My Thurman family, as I know it, comes from Cumberland County, KY. More specifically, Burkesville. The family story is that Cary Thurman, my grandfather, left his family (ran away) around the age of 14 with no more than an eighth-grade education. He headed north and ended up in Cass County, Illinois, where his cousins lived. These cousins were the children of Reed Cary, his mother's brother. The reasons why he left are unclear, but have often been attributed to disagreements with his father, Allen Thurman, who was said to be a very strict man. And knowing how "bull-headed" my grand-father was, I'm sure that this was a bad combination! While in Cass County, he met my grandmother, Mary Smith, from Virginia, Illinois. The rest, as they say, is history....

• Elam Thurman m. Allie Olive Thrasher

• Allen Thurman (b. 1890, d. 1959) m. Bessie Cary (b. 1899, d. 1970)

• Cary Allen Thurman (b. 1914, d. 1987) m. Mary Elizabeth Smith (b. 1921, d. 1996)

• Herbert Thurman (b. 1921, d. 1949)

Note: This information is what I have gathered myself, through family interviews, gravestones and obituaries. Allen's Parents were listed as "Elam and Bunck (Kemp) Thurman" I am still trying to figure that one out. Although, it seems that Elam was married 3 times, the first to a Sue Kemp. So I'm not 100% sure of Allen's mother. And I have no idea where the "Bunck" came from...

There is a detailed family tree at the Thurman's Quest website, where I think these folks fit in... You can view it, Starting with Elam at: http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=totalfam&id=I39312 (let the page load fully before scrolling)

If you have any information on this family, or the Thurman's in general, please email me at: caryn74@earthlink.net .

Thurman Sites:

Thurman's Quest | Thurman Family GenForum

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