Turbevilles in South Carolina

THE TURBEVILLES OF NORTHHAMPTON AND HALIFAX COUNTIES OF NORTH CAROLINA

One of the first families to live at Sandy Bluff, SC was the Turbevilles. NC records show that between 1713 and 1726 the Turbevilles had lived on the Occoneechee Neck of the Morattuck (Roanake) River (in present day Northhampton County.)

In May 1726 William and Walter Turbeville moved to Plumbtree Island (now called Mush Island in Halifax County). Their father Richard Turbeville had died six months earlier. On 4 December 1725 the elder Turbeville had written his last will and testament. An abstract follows:

Wife Anne Turbavell - plantation where I now live for her lifetime.

Eldest son John Turbavell - plantation and land where Jacob Colson now lives on the west side of Reedy Run.

Second son Francis Turbavell - 100 acres on the south side of the Moratuck River in a survey of land bough of John Lax.

Third son William Turbavell - land were he now lives, to be divided from the Piney Meadow across the survey.

Fourth son Walter Turbavell - plantation where I now live after his mother's death.

Daughter Elizabeth Turbavell - cows and calves, etc. less than one year after the death of her mother.

Grandson Daniel Colson and Granddaughter Mary Colson - cow and calf each to be paid them when they are 21.

The most noteworthy of the Turbevilles at Sandy Bluff, SC, according to the Rev. Alexander Gregg, was William Turbeville. The Rev. Gregg said, "Mr. Turbeville had no children. Several brothers came with him, of whom some descendants are now in Marion County. The Rev. William Turbeville came with this colony and had a high reputation as a preacher. He was a well educated man. (Let me say at this point that Sandy Bluff was on the Pee Dee River in present day Marion County, SC.)

As Chickaswaw traders, the Colsons and Turbevilles had the means and opportunity to take James Logan Colbert to the Chickasaw Nations as a small boy.

The Turbevilles were also related to the Sweat family by marriage. In 1763, William Sweat, the son-in-law of John Turbeville was named the executor of his estate. John Turbeville was born in NC at either Plumbtree Island or Occoneechee Neck and was a grandson of Richard Turbeville. In his will dated 3 August 1763 and probated in Charleston, SC, John Turbeville made provisions for his daughter Lucy Sweat and grandson Nathan Sweat as well as other members of this family (Source: Will of John Turbeville, Charleston Probate Office, Charleston, SC, Will Book Vol. II, 1767-71, pp. 87-88).

Prince George County records (VA) reveal that in the 1704 "Rent Roll of all the lands held in the County, the following names were listed: Richard Turberfield

When Richard Turbeville and his family moved to NC they lived on the Occoneechee with other Chicksaw traders. (This area in NC is just over the VA border.)

(Source: research and records of Charles Turbeville, 1995)

Turbeville

The area (US 378 and 301) between Sumter, SC and Lake City, SC was originally called Puddin' Swamp, perhaps for the mushy land thereby. The railroad station and express office were named Seloc (not Indian, just the backward spelling of Coles, a family who lived there) until service was discontinued in 1895. Michael Turbeville settled the area in 1840. The town grew up in the 1870s around the general store and turpentine mill operated by Michael's sons, William and Clem. As a postal address, the community officially became Turbeville in 1898. The name is now widespread over the state.
(Source: Edited from Correct Mispronunciations of Some South Carolina Names by Claude and Irene Neuffer. Published by University of South Carolina Press, 1983, pp. 166-167)

Addendum from Dan Troublefield:
"...[T]he naming of the town followed from the naming of the early post office which was in the general store of the Turbeville family (not Michael D. Turbeville, the ancestor of the Turbevilles, but for his son who started the store).
My late friend R. Paul Turberville, though born in the Lake City, SC, area, to Rev. Robert Edward "Bob" Turbeville & his wife Jane, belonged to the branch of Turbeville settled around Turbeville, SC. (Paul changed the spelling of his own name to TURBERVILLE after researching the family for a number of years. No one else in his branch (that I know of) added the second "r" to their spelling of the name."

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