Thomas Franklin Turnbull (1864 - 1919)

Born May 1864 in Detroit, Wayne, Michigan, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Grace Darling (Heap) Turnbull — married 30 Jan 1889 in Orleans, Louisiana

Died 2 Jan 1919 at age 54 in Jackson, East Feliciana, Louisiana, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: K C [send private message]

Biography

Thomas Franklin Turnbull was born about May, 1864 in Detroit, Wayne, Michigan, United States, son of Thomas Turnbull (abt. 1834–1896) and Ellen Virginia Brown (1839–1918). ^[1] Eldest son of Thomas Turnbull and Ellen V. Brown. The family resided in Terrebonne, Louisiana where his father built a career as an early sugar planter, engineer, and prior to retiring worked at the U. S. Mint.^[2][3]

Married: 31 Jan 1889, Thomas married Grace D. Heap of Algiers, Louisiana.^[4][5] Their children

1. James Franklin Turnbull
2. Stephen Heap Turnbull
3. Robert Day Turnbull

Life and Times

Reputably employed by local cotton trader Robert Day at R. S. Day & Company; Thomas was the firm's Financial Manager whose duties included visits to the brokerage floor of the New Orleans Cotton Exchange. ^[6][1] Business partner, mentor, and close friend, Day was also the namesake for Thomas's son, Robert Day Turnbull.

A rising star in local business and politics, Thomas served on the New Orleans School Board, was an Algiers Legislative Representative, and Financial Officer for the Crescent Democratic Club, a political society of over 1300 members. He was also an active Free Mason. ^[1] In 1895, Thomas was appointed by the New Orleans Mayor as a Relief Committee Chairman following the Great Algiers Fire of 1895.^[7] The fire devastated a portion of Algiers Point, leaving 1200 people homeless, their dwellings reduced to char. ^[8] Thomas's relief committee obtained aid for burned-out families, organized charitable drives, assessed torched structures, and removed rubble from the streets. ^[7] In doing the latter, the relief crews exposed themselves to pollutants such as ash, smoke, mold, and other toxins spread aloft by the massive burn.

Thomas had another reason to throw in with recovery efforts. The Turnbull home had also fallen prey to the inferno; thus, the Turnbulls were almost certainly among those who, "[r]ealizing the blaze was now beyond human control... frantically removed valuables from their homes and carted furniture down to the batture, even as tank trucks and their skittish horses struggled to run relays from the river to the pumper trucks." ^[8] It is probable they lost nearly everything in the monstrous torrent of flames which fed prolifically, rapidly becoming "one gigantic bonfire visible for miles."^[8]

Still, a more profound disaster loomed ahead for the family. After the fire, Thomas began to exhibit symptoms of mental instability, exacerbated by the loss of his father in Feb. 1896, the subsequent death of his mentor, Robert S. Day, and the liquidation of Day's firm. By general news accounts, Thomas's worsening mental state became publicly noticeable. Soon requiring round-the-clock monitoring, he was voluntarily admitted to The Louisiana Retreat for the Feeble-Minded in May 1896. It was hoped that a short-term stay would remedy what seemed to be a stress-induced breakdown. ^[9][10]

Unable to pursue business, Thomas was also forced to resign from his legislative seat. ^[11] While the Louisiana Retreat accepted patients from a variety of economic backgrounds, those of stature would have been expected to contribute $10.00-$25.00 per month for treatment.^[12] This was a large amount of money at the time, especially for a young family man beginning his march into the halls of leadership. Subsequently, it seems the family coffers were drained of financial resources in short order.

Soon after, Thomas was transferred to the Louisiana State Insane Asylum (Jackson LA) after being declared an "indigent insane" person by the New Orleans Civil Court in Sept. 1896. ^[13][14] His wife and their small sons moved in with her widowed mother, while his mother moved to a different residence.

1900 census places Thomas in the state asylum as a patient. ^[15] After 1908, the new superintendent began arranging home furloughs for many patients^[12]; yet, it seems unlikely that Thomas obtained one, particularly as his wife reported herself widowed in the 1910 census, implying lack of contact with her long-suffering husband. ^[16] Additionally, Thomas's mother reported two of six children as deceased in her 1910 census. ^[17] Research indicates she was referring to a daughter who died young, and her son Thomas since her remaining offspring are accounted for in census records. But, in truth, Thomas was still alive.

Still an asylum patient in 1910, his condition had deteriorated as he could no longer read or write. ^[18] Beyond this, nothing can be discerned about his well-being. Notably, it was rare for someone of Thomas's social standing to be interdicted as a state ward. ^[12] And, since most asylum records were destroyed in a 1940s facility fire, it cannot be determined why the decision was made to retain him instead of instituting home care as was commonly done for those of even modest stature.

Died: 2 Jan 1919, Jackson, East Feliciana, Louisiana. ^[19][20] Burial: Greenwood Cemetery, New Orleans. ^[21]

Research Notes

Statistically, there was a rise in asylum patient populations in the New Orleans area following the Great Fire. ^[12] One might consider mycotoxins or other neurotoxins such as carbon monoxide, ethanol, and hydrogen cyanide released by the inferno as potential illness triggers.

Whatever degenerative disorder Thomas suffered, no medical knowledge of the day could have diagnosed the cause of his organic ailment, which may have been toxicant exposures from the Great Fire. Without records to examine, all one can surmise from available news reports is that his affliction took a terrible toll, his illness lasting nearly twenty-three years.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Thos. F. Turnbull: Business Bio, "Thomas F. Turnbull." The Times-Picayune, 02 Jul 1894. p. 8.
2. ↑ Thomas Turnbull. Biography/Obituary. The Times-Picayune (New Orleans, Louisiana) 03 Feb 1896, p6
3. ↑ "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MDXK-8MH : 14 August 2017), F Turnbull in household of T Turnbull, 10th Ward, Terrebonne, Louisiana, United States; citing enumeration district ED 193, sheet 376B, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 0473; FHL microfilm 1,254,473.
4. ↑ "Louisiana, Parish Marriages, 1837-1957," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKJ4-DY4D : 12 March 2018), Thomas F Turnbull and Grace D*lin? Heap, 31 Jan 1889; citing Orleans, Louisiana, United States, various parish courthouses, Louisiana; FHL microfilm 907,778.
5. ↑ Marriage document: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939K-YF9S-4C
6. ↑ Old Cotton Exchange: Cotton Exchange. New Orleans, LA, ca. 1890. Detroit Publishing. (Library of Congress). [1]
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1} Seymour, William H. The Story of Algiers, now Fifth District of New Orleans, 1718-1896: The Past and the Present, Algiers Publ Co, 1896, p124,126. See link [2].
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1 8.2} Campanella, Richard. "Algiers inferno ignited 1895 lynch mob and remade a New Orleans neighborhood." 12 Nov. 2015. nola.com. Article
9. ↑ "T. F. Turnbull Removed to Louisiana Retreat." News Article. Times-Democrat. 07 May 1896. p.3. print.
10. ↑ "Hon. T. F. Turnbull Hospitalized." News Article. Times-Picayune, 08 May 1896. p16. print.
11. ↑ "Algiers Affairs." News Article. Times-Picayune, 24 Sep 1896, p.12. print.
12. ↑ ^{12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3} Gordon, R.L.. The Development of Louisiana's Public Mental Institutions, 1735-1846. (Vo. I and II), Louisiana State Univ. and Agri. and Mech. Col., PhD., 1978. link
13. ↑ Louisiana. Civil District Court (Orleans Parish). General Index of All Successions, 1880 - 1903. Turnbull, Thos. F., Interdiction. Doc#51356. Emancipation, Doc#8884. New Orleans Public Library. Records Division. link
14. ↑ "Indigent Insane." News Article. Times-Picayune, 13 Sep 1896, p 3. print.
15. ↑ "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MS53-ZTW : accessed 16 August 2018), Thomas Turnbull, Louisianna State Insane Asylum, East Feliciana, Louisiana, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 118, sheet 13B, family , NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,240,564.
16. ↑ See Wiki Tree profile: Grace D. Turnbull.
17. ↑ See Wiki Tree Profile: Ellen V. Brown Turnbull
18. ↑ "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MPBG-RJJ : accessed 16 August 2018), Thomas F Turnbull, Jackson, East Feliciana, Louisiana, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 43, sheet 15B, family , NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 514; FHL microfilm 1,374,527. [note: referencing Louisiana State Insane Asylum].
19. ↑ "Louisiana Deaths, 1850-1875, 1894-1960," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F3S5-1MZ : 10 March 2018), Thos F Turnbull, 02 Jan 1919; citing Jackson, East Feliciana, Louisiana, certificate number 586, State Archives, Baton Rouge; FHL microfilm 2,365,251.
20. ↑ Louisiana Biographies and Obituaries Index (http://nopl.minisisinc.com/nopl/scripts/mwimain.dll/73/2/61/467128?RECORD&DATABASE=OBIT_VERIFY
21. ↑ Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/90037215/thomas-franklin-turnbull : accessed 15 August 2018), memorial page for Thomas Franklin Turnbull (May 1864–2 Jan 1919), Find A Grave Memorial no. 90037215, citing Greenwood Cemetery, New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana, USA ; Maintained by Find A Grave (contributor 8)

See also:

• Genius, Stephen J and Kasie Kelln.

• "Toxicant exposure and bioaccumulation: a common and potentially reversible cause of cognitive dysfunction and dementia." J Forensic Sci. 2009 Mar;54(2):474-7. doi: 10.1111/j.1556-4029.2008.00973.x. Epub 2009 Jan 31. link
  
• "Toxic causes of mental illness are overlooked." Neurotoxicology. 2008 Nov;29(6):1147-9. doi: 10.1016/j.neuro.2008.06.005. Epub, 2008 Jun 24. link

Acknowledgements

• Biography written by kc. CC BY 4.0.