I was down at Turkey Bend one time visiting all the old Hall women as they were referred to. This consisted of sisters, Mabel Hall Wilson, Earlie Hall Croft, Mamie Hall Franck, and their sister in law Libby Hall. They all lived there in one little wad, so when you went to visit one, you just about needed to make an afternoon of it, but it was always a pleasure to do so.

I always called them Aunt, not because they were my aunts, but out of respect. I’m not sure why that was respectful, but it was.

I know this was prior to Dec. 1976, because that’s when Aunt Mamie died.

Visiting Aunt Mamie was different than visiting the others. She had a certain heir of sophistication (or air of sophistication – that one always gets me) about her. She seemed so worldly, compared to any other Smithwick ladies. Not that there was anything wrong with not having it was a bad thing. I always enjoyed talking to her on a different level.

When I explained what I was doing with my life, I told her I had been in Houston doing projects that entailed digging ditches and installing water and wastewater lines. She followed every word of what I was saying about how everything worked.

Then she said “you must stop into to see one of our cousins that is in a similar business and it is headquartered in Houston. She went on to give me this chaps name. Gilbert Turner and his company was The Boring and Tunneling Corporation of America. I was very familiar with the company as they were a leader in the tunneling business and were at the cutting edge of the industry.

She said that he was there and visited just a few weeks before and what a delightful person he was and how he hadn’t let the success of business go to his head. And she added that she hoped the same for me. I assured her that I never expected to accomplish what BoreTunCo had, but I would strive to keep it all in check.

Some time later, after she had passed on I was in Houston one day and decided to call this man, my long lost cousin just to introduce myself. The receptionist sent my call right on through to him. I told him who I was and I related the story to him about the conversation I had that Sunday afternoon with Mamie Franck.

He didn’t say much so I kept talking. Finally he said, I don’t know Mamie Franck, nor where Turkey Bend is or anything you are talking about. I think he hung up a few seconds later. I was so thrown off track, that I’m not sure what happened.

I couldn’t figure out if he didn’t want some Smithwickian coming along trying to sponge off of him or if he really didn’t know what I was talking about.

I went back to the 3000 family history book and there is no mention of Gilbert Turner in it.

I always wondered if someone claiming to be the real Gilbert Turner came along and tried to scam her. She had even shown me his business card.

This has truly been a mystery to me for almost 40 years. Gilbert Turner was the name of the person that founded that company. We have even done several projects with them during the years but it was after Gilbert Turner has retired and left the business.

I didn’t have enough information to ever approach the subject again.

Here’s some more:

It took awhile but just today I was able to get more information on the gentleman in this story.
What I only figured out today, there are 2 different bunches of Turners that settled the Cow Creek Creek and Post Oak Creek areas. The Cow Creek bunch came out of Tennessee and the Post Oak clan out of Georgia. What makes this even more confusing, those 2 creeks come together and meet the mighty Colorado River at the same point. This would having both families living very near each other without being kin until somewhere by marriage latter on.

This is the post from today that helped unravel it: This comes from 3000 Group that may show it as unavailable. If so, I can make screen shots so you can see it if your interested.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/729839877052650/permalink/760744347295536/