in Kamiah deeply involved with their religion and their friends. Stella suffered from breast cancer and was hospitalized in the Deaconess Hospital in Spokane, Washington and underwent radical surgery. The surgery was successfull and she returned home She loved her rose garden and the rock collections provided by rocks brought to her from all around the country. One special one was a 300 lb or so piece of quartz given by the Hamilton children and that compiler of this history. We did it for a joke, but it turned out to have a special place in her rose garden. The home in Kamiah was deeded to Arvilla on July 1, 1946. Reference Warranty Deed, Estella Turner to Arvilla Turner.

Stella visited her granddaughter, Ruth Knutson in their home in Mukeltio, Washington and had a good time with great granddaughters Phyllis and Judy Knutson. She also enjoyed a drive to Whidbey Island with a group of the Knutsons. It was a good time for her.

Stella died of a heart attack on the 7th of September 1950. Her daughter said that her cancer was no longer in remission. Stella was laid to rest along side of her husband, Walter, at Hopewell (Zion) cemetery.

Emma Elizabeth married William Hamilton October 17, 1925 at Lewiston, Idaho. Emma passed away December 27, 1998 at Lewiston, Idaho. They had five children:

Marjorie Estella

Anita Irene

Charles,

Jack

Sharon

These children now have children, and grandchildren.

Clara Imogene married Mark Jay 4 October 1933 at Julietta, Latah County, Idaho. Clara passed away September 10, 2005 in Kennewick, Washington. They have three children.

Frederick (Fritz)

Nanette

James (Jim)

Fritz and Jim have children

It is encouraged for these families to provide the family histories for their descendants.

William August Bovey and Ota Mai Poulson

William August Bovey was born in Tama City, Tama County, Iowa April 5, 1870. He moved to Des Moines, Iowa when a young man and became a barber. I know nothing of his childhood days. He and Ota Mai Bovey were married on the 14th of April, 1896 in Des Moines and became the parents of a baby boy, Carlton A on April 2, 1897. Ota's middle name apparently is spelled Mai as in the Wedding invitation signed by her mother, that is the spelling used and recently a picture was sent to me by June Shrock with the same spelling. The picture is of Ota Mai and her brothers, Frank and Charles Poulson.

William applied for a homestead three miles north of the now defunct village of Ilo, Nezperce County, Idaho which was granted. William and Ota moved from Des Moines to Idaho before their second son, Charles Hobson Bovey was born June 14, 1898. They built a small cabin on the homestead that was to become the only downstairs bedroom in the first ranch house which is described in Chapter 2.

Children came rapidly for William and Ota as follows:

Carlton A. April 2, 1897 died 10 May 1923

Charles Hobson 14 June 1898 married first Lena Whitworth, second Grace Crea

Blanche Rosalie 3 April 1900 Married Melvin Turner, died 19 January, 2002

Gladys Elizabeth 20 August 1901 (twin) married Roy Chambers, died 4 January 1985

Leone Elizabeth 20 August 1901 died 23 September 1002

William August Junior 20 August 1902 Married Lucile Elnora Click, died 3 August 1990

Leo Elmer 16 June 1904 (twin) Married Irene Scott, died 23 December 1996

Cleo Oscar 16 June 1904 died 18 July 1936

Franklyn Wesley 30 March 1908 (The compiler of this history was named for Franklyn)died 24 Oct. 1944

Otho Dwight 21 December 1909 Married Leta Barker, died 28 May 1990

Mildred May 12 October 1915 Married first, Jack Morrell, second, Edward Dahmen and third, Eldred Thomas

William was a good business man. He was able to make loans to various individuals and obtained mortgages on their property. Some didn't pay and he was forced to foreclose. In this manner he was able to increase his ownership of property. A story is told that he had to pay income tax at some point shortly after Income Tax became the law of the land because he had over $10,000.00 income for the year. It was said he was happy to be earning that much and be able to pay income tax.

William was visiting his brother Elmer who was Superintendent of Schools for Grant County, Washington. It may have been at a time when Tamson, his mother, was living with Elmer who never married. While there, William went horseback riding and was thrown from the horse and broke a hip landing on a rock. Ruth remembers he had set the leg himself, but he wore a built up shoe on that leg for the rest of his life.

There was a rural school built on the northwest corner of the original homestead named the Bovey School. It appears that about 20 students attended in the 1914-15 time period. This is the school that was closed due to teacher problems. The Hart School two or three miles away was opened about this time. If my recollection is correct the children were sent to Clarkston, Washington to finish their elementary grades. It is also my recollection that when the children started to high school, the Boveys bought a house in Craigmont that was close to the old water tower and the last I knew the house was still in use. After they were through with the house it was rented for a period of time and some historical items were destroyed by a renter. The house was sold to the Charley and Juneth Babe Doumecq when their daughters were ready for highschool which would have been about 1937.

William had a problem with hypertension and was required to use a blood pressure medication. His doctor was out of town for a few days and he didn't renew his perscription. He had his new car parked outside when it began to rain and went to put the car in the garage. It was muddy and slick and in order to get traction he put some burlap sacks under the wheels. When he stood up he was struck down by a massive cerebral hemmorage. He lived for a few hours and he followed the family around with his eyes, but the end came soon.

                                   Sleep Old Pioneer, Composed by Rev. J. A. Logan, Pastor , in memory of Wm. A Bovey and used at funeral services, Dec. 14, 1929.

When the Springtime touch is lightest.

When the Summer eyes are brighest;

Or the Autumn sings most drear:

When the Winter hair is whitest,

           Sleep, old Pioneer

Safe beneath the sheltering soil

You at last have crept

You were weary with the toil Long before you slept.

Well you paid for every blessing

brought withgrief each day of cheer

Nature's arms around you pressing Nature's lips your brow caressing

           Sleep, old Pioneer

When the hill of toil was steepest

When the forest frown was deepest

Poor, but young you hastened here

Came when solid hope was cheapest

           Came, a Pioneer

Toil had never cause to doubt you

Progress hath you helped to clear

But today forgets about you

           Sleep, old Pioneer

A copy from the Bible is enclosed. I believe Byron Bovey has this Bible.

William A. Bovey helped to build the Presbyterian Church in Ilo and became a deacon of that church and continued on when the church was moved to it's present location in Craigmont. Upon William's death, Leo Elmer Bovey became deacon and served in that capacity until his death. William has a stained glass window in this church purchased by his children in his memory. I believe that Leo Bovey also has a stained glass window.

Ota Mai lived in the little Craigmont house for some period of time, but by 1935 was living in Clarkston, Washington. Ruth and I spent a week with her in 1935. A grandson, Dwaine Bovey, had broken a leg and was in the St. Joseph hospital in Lewiston We went to visit him one day and stayed until dark. We were soundly repremanded for staying out after dark and walking home across the bridge on the Snake River. Our culture provided a much safer atmosphere in that time and we were in no danger. When her youngest daughter was married to Jack Morrell, they went to live for a time in San Francisco. Ota had some problems with arthritis, but the winter in San Francisco seemed to increase her problems and soon after got to the point where she needed to use crutches. While in San Francisco the Oakland Bay Bridge was being constructed. Bill Dahmen has sent pictures of that construction as well as some family pictures taken at that time and early on in the marriage of Ota and William.

Ota lost another son, Cleo Oscar on 18th of July 1936. Cleo had married Elsie Dean Huggins, daughter of Harley and Elsie Huggins. They had two children, Ralph Eugene born 4 May 1930 and Cleo Richard born 9 July 1934. They both have families now. I remember being at Ota's new house when I heard the sad news. That death was the first that I remember that was very emotional for me. Cleo was a fun loving fellow and us children loved him.

My recollection is that Ota had her new house built on the original homestead in 1936. I remember the old house being torn down and used to build a chicken house. Otho had married Leta Barker and they were living on the homestead and Leta raised chickens and sold eggs commercially. Leta's father built the home and Ota paid the for the materials. Ota lived there with Otho and Leta and Ruth was hired to take care of Ota. I recall a superstition of Ota that being the number 13. She would not allow thirteen to sit at the dining room table. We children usually had our meals in the kitchen. Otho and Leta wished some privacy to start their family so Ota visited with her son Leo, and daughter Gladys. She passed away at the home of Gladys and Roy Chambers on 14 September 1944 and was laid to rest beside her husband, William in the IOOF Cemetery southwest of Craigmont Idaho.

Shortly after Ota died another son was lost in WWII. Franklyn Wesley Bovey had went to the Phillipines as an officer in the Quartermaster Corp. He was captured by the Japanese and was one of the unfortunate ones to suffer the Death March. Franklyn lived through this, but when the Phillipines were about to be recaptured the prisoners were loaded on ships to go to other prison camps. Franklyn was on the Arisan Maru with about 1800 other prisoners. The ship was sunk on October, 24, 1944 by the U.S.S. Snark a U.S. submarine. Very few escaped. There is a memorial stone for Franklyn in the IOOF Cemetery near Craigmont and the names of victims are inscribed in a memorial near Manila in the Phillipine Islands.

Copyright 2007 by Henry Turner

Additional information about this story

Description This story provided by Henry Turner

Walter William Turner (1871 - 1941)

Estella Eldora Newkirk (1876 - 1950)