Spencer Turner, was found NOT GUILTY of murder in 1840.

A friend of Nancy Hoblit's family, Abraham Lincoln, defended Nancy's husband on a charge of murder for a man's death which occurred 3 days after a bar fight with Spencer Turner.
1840 • Illinois, United States

Nancy had married Spencer in 1836 when she was 14 years old, and my 2nd great grandmother Margaret Jane Turner, was born 18 months later, in January 1838. So we might have been born if future President Lincoln had not been a good defense attorney, but possibly Nancy & her baby wouldn't have made it alone, in which case we wouldn't be here.
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Nancy and Spencer had 11 children in 24 years, and both lived to old age (78 & 80, respectively). They had been married 61 years when Spencer died, and at least 3 of her 11 children are known to have predeceased her.


Found this story.

Spencer Turner
Born 22 May 1816 in Madison now Clark, Ohio, United States

ANCESTORS

Son of Allen Turner and Margaret Low

Brother of Mary (Turner) Lucas, Sarah (Turner) Fletcher, Robert Turner, William Turner, Allen Turner, Silas Turner, Arminda Turner and Emaline Turner

Husband of Nancy Hoblit — married 14 Apr 1836 in McLean, Illinois, United States

DESCENDANTS

Father of Columbus Ditton Turner, Ella M. Turner, Ida E. Turner, James Spencer Turner,
Nancy Adaline Turner, Nancy C. Turner, Margaret Jane (Turner) Murphy, Milecent Ann (Turner) Willis, William Thomas Turner, Mary C (Turner) Livingston, Rebecca Evaline (Turner) McCannon and Edgar Turner

Died 26 Apr 1897 in DeWitt, Illinois, United States

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Profile last modified 9 Mar 2018 | Created 23 Jan 2013

Name

Spencer /Turner/
Name: Spencer
Turner[1]irth

22 May 1816 Madison now Clark, Ohio, United States[2]

Event

Wilson Township, DeWitt, Illinois, United States

Spencer Turner came to the county in 1834, and settled near Waynesville, and subsequently moved to this township. His wife's name was Nancy Hoblitt, daughter of one of the oldest families in central Illinois. Mr. Turner located in section 19. Both are living at the old homestead, and have reared a family of ten children; seven daughters and three sons, seven of whom now reside in the township.[3]

Litigation
Apr-May 1840
DeWitt, Illinois, United States

He was the first man charged with first degree murder in DeWitt County. The jury indictment in the May 1840 term set forth "that Spencer Turner, not having the fear of God before his eyes, but being moved and seduced by the instigation of the devil," did strike Matthew K. Martin on the side of the head with a certain wooden stick, of the value of ten cents" on April 15, 1840. Martin died on April 18. An arrest warrant was issued the next day.

Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas defended him at trial that May. Turner admitted that he hit Martin, saying Martin was drunk and made insulting remarks about Turner's wife Nancy Hoblit. Lincoln and Douglas argued that Martin did not die from the assault but from alcoholism or exposure to bad weather. The jury agreed and found Turner not guilty on May 23, 1840.

Turner, however, did not have the money to pay his legal bill. He gave a promisory note for $200 to each attorney. Douglas required security on his note and was paid. Lincoln did not and was not paid. Lincoln sued him in October 1841 for the $200 in fees. The court sided with Lincoln but he could not collect. Turner offered Lincoln a horse in exchange for the fees due and Lincoln accepted. The horse soon went blind.

taken from various sources including the Lincoln Papers at http://www.thelincolnlog.org, documents and details at http://www.lawpracticeofabrahamlincoln.org and an article in Clinton Public on Friday, February 6, 1885[4]

Litigation
May 1840
Clinton, DeWitt, Illinois, United States

Sureties in the matter were Morey Anson, Harry Bradshaw, James Brown, Henry Dishon, William Dishon, Molon Hoblitt, Timothy Hoblitt, Thomas Laughlin, D. W. Lawrence, Charles Malty, Benjamin Shipley, Allen Turner, Asa Wallas.

Litigation
26 Sep 1844
Clinton, DeWitt, Illinois, United States

In the De Witt County Circuit Court, the court continues the case of Lincoln v. Turner & Turner. Abraham Lincoln is suing Spencer Turner and William Turner to collect a $200, promissory note. Later in the course of the lawsuit, the defendants will plea that they should not have to pay because they were minors when they signed the note. Lincoln will claim that they were not minors. Declaration, 7 October 1841, Lincoln v. Turner & Turner, Private Collection; Order, 26 September 1844, Lincoln v. Turner & Turner, Chancery Record 1A, 160, De Witt County Circuit Court, De Witt County Courthouse, Clinton, IL; Plea, April 1846 Term, Lincoln v. Turner & Turner; Replication, April 1846 Term, Lincoln v. Turner & Turner, both in Herndon-Weik Collection, Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

Death
26 Apr 1897
DeWitt, Illinois, United States[5]

Burial
Sugar Grove Cemetery, Wapella, DeWitt, Illinois, United States[6]

Obit
30 Apr 1897
Clinton, DeWitt, Illinois, United States
April 30, 1897, Clinton Register

AT FOUR SCORE YEARS.
An Old Resident of Wapella Township Called Home.

Spencer TURNER was born in Clark county, Ohio, May 22, 1816, and came with his parents to Illinois in 1827, settling in Logan county. He was married to Miss Nancy HOBLIT, April 20, 1836, she having emigrated to this state from Green county, O., in 1829. To this union 14 children were born, seven sons and seven daughters, three of the sons dying in infancy, and one son dying Aug. 25, 1872, being about 20 years of age. Of the ten children living, three are sons and seven daughters. In addition to these Mr. Turner had 61 grandchildren, of whom 40 are still living. There are 33 great-grandchildren, making a total of 104 children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. David says, "Children are a heritage of the Lord and as arrows in the hand of a mighty man so are the children of the youth."

Mr. Turner united with the Baptist church about the year 1843, ten years later he united with the Christian church at Long Point, and for 44 years has attended the worship either of that congregation or the one at Wapella.

Mr. Turner passed from human existence April 26, 1897, at the age of 80 years, 11 months and 4 days. Funeral services were held in the Christian church at Wapella conducted by Elder Ingraham and Rev. Wass. The interment was in the beautiful Sugar Grove cemetery at Long Point. Peace to his sacred ashes.

Sources
Source: S205 Media: Book Abbreviation: Vallentine Title: Ancestral Families of Emily Catherine Wood (Pack), Record Type: manuscript, Subject: Ancestors of Sarah Katherine Lucas and Berryman B. Wood Author: Vallentine, John Publication: privately printed, Springville, UT, May 15, 1995

Source: S417 Abbreviation: History of DeWitt County, Illinois 1882 Title: History of DeWitt County, Illinois: with illustrations descriptive of the scenery, and biographical sketches of some of the prominent men and pioneers. Publication: Philadephia, Pennsylvania: W. R. Brink & Company, 1882.

Text: Spencer Turner came to the county in 1834, and settled near Waynesville, and subsequently moved to this township. His wife's name was Nancy Hoblitt, daughter of one of the oldest families in central Illinois. Mr. Turner located in section 19. Both are living at the old homestead, and have reared a family of ten children; seven daughters and three sons, seven of whom now reside in the township.

Acknowledgments
Thank you to Cheryl Rothwell for creating WikiTree profile Turner-4998 through the import of Ancestors of Ethel Ryan.ged on Jan 20, 2013.
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