Habakkuk Turner (1647 - bef. 1685)

Born 13 Feb 1647 in Boston, Massachusetts

Ancestors

Husband of Mary (Gardner) Turner — married 30 Apr 1670 in Salem, Essex Co., Massachusetts,

Descendants

Died before 30 Jun 1685 before age 38 in At Sea [uncertain]

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Larry Turner [send private message]

Biography

Habakkuk Turner was the son of Robert Turner, shoemaker, and Elizabeth Freestone. He was born, most likely, on April 13, 1647. The Boston records indicate in the “town” record listings that he was born on April 18, 1647. However, in the “church” record listings in the same compilation, it is stated that he was baptized on April 18, “aged about 5 days” which would have him born on April 13. ^[1]

After his father died in 1651, Habakkuk's mother Elizabeth Freestone Turner, married George Gardner probably in 1654 ^[2], Habakkuk moved to Salem, Mass. Sidney Perley ^[3] states that Habakkuk and his brother John moved to Salem in 1668, but since the boys were only 10 and 7 years old when their mother remarried, it seems more likely that they moved to Salem at that time.

On April 30, 1670, he married his step-sister, Mary Gardner ^[4] In all likelihood, they grew up together after his mother married George Gardner. They had three children, Robert was born April 25, 1671 and Mary was born Jan 25, 1672/3 ^[5] and Habakkuk, Jr. (date unknown). ^[6]

Habakkuk was a mariner in Salem. In 1670 he became the captain of the ship Return, ^[7] which was a “ketch”, a small ship typically with a crew of six. He traded repeatedly in Barbados; there is a suggestion without proof that the John Turner, a large landowner in St Phillip’s parish in Barbados, was an uncle who facilitated this trade and may have been the John Turner admitted to the Salem church in 1637. In 1672, Habakkuk was sued for failing to provide a receipt for the barrels of cod he was taking to Barbados, but the evidence and jury verdict clearly favored him. ^[8] His typical return cargo was sugar, molasses, and rum. It seems likely that he also traded in France, England, the Canary Islands, and even possibly Africa.

His last voyage was undertaken in about 1681, based on the statement of the wife of one of his crew in 1684, when she told the court that they left three years ago and none have been heard from since. The first notice specifically indicating his death is when, on June 30, 1685, the Essex Court made his widow, Mary, the administratrix of his estate, which was inventoried at £265, 10s. ^[9]

Habakkuk also participated in Salem affairs. He bought a house in 1681, shortly before his last voyage. ^[10] Prior to that in 1679, his step-father, George Gardner, left him and his wife a house and land on which they were living at the time. ^[11] He was a juror; ^[12] he signed letters regarding the church meeting house; ^[13] he attended church services. In 1683 when his ship had been gone for about two years, his pew was given to another person. ^[14]

Almost any conceivable spelling of Habakkuk may be found in the records. A few common ones are Habakuck, Habbakuk, Haboucock, etc etc. Use the Soundex system with HBKK to see all possible variants.

^[15]

Sources

1. ↑ Record Commissioners of Boston. 1883. Boston Births, Baptisms, Marriages, and Deaths, 1630-1699. Boston, Massachusetts, City of Boston, Rockwell and Church City Printers. p 26.
2. ↑ McCracken, George E. The Salem Gardners: Comments and Clues. The American Genealogist, Vol 30, pp 155-168, Jul 1954.
3. ↑ The History of Salem, Massachusetts, Vol III, 1638-1670, p 37.
4. ↑ Essex Massachusetts Town Clerk. Vital and town records, 1626-2001; Family Search.org.
5. ↑ Essex Institute, Vital Records of Salem, Mass to 1849, Vol 2, p367.
6. ↑ History of New England Families, Vol 3, p 37).
7. ↑ Perley, Vol 2, page 369.
8. ↑ Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Mass., Vol 5, June 1672, pp 47-49. Published by the Essex Institute, 1975.
9. ↑ Essex Quarterly Court Records, Vol 9, 1683-1686, Salem Mass. p 509.
10. ↑ Salem in 1700 No. 22, by Sidney Perley. Essex Antiquarian, Vol 10, No. 1, 1906, p 29.
11. ↑ Essex County Probate Records. 1675-1681, vol. 3, pp. 326-328.
12. ↑ Essex Quarterly Court Records, Vol 7, p 384.
13. ↑ Perley, History of Salem, Vol 3, p 153.
14. ↑ Salem Town Records 1680-1691, Vol 3, Salem, MA: The Essex Institute, 1834, p84.
15. ↑ Entered by Larry Turner, May 15, 2019

• Essex County Probate Records 1675-1681, vol. 3, pp. 326-328, 1920.

• Essex Massachusetts Town Clerk. Vital and town records, 1626-2001; Family Search.org.

• McCracken, George E. The Salem Gardners: Comments and Clues. The American Genealogist, Vol 30, pp 155-168, Jul 1954.

• Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts, Volume 4, 1667-1671, volume 5, 1672-1674, and volume 9, 1683-1686. Salem, Mass. Published by the Essex Institute.

• Record Commissioners of Boston. 1883. Boston Births, Baptisms, Marriages, and Deaths, 1630-1699. Boston, Massachusetts, City of Boston, Rockwell and Church City Printers.

• Salem Town Records 1680-1691, Vol 3, Salem, MA: The Essex Institute, 1834.

• Salem in 1700 No. 22, by Sidney Perley. Essex Antiquarian, Vol 10, No. 1, 1906.

• The History of Salem, Massachusetts By Sidney Perley, Vol II, 1638-1670. Salem, Massachusetts: Sidney Perley. 1926.