Thomas Turner (abt. 1696 - abt. 1757)

Born about 1696 in King George, King George, Colony of Virginia [uncertain]

Ancestors

Husband of Martha Wingfield (Taliaferro) Turner — married 1 Aug 1714 in Richmond, Virginia

Descendants

Died about 19 Apr 1757 at about age 61 in King George, Colony of Virginia [uncertain]

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Biography

He resided at Essex Co., VA. He resided at 'Walshingham', King George Co., VA. He was County Clerk between 1723 and 1742 at King George Co., VA. He was member of the House of Burgesses, 1736-38, 1740, 1752-55 at Virginia. He left a will on 19 Feb 1757 at King George Co., VA; proved 4 May 1758.

Doctor Thomas Turner (immigrant) had only 2 sons; Harry & Thomas and died after 1756. Married Martha Taliaferro in 1714.

Note: Based on the Bio Thomas was a member of the House of Burgesses between 1752-55, and left a will in 1757

Whatever the facts may be with regard to Dr. Richard Turner, the genealogy of the family is thoroughly authentic from the first Thomas Turner, of King George county. In I714 a license was granted in Richmond county for the marriage of Thomas Turner, of Essex county, and Martha Taliaferro. On January 4th, I7I5, Thomas Turner, of Richmond county (with Nicholas Smith and John Lomax, securities), gave bond as administrators of Richard Taliaferro. He was the father of Mrs. Turner. On May 19, I721, the will of Richard Taliaferro (who was probably her brother), was admitted to nrobate in King George on the petition of Thomas Tumer and Martha, his wife. His will was in the missing volume Thomas Turner was clerk of King George from 1723 to 1742, and in 1742 was appointed a justice of the county court, he to have his former place in the commission (CouncilJournal). He was a vestryman of Hanover parish, King George, 1723, and a member of the House of Burgesses for that county at the sessions of August, 1736; November, 1738; May, 1740; August, 1740; February, 1752; November, 1753; February, I754; August, I754; October, I754; May, 1755; August, 1755, and October, 1755. He lived at "Walsingham," a plantation on the Rappahannock now, or until recently, owned by his descendants, and is stated to have been buried in a vault yet remaining on the " Woodlawn " estate

Letter to Benjamin Franklin from Thomas Turner, September 7, 1754

To Benjamin Franklin from Thomas Turner, 7 September 1754

From Thomas Turner9

als: Historical Society of Pennsylvania

River Virga.1 Septr. 7th. 1754.

Sir

At the Request of Col. Charles Carter2 I send you our Governors proroguing Speech.3 He and I came home last night late from the Assembly and having this Opportunity he was unwilling to lose it.

By the Speech it must appear to those who are unacquainted with our unhappy Difference, that We have refused to do any Thing for our Country in this Time of Danger. That is so far from being the case, that tho the Forces are now provided with three Months Wages and Provisions We chearfully voted Twenty Thousand Pounds. And to settle amicably our old affair of the Pistole Fee on all Patents issuing from the Secretaries office we proposed to fall into any Measure he would point out to Us, but without the least Hopes of Success. He lays heavy Charges against Us in his Speech, such as We think we do not deserve. When the Truth comes to be known We hope the World will much more blame him than Us who rather than give up a private Pike [pique] and Resentment refused to have so large a Sum. I am so hurried by this Bearer that I am obliged to conclude and am Sir your unknown humble Servant,

Thos. Turner

To Benjamin Franklin Esquire.

Sources

• Glenn C. Smith, “The Affair of the Pistole Fee, Virginia, 1752–55,” Va. Mag. Hist. and Biog., xlviii (1940), 209–21; Louis K. Koontz, Robert Dinwiddie (Glendale, Calif., 1941), pp. 201–25; Robert A. Brock, ed., The Official Records of Robert Dinwiddie (Richmond, Va., 1883–84), i, 291–6, 302–3. For Dinwiddie’s reports and expressions of apprehension to his fellow governors, see ibid., pp. 303–13.
• Turner Family on Rootsweb
• Turner Family Magazine; January 1916, pg 71-72
• The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography , Oct., 1912, Vol. 20, No. 4 (Oct., 1912), pp. 438-440 Published by: Virginia Historical Society
• Letter in which he stated his age.