Here is a genealogy conundrum I am working on. This is a line that dead ends for me at Josiah Turner, and I am attempting to push it back a generation by examining the people who might be associated with him.

Josiah Turner (1812-abt 1876) m. Nancy Jackson in 1836 in Edgecombe Co and later married Lenoir Cox. Lived in Burke Co, NC.

Joel Turner (abt 1818-abt 1878)m. Mourning Spivey Davis in 1843. Lived in Coopers, Nash, NC.

Henry Turner (1820-1907) m. Romandy Daughtridge. Lived in Rocky Mount, Nash, NC.

Orren Turner (1823-1879) m. Minerva. Lived in Rocky Mount, Edgecombe, NC.

I am attempting to determine if these four men are siblings. Currently I am working on circumstantial evidence.

My circumstantial evidence:
1. Josiah had a son named Joel. After Josiah Turner’s death, a Joel who is of the appropriate age (b 1859) is located on the 1880 census
with Orren Turner’s wife. There is no relationship noted. There is no guarantee that the Joels are the same. However, it seems likely that
Joel would have gone to live with his uncle’s wife since she may have needed help on the farm and his own mother may not have been able to
support him.
2. Josiah and Henry both named a son “Joel.” I am relying on family naming patterns that might not hold any water in this case. (Orren had
girls.) And Josiah also named a son “Oren.”
3. Henry and Orren are buried in the same cemetery in Rocky Mount which is a city that straddles the Edgecombe and Nash county line. Their burial location could be simple coincidence. Transcription of cemetery: Jackson Cemetery.
4. The name of that cemetery is “Jackson” because of the number of people with that surname who are buried there. Jackson is the maiden
name of Josiah’s wife.
5. In 1860 another name coincidence occurs when Joel is “next door” to a Rhody Daughtridge age 50.

Another person of interest: In 1850 Joel lived “next door” to a Shanny Turner, a 52 year old woman. In her home were Hardie age 21 and Rhoda age 16. She is of an age to be the mother of at least the elder sons (she’d have been 14 when Josiah was born). Or, she could be an aunt. Another naming “coicidence” occurs when Josiah’s son Warren named one of his sons “Hardie.”

Circumstances might at least point to the fact that they are cousins if not brothers. I would, however, bet just about anything that at least Henry and Orren are brothers.