Turner, Early History, Nottingaham, England, USA, Ontario, Canada, Family, Genealogy, Turner Lumber Company, Bay City

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TURNER - HISTORY

Paul Turner

NEW:
From an obituary I have learned that the grandfather of George Turner [1835-1906] was an officer in the English Army.  Unfortunately the obit did not mention the grandfather's name.  This grandfather would be the father of our fist known & emigrant Turner, Joseph, who married Emily Knox.  The time that this grandfather might have been in the army may be at the time of Joseph's birth, c.1797, and Joseph was said to have been born in Nottingham.  Whether that is the town or the county is not known.  Assuming this is all true then the grandfather may have been in a regiment that was based in that region.

England

    The Turner name follows the occupational naming form for surnames.  Thus, one who turns; such as a lathe or a mill stone.  On the shield of the above arms you can see 4 mill stones

    From census records of Michigan, USA I found that our first known Turner, Joseph Turner,  was from Nottingham and that he was born c. 1797.   At this point I do not have enough information to know which of the several Joseph Turners born in Nottingham, between 1796 & 1798, is ours.  Newspaper articles, biographies and census say that Emily (Emiline) Knox, who married Joseph Turner, was born Dec, 1816 at Dudley, Worcester, England.  Her father was Tobias Knox and the mother may have been Elizabeth.  No record for the parishes of and around Dudley have revealed any information for this family.  Using the 'soundex' there are many variations of this name, Knox, such as Nock, Nockes, etc.   None of these 'like' names have provided any solid information for the Knox family.  

    My second problem with the original Turner's is that, by affidavit, I found that Joseph Turner and Emily Knox were married 15 Mar, 1834.  Where, is the question?

  << Help me find the  marriage of 1834. >>     


 

United States

    By an account given by their first born, George Turner [b.1835], his parents '..met in New York state and came to Michigan in the early 30s' .   There was a Tobias Knox in Utica, NYS  in 1832;  his occupation was a 'fancy letterer'.  I found that he had a couple of daughters but none named Emily.  In 1832, Utica was overtaken with the plague and many of the inhabitants scattered.   From a city directory of Cleveland for 1837 I found a Tobias Knox living in that city and also a Mrs. E. Turner at the same address.  In 1850 and 1860 I found Tobias Knox living in Canton, Ohio.  From all this, and not proving that this Tobias is our Emily's father, it tells me that Joseph and Emily may have married in New York state, Ohio or Michigan.  A remote possibility is Indiana.   

    My first recorded finding of Joseph and Emily is in 1835, Michigan Territory, USA.  Two years prior to statehood. They apparently settled at Clinton in Lenawee county and operated a grist-mill.   In 1837 Joseph and Emily were occupying and running a gristmill on the north branch of River Rouge at Dearbornville, Wayne county.  1846-47 they operated a dry goods store at the west half of Lot 28, Section 9 on Madison Avenue. in Detroitland (Detroit).  In June of 1848 Joseph bought a store and grist mill at Stoney Creek, Oakland County, Michigan.  On 21 Nov, 1848 Joseph died leaving his wife, Emily Knox, with 6 children and one child unborn.    

    Their children were:  George, Charles, Edwin, William, Emily, Albert and Joseph.

    George became a surveyor and achieved the rank of Captain in the Civil War (War of the Rebellion).  He remained in Michigan.
    Charles was involved with the lumber business and lived and worked at Saginaw, Michigan.
    Edwin moved to Chicago.
    William moved to South Bend, Indiana
    Emily remained in Michigan and may have died at childbirth
    Albert entered the Civil War and died at Farmington, Miss.  
    Joseph was involved with the lumber business in Bay City, Mich. and had mills in Ontario, Canada.

    For the continuation of the Turner family history go to the 'Dossier' pages.

    The Naming of Turner,  Turner Tp.,  Arenac County, Michigan


CANADA

  The Turner Lumber Company of Bay City operated in the Province of Ontario, Canada and had offices at Toronto and Midland.  Through the lumber business Dwight met Florence Phillips whose father owned and operated the Phillips Toronto Co.  The Phillips Toronto Co. manufactured picture frames and moldings and through the two wood businesses the Turner and Phillips family met.  Dwight and Florence married in 1907 at Toronto and together they had sons: Philip, Joseph and Stephen.  The boys raised their families in Ontario, Canada.


The Arms depicted are those used by the English Surname Turner - no claim is made that my Turner family ever used or had/has entitlement to  such Arms

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Rev: 2003.11.26