Thomas Turner
THOMAS TURNER, farmer and dairyman, of Kiskiminetas township, was born March 7, 1872, in Pittsburgh, Pa., son of Gilbert and Georgiana (Chevers) Turner. The parents were natives of Somersetshire, England.
Gilbert Turner was a carpenter and contractor. Settling in Pittsburgh, he erected his family residence there at a cost of $700, on property now valued at $100,000. Here he died in 1896, but his widow survives, residing in Pittsburgh, now aged over eighty years. They were the parents of seven sons and one daughter, of whom five sons are living.
Until his seventeenth year Thomas Turner attended public school. He worked for the Pittsburgh Traction Company six years as a machinist. Then he and his brother Frank leased a farm in the vicinity of Oakland, which they conducted for fourteen years, afterward moving to what is known as the Muskrat farm. In conjunction with general farming the brothers embarked in the dairy business in 1890, and operated there extensively until Thomas Turner and another brother, Charles, came to Armstrong county and bought the large fruit farm of 365 acres near Springchurch, which they now conduct. There was a young orchard on the place, including 265 apple trees, and 500 peach and pear trees, and there was a good peach crop in 1911. Mr. Thomas Turner occupies the beautiful, large residence on the farm, which commands a fine view. There is also a commodious barn on the property. The brothers are also conducting a dairy, keeping seventeen fine milk cows, and are contemplating branching out in this line as well as in fruit raising.
On July 12, 1896, Mr. Turner was married, in this county, to Mary Ellen Young, whose people were originally from Somersetshire, England. Three children have been born of this marriage: Georgiana and Daisy, twins, and Helen Louisa. Mr. Turner is a Republican, but not active in public life. He belongs to the Cedar Avenue Presbyterian Church of Pittsburgh.
Source: Pages 924-925, Armstrong County, Pa., Her People, Past and Present, J.H. Beers & Co., 1914
Transcribed October 1998 by Jeffrey Bish for the Armstrong County Beers Project
Contributed for use by the Armstrong County Genealogy Project (http://www.pa-roots.com/armstrong/)Armstrong County Genealogy Project Notice:
These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format, for any presentation, without prior written permission.Return to the Beers Project
Return to the Armstrong County Genealogy Project
Return to the Armstrong County Genealogy Project
Return to the Armstrong County Genealogy Project