Placer
County
Biographies
FREDERICK W. TURNER
Frederick
William Turner, whose identification with the business interests of Loomis in
mercantile lines and as the proprietor of a hotel has made him one of the leading
factors in commercial circles there, well merits representation among the
leading citizens of Placer County. For
forty-seven years a resident of California, he has always maintained a deep
interest in the development and progress of the state and at all times has
borne his part in the work of upbuilding and advancement.
He was born in Needham,
Massachusetts, on the 17th of May, 1847, and is the son of Joseph
and Ann (Dexter) Turner, both of whom were natives of England, whence they
immigrated to the United States in 1816.
The father was then three years of age.
His parents settled in Needham, Massachusetts, where he was reared, and
after arriving at years of maturity he was married. In April, 1850, he came to San Francisco,
leaving his family in the east. He hoped
to rapidly acquire wealth here, for he had heard of the splendid gold
discoveries, and to mining on the American River he directed his
attention. Later he engaged in mining at
Secret Ravine, a half-mile from the present site of Loomis. In 1853 he sent for his wife and two sons,
Frederick William and Joseph Charles, who joined him in his California home,
where three other children were added to the family, Frank A., Elizabeth and
George W.; but the last named and our subject, are now the only survivors of
the family.
On arriving in California they
located on a farm of two hundred acres a half-mile from the town of Loomis and
there developed an excellent property, the father continuing his farming
operations until 1894, at which time he retired to private life, making his
home with the subject of this review in Loomis until his death, which occurred
on the 8th of December, 1899.
He was one of the brave pioneers of 1850, a man of courageous spirit and
marked energy and uprightness of life, and he was well and favorably known by
all the pioneer settlers of the community and held in the highest regard by all
later arrivals who had the pleasure of his
acquaintance. His wife departed this
life in 1895. She was devoted to her
family, considering no sacrifice too great that would promote their welfare and
happiness; and she was a worthy representative of the brave band of women who
bore uncomplainingly, the hardships of life in the far west before the
introduction of the comforts of the east.
Frederick W. Turner was but six
years of age when he arrived in California in 1853. He was educated in Placer County, where he
has made his home for forty-seven years, and upon the home farm with his father
he remained until twenty years of age, when he accepted a position as a
brakeman for the Southern Pacific Railroad Company. He was afterward a freight conductor and
subsequently a passenger conductor. In
his boyhood he peddled newspapers at the time the Southern Pacific was being
built. Since retiring from the employ of
the railroad company he has been recognized as one of the leading factors in
the business life of Loomis, conducting here a general mercantile establishment
and also carrying on a hotel. In the
store he carries a large and well selected stock of general merchandise, such
as is in demand by the mining and fruit growing community surrounding
Loomis. The hotel is a new one, which he
has built for the accommodation of the traveling public, and the enterprise has
met with favor, as is shown by the liberal patronage accorded it. Both Mr. and Mrs. Turner do all in their
power to promote the comfort of their guests and have supplied the hotel with
all the modern conveniences and accessories.
Mr. Turner is also the postmaster of Loomis, to which position he was
appointed in 1889 by President Harrison.
He has since served in that capacity in the most creditable manner, his
administration of the office being satisfactory to all concerned. It is conducted in his large mercantile
store, and his son Frederick William is acting as his clerk and deputy
postmaster.
Mr. Turner was married in 1869 to
Miss Martha E. Whitehead, a native of Missouri and a daughter of Timothy
Whitehead. In 1853 she crossed the
plains with her parents and has since been a resident of California. Mr. and Mrs. Turner have one child, Frederick
William, who is now his father’s able assistant. Mrs. Turner acts as agent for the Wells-Fargo
Express Company, and in addition to his other business interests Mr. Turner is
a notary public. In politics he is a
stalwart Republican, unswerving in his support of the party. He has never joined any fraternal society,
but has steadily given his attention to his business affairs; and his close
application, methodical habits and his careful management of his enterprise
have made him one of the substantial citizens of this community who now enjoys
a comfortable competence that is an honorable reward of his labors.
Transcribed by
Gerald Iaquinta.
Source:
“A Volume of Memoirs and Genealogy of Representative Citizens of Northern
California”, Pages 687-688. Chicago Standard Genealogical Publishing Co. 1901.
© 2010
Gerald Iaquinta.