Tehama-Yuba-Butte County CA Archives Biographies.....Turner, John C. 1847 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ca/cafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com February 18, 2007, 12:07 am Author: Lewis Publishing Co. (1891) JOHN C. TURNER is one of the well-known and prominent citizens of Tehama County. He was born in New Brunswick, March 16, 1847. His parents, John and Ester Turner, were natives of County Tyrone, Ireland, and were of Scotch ancestry. When children, they came to America with their parents and settled in Bangor, Maine. Grandfather Turner lived there until the time of his death. When a young man the father of John C. Turner removed to New Brunswick, and there began his business career as a baker. He subsequently sold out and purchased a farm with both a saw and flouring mill on it. There the subject of this sketch was reared and learned the lumber business with his father. At the age of eighteen he came to California and landed at San Francisco. He engaged in work in Marysville for the Union Lumber Company, remaining there five years. In 1870 he went to Chico and worked in the same business one year. He came to Red Bluff in 1871, and, in company with Boone Jones, built the Bell mill. This Mr. Turner conducted for three years. In 1876 he went to Shasta County, and worked for the Sierra Flume and Lumber Company, as foreman, for two years. The company was reorganized into the Sierra Lumber Company, and he ran the mills, under contract, for two years. Since the expiration of the contract in 1885 he has managed the business for the company. They are now running one mill that cuts 75,000 feet of lumber per day and 12,000,000 feet per annum. They have seventeen miles of railroad to bring their logs to the mills, and thirty-five miles of flume to take their lumber to Red Bluff, where they have a large planing-mill and door and sash factory. They employ 125 men at their mill in the mountains, and as many at the factory. They use about 100 oxen and horses. Mr. Turner has also largely engaged in stock-raising. He has 1,700 acres of land on the east side of the Sacramento River, and 1,200 acres on the west side, all grazing and farming land. He has this stocked with 300 head of cattle and about forty horses. February 14,, 1876, Mr. Turner married Miss Alice Turner, who was born in Woodbridge, San Joaquin County, California. She is a daughter of Captain Cary S. Turner, a native of Missouri, who crossed the plains in an early day with ox teams. Their union has been blessed with five children, born in Red Bluff, namely: Nellie May, Frankie Ester, Minnie Jane, Laura and Chester Coyle. They reside in a picturesque mountain home, a mile and a half from the mill. Mrs. Turner learned to ride and manage horses when she was quite young, and she is a proficient equestrian. She is much interested in their ranch and stock, and thus obtains much out-door exercise. She and her husband are members of the Eastern Star, and he is a charter member of the Knight Templar Lodge at Red Bluff. Mr. Turner is a leading Republican, a member of the County Central Committee, and was elected a member of the Board of Supervisors, in which capacity he is now acting. He is one of the representative citizens of Red Bluff. He came to California when a mere boy, and by his own exertions has risen to wealth and influence. He is a man of enterprise and business push, and is a great favorite with the men in his employ as well as with the people of the county. Additional Comments: Extracted from Memorial and Biographical History of Northern California. Illustrated, Containing a History of this Important Section of the Pacific Coast from the Earliest Period of its Occupancy to the Present Time, together with Glimpses of its Prospective Future; Full-Page Steel Portraits of its most Eminent Men, and Biographical Mention of many of its Pioneers and also of Prominent Citizens of To-day. "A people that takes no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors will never achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride by remote descendents." – Macauley. CHICAGO THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY 1891. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/tehama/bios/turner712gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/cafiles/ File size: 4.5 Kb