Tom Turpin

Thomas "Million" Turpin was born in Savannah, Georgia in 1873. His father, "Honest John" Turpin, took great pleasure in pointing out the fact that after emancipation he never worked for anyone but himself. He did, however, get involved in the politics of Reconstruction, and subsequently a street in Savannah was named after him. John, his wife Lulu, and their children took themselves to St. Louis near the beginning of the 1880s, and Mr. Turpin went into business there as owner and operator of the Silver Dollar Saloon. Also known as "Old Man Jack," he was famous for his stamina,...