James Andrew Turney was born to Daniel Turney and Sarah Jane Roberts on May 31, 1869 in Ross Township, Cherokee County, Kansas. His father Daniel died in Nov of 1874 and his mother Sarah Jane died probably sometime between 1876-1880. She wasn't listed in the 1880 Census. All of the Turney children, except for Amanda who had died in 1877, were all living with other family members in the 1880 census so it is apparent they were orphaned by this time. James and his brother Daniel were living on his Grandmother's farm with their uncle's family, George Henry Roberts.

Sometime around 1883-1885 their uncle George Henry Roberts moved to Indian Territory NW of Miami where he operated a sawmill on the Neosho River for several years. This sawmill was located 7 miles south of Melrose, Kansas. I believe James went with his uncle to Indian Territory. He wasn't listed with the other Turney children in the 1885 Kansas State Census. His name appears in a list of undelivered letters in Baxter Springs in April of 1886 so I believe he was in Indian Territory at this time.

On Nov 15, 1888 James married Josephine "Josie" Foreman" at Columbus, Cherokee County, KS. Both James and Josephine stated in the wedding license that they were living in Indian Territory at the time. Their son Earl Daniel Turney who was born Nov 30, 1892 stated that he was born near Miami, Indian Territory on Owl Creek. Their daughter Mary Jane Turney born Jan 23, 1895 also stated she was born in Indian Territory. So James and Josephine lived in the Miami, Indian Territory area for several years after they were married.

Around 1899 his Uncle George Henry Roberts sold his sawmill and moved to Arkansas. I believe James had already began to work in the Lead and Zinc mines located in the area by this time. In the 1900 Census James and Josephine were listed as living in Joplin, Missouri. His occupation was Lead and Zinc miner. The family lived in Joplin for several years but the mining work began to take a toll on James' health. He began to get sick with miner's lung. His older half sister Mary Turney Weatherman had recently moved to the newly opened land in SW Oklahoma Territory in Caddo County. So about 1903 the Turney family came to Caddo County, Oklahoma Territory. The story was passed down that they came in a covered wagon driven by a blind mule and a old wobbly horse. James had miners lung and was very sick. He road in the wagon with Josephine and the young children. James' brother Dan Turney and his son Earl Turney walked the whole way.

James' health eventually improved and he farmed and broke Indian Ponies to provide for his family. The Turney family lived on several different farms while living in Caddo County. Some of these farms were located north of Fort Cobb and some of them were south of town. I believe most of these farms were Indian leases, so the family only stayed in one location for a year or two before moving to farm another lease. My Grandfather Caddo Marvin Turney was born in a dugout north of Fort Cobb in Oklahoma Territory on Jul 6, 1907. This was only a few months before Oklahoma's Statehood on Nov 16, 1907.

James and Josephine had several children who died in infancy. Their children who lived to adulthood were Earl Daniel Turney, Mary Jane Turney Inkanish, William Henry "Bill" Turney, Caddo Marvin Turney, twins Bessie Mae Turney Adams and Jesse Malcum "Det" Turney and Lena Rosevelt Turney Motez. James died on Nov 1, 1943 at Fort Cobb, Oklahoma and was buried at the Oak Grove Cemetery in Fort Cobb.