Joseph Tumlinson married Johanna Taylor in April 1834. His sister, Elizabeth Tumlinson, had married Johanna's brother William P. Taylor in 1830. After Johanna's death, Joseph married Elizabeth Newman in 1838. Although he originally married Johanna Taylor, he later chose to fight on the opposing side (the Sutton faction) during the Taylor-Sutton Feud of DeWitt County, forming a group known as the Tumlinson Regulators. Joe was a rancher where he served continuously as a minuteman and Ranger with his relatives in security of the area. At one time he was a deputy sheriff of DeWitt County. He died on his ranch in November 1874.