Tombstone Tuesday~Joe and Tura Hurst

Joseph Thurman “Joe” Hurst

b. 27 May 1867

d. 3 Sept. 1961

Keturah Melvina “”Tura” Bounds Hurst

b. 31 May 1867

d. 9 May 1957

bu. Cedar Point Cemetery

Brownwood, Brown County, Texas

Tombstone Photo courtesy of Ed Walker

Joseph Thurman Hurst was born 27 May 1867 in Chesterfield County, SC, a son of Phillip James Hurst and Mary Ann Gainey.^{1 2}

He married, first, Amanda J. “Mandie” Davis, daughter of Thomas Franklin Davis and Rosa Caroline Massey. This marriage took place about 1885. To this union were born 3 children of which two survived to adulthood.

Their 3rd born child was a son, called Joseph. He was either still born or died shortly after birth. Little Joseph Hurst is buried in Zoar Cemetery, Chesterfield County, South Carolina. His tombstone shows his birth and death as 1890. ³

Sometime around this time period, the Hurst, Gainey, Lisenby, Rivers and other families inspired by tales from relatives in Arkansas decided to make the move themselves. Family tradition says they chartered a train and made the trip westward about 1890-1891. ⁴

It is almost certain that Joseph Thurman and his wife, Amanda, along with their two surviving children, Thomas Oscar and Mary Eleanor,  were among this group.

By 1900, Joseph Thurman has moved his family again; this time to Collin County, Texas.  Again family folklore reports that Amanda “Mandie” Davis Hurst suffer greatly over the loss of her young son, Joseph back in 1890. Reports are that she passed away during the trip to Collin County, Texas.⁵ 

In 1900, we find the family of four all split up. Amanda has passed away. Their son Thomas Oscar is living in Chickasaw Nation, Indian Territory; with his relative James Hurst; Mary Eleanor is in the household of a cousin, William J. A. Hurst in Collin County, Texas and their father, Joseph Thurman Hurst is boarding with  Poston H. Franklin and his wife Manda Chapman. ^{6 7}

Between 1900 and and February 1903 Joseph Thurman met his new love, Keturah Melvina Bounds  and they were married on 8 February 1903 in Collin County, Texas. This was his second marriage and her first marriage.⁸

Joseph and Tura would raise 4 children; 3 sons and a daughter. These children were:⁹

• Phillip Carroll Hurst, b. 5 Apr. 1904
• John E. Hurst, b. 20 Aug. 1905
• Mary Etta Hurst, b. 28 Aug 1909
• Joseph Lee Hurst, b. 15 Mar 1914

Keturah  “Tura” Hurst died in May 1957 and 4 years later Joseph Thurman “Joe” Hurst passed away on 4 September 1961. They are buried in the Cedar Point Cemetery, Brownwood, Texas.^{10 11} 









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[1] Find A Grave, Inc., Find A Grave, database and digital images, (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed 12 August 2012); Memorial page for Joseph Thurman "Joe" Hurst; (27 May 1867–4 September 1961); Find a Grave memorial # 8895617, Citing Cedar Point Cemetery; Brownwood, Brown County, Texas, USA.
[2} 1880 U S Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Court House, Chesterfield, South Carolina, enumeration district (ED) 005, Page: 317D(stamped); Line 6, Dwelling 142, Family 142, Household of P. J. HURST; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 2 January 2012); citing National Archives Microfilm T9-1225.
[3] James C. Pigg, Chesterfield County Cemetery Survey; Chesterfield County Genealogical Services, 1995, page 828. Tombstone of Joseph Hurst; 1890–1890, Zoar United Methodist Church Cemetery, Chesterfield County, South Carolina.
[4] Ruth Purvis Baxley, Family Register: Descendants of William J. Rivers (Georgia: Self-published, 13 October 1990), page 41.
[5] 1900 U. S. Census, Collin County, Texas, population schedule, Justice Precinct 4, Collin County, Texas, enumeration district (ED) 15, Page 9B/61B (stamped); Line 73, Dwelling 107, Family 107, Household of Joe HURST; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 11 September 2012); citing National Archives Microfilm T623, Roll 1621.
[6] 1900 U. S. Census, Chickasaw Nation, Indian Territory, population schedule, Township 8, Chickasaw Nation, Indian Territory, enumeration district (ED) 129, Page 8A, Line 45, Dwelling 136, Family 139, Household of James M. HURST; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://ancestry.com : viewed 31 May 2012); citing National Archives Microfilm  T623_1847.
[7] 1900 U. S. Census, Collin County, Texas, population schedule, Justice Precinct 4, Collin County, Texas, enumeration district (ED) 15, Page 3B/55B (stamped); Line 67,, Dwelling 62, Family 62;, William J. A. HURST; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 12 September 2012); citing National Archives Microfilm T623, Roll 1621.
[8] Collin County, Texas, 13: 208, J. T. Hurst married Keturah Bounds; FHL microfilm #1289600.
[9] 1920 U. S. Census, Collin County, Texas, population schedule, Justice Precinct 5, Brown County, Texas, enumeration district (ED) 12, Page 7A/222A(stamped); Line 35, Dwelling 123; Family 124, Household of Joseph T. HURST; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 12 September 2012); citing National Archives Microfilm T625, Roll 1782.
[10] Keturah Melvina Hurst, death certificate 41899 (8 May 1957), Vital Records, Department of Health, Austin, Travis County, Texas.
[11] Joseph Thurman Hurst, death certificate 50162 (4 September 1961), Vital Records, Department of Health, Austin, Travis County, Texas.