Hudson-Mohawk Genealogical and Family Memoirs: Turner

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Hudson-Mohawk Genealogical and Family Memoirs:
Turner

[This information is from Vol. IV, pp. 1564-1565 of Hudson-Mohawk Genealogical and Family Memoirs, edited by Cuyler Reynolds (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1911). It is in the Reference collection of the Schenectady County Public Library at R 929.1 R45. Some of the formatting of the original, especially in lists of descendants, may have been altered slightly for ease of reading.]

The progenitor of the Turner family in Amsterdam was of English descent and Irish birth. The founder of the family in Ireland was born in England of English parents. He came to Ireland when a young man, settled in Wexford county, where he married Bridget Doyle, born in Wexford, where she died at the age of eighty-nine. The husband changed his religious belief and became, like his wife, a communicant of the Roman Catholic church. They were the parents of a son, Patrick.

(II) Patrick, son of James and Bridget (Doyle) Turner, was born in Wexford, Ireland, died at New Castle, same county, at age of fifty-two years. He was a successful contractor. He married and had issue.

Richard, married Ellen Bell; removed to England, reared a family, one coming to the United States.
Jennie, married Henry Jordan, with whom she emigrated to Van Diemen's Land, Australia, where they died, leaving two sons and three daughters.
Eliza, married John Whalen; they removed to Marlborough, Australia, leaving a daughter, Mary, who is also deceased.
Patrick, was for fifteen years on the Irish constabulary force, was transferred to England, where he was killed in the performance of his duty; he married in England.
James, married Maria Wright, of Irish parents, settled in England, later on emigrated to Marlborough, Australia; had Emily, Maria and Catherine.
Terrence, came to the United States, settled in the south, where he died.
John, married Eliza Fox; came to the United States, settled in Amsterdam, New York, where he died from sunstroke, eleven days after his arrival here; he left John and Mary; the former a soldier of the One Hundred and Fifteenth New York Volunteer Regiment; died in the service.
William, settled in Halifax, Yorkshire, England; married Ellen Thompson, of that town, and had William and Emily.
Catherine, also removed to Halifax, England, where she married ———— Whalen; they are both deceased, leaving a daughter, Mary.
Michael, see forward.
Mary, died aged three years.
Bridget, born September 22, 1832, in Wicklow county, Ireland; educated in Dublin; came to the United States on the sailing vessel, "P. Sage"; after a six weeks' voyage arrived in New York, proceeded to Amsterdam, New York, where she married Alexander Doyle, born in Wicklow county, Ireland, December 25, 1828, came to the United States when a young man, died in Amsterdam, November 9, 1904; children: Mary, Charles, William, Jennie, all deceased, John, Jane, Catherine F., Martha, Elizabeth and James Doyle.

(III) Michael, tenth child of Patrick Turner, was born in Ireland, 1828. He emigrated to the United States in 1849, coming on a slow sailing vessel. He settled in Amsterdam, where he became a well known and prosperous mason and builder. He was also a builder of tan bark furnaces for the consumption of old tan bark. He met a tragic death, April 24, 1876. The spring freshets had carried away the bridge across the Mohawk river at Amsterdam; late in the evening in company with two attorneys of Amsterdam, Johnson I. Snell and Cuthbert Patterson, he attempted to cross the river in a small boat, which on the way across overturned and all three were drowned. Mr. Turner's body was found eleven months after on Scotia Flats, Schenectady. The tragic death of these three well-known men caused universal sadness in their city. He was a man of thrift and energy, highly respected. He married, in Amsterdam, Bridget McCormick, born in county Meade, Ireland, emigrating to the United States about the same time as her husband. They settled on a farm in the town of Day, Saratoga county, where she died in 1873, aged thirty-eight years. He married (second) Kate Burns, who survives him, a resident of Amsterdam. Children of first wife:

John J., see forward.
William, in the undertaking business in Amsterdam; married Eleanor Fox and has George, D.D.S., William and Florence.
Richard, married Mary Bowes and had a son Richard (2), deceased.
Eliza, widow of John H. Denning; resides in Saratoga; has children: Mary, wife of John Sheridan, Hugh and John Denning.
Mary, died in youthful womanhood, unmarried.
George, resident of Schenectady, New York; is in the employ of his brother John J.; married (first) Angie Dailey and has a daughter Theresa.
Ellen, died young.
Catherine, educated for the church, at Notre Dame, is a sister at Notre Dame, Washington, D. C.
Nora, died in infancy.

Child by second wife:

Jessie, born September 19, 1875.

(IV) John J., eldest child of Michael and Bridget (McCormick) Turner, was born in Day, Saratoga county, New York, November 19, 1853. He learned the mason, building and contracting trade with his father, working in connection with him until the death of the latter in 1876, when he succeeded him, took the business in charge and has since successfully conducted extensive building operations all over the section known as Eastern New York. He was for a time, 1890-97, in partnership, but since the latter date has carried on the business alone. He is one of the best-known contractors of his own city and has erected many large and costly buildings in neighboring and distant cities. For years he has erected many of the buildings of the General Electric Company of Schenectady the largest being eight hundred fifty-two by one hundred fifty-three feet in size. Among public buildings may be noted: the Elk Club House, and St. Mary's Parochial School, recently completed. Much of his success in his building operations he ascribes to the competent co-operation of the architect, C. M. Underwood. Politically Mr. Turner is a Democrat. He is a member of the Amsterdam board of trade, and since 1903 has been a member of the board of water commissioners. He is a member of the Knights of Columbus, Amsterdam Lodge, No. 101, Benevolent Protective Order of Elks; Ft. Johnson Club and Country Club. The family are members of the Roman Catholic church. He married, June 5, 1878, in Amsterdam, New York, Marie, born there in 1853, daughter of Thomas and Marie (Dooley) Egan, both born in Ireland, but residents of Amsterdam for many years. Thomas Egan was a baker and died in 1882. Marie, his wife, died in 1897. They were extremely old people. Children of John J. and Marie (Egan) Turner:

Elizabeth, educated in St. Mary's Convent; resides at home.
John P., a civil engineer; educated at St. Mary's and the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; is engaged with his father; married October, 1909, Agnes Schermerhorn, of Troy, New York.
Richard, civil engineer; educated at St. Mary's and the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; unmarried.
Thomas A., associated with his father; was educated at St. Mary's and the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; unmarried.

Hudson-Mohawk Genealogical and Family Memoirs:Turner

Hudson-Mohawk Genealogical and Family Memoirs:
Turner