1901 Bio - Turner, Peter, Larimer County, Colorado Transcribed by Marta Norton January 30, 2000 The Berthoud Bulletin Newspaper Saturday, September 7, 1901 (The following is a small portion of a big news article about Berthoud. I am only transcribing the bio part). In the following columns we are pleased to give the pictures and personal sketches of a number of the people who assisted in making this beautiful and prosperous county what it is: Peter Turner Uncle Peter Turner, who has been termed “the father of Berthoud” was born in Franklin County, Virginia, July 17, 1838. He spent the years of his boyhood and youth in the Old Dominion, and from there in 1837? [date is very hard to read] he went to Iowa, where he engaged in farming. When the tide of emigration began to turn westward to the mines of the mountains he resolved to seek his fortune in the Far West, as Colorado was then considered. In 1861 he crossed the plains, and arrived in Central City, embarked in gulch mining. Returning to Iowa in 1864 Mr. Turner married Miss. Elizabeth Searcy. Mrs. Turner was born in Anderson County, Kentucky, November 20, 1844. She came with her parents when only four years of age to Iowa, where she remained until she accompanied her husband to Colorado in 1873. Her father laid out the present town of Chariton, Iowa. Being appointed United States Marshal of the state of Iowa, he removed his family to his headquarters at Burlington. In Elizabeth’s sixteenth year her mother died. The family was finally abandoned when the father went to war, leaving the motherless children at the mercy of relatives. Elizabeth, being the eldest child, taught school, looked after and cared for her younger sisters and brothers until her marriage with Mr. Turner three years later. During their journey from Iowa to Colorado the Indians were troublesome and the family suffered no little anxiety fearing an attack by the savages. For four years Mr. Turner followed mining in the then new camp of Sunshine. The following is a clipping condensed from the sketch read by T.O. Saunders on the Forth of July, 1876, the Centennial, or birth of Colorado’s statehood. “Although as early as 1859 hunters and prospectors roamed over our hills and through our valleys, yet no one remained long enough to contribute any material value, to establish and build up a town until 1874. The pioneer family was that of Peter Turner. Mr. Turner came with his family, a wife and two small boys on the 13th of January 1874, having previously discovered the Gold Eagle and Hawkeye lodes. “With Mr. Turner came two of his brothers and two other men. A few months after this the first sale of mining property was made. Mr. Turner’s two little brothers in their childish play had discovered a lead which showed great indications. A stranger passing by and seeing the boys in possession of their lead, offered to buy it. A bargain was at once made and the stranger gave them five dollars. Richer men than those two boys have not since been found in Sunshine”. “In Mr. Turner’s family was born on the first day of November of the same year, the first child, a girl. The euphonious name of Sunshine, the name of the new mining camp, was with strict propriety and good taste given to the child. She was called by common consent Susie Sunshine Turner, and is now a healthy and interesting child, prized more highly by her worthy parents than all the gold in the rich mountains around”. From Boulder County in 1877 Mr. Turner removed to his present homestead, which was then barren land. He took up a quarter section, embarked in farming and built the first house between the Big and Little Thompson Rivers in which he has since resided. In 1884 he laid off lots which he sold for building purposes, and the town of Berthoud now stands on a part of his original acreage. The second daughter, born May 27, 1879 was Mattie Bertha, who developed talent in the line of millinery and dressmaking. She is now the wife of Fenton A. Matthews, who has gained the reputation of possessing much skill as a tonsorial artist. Mr. Turner erected the Grand View Hotel in 1890 with the hope of enhancing the value of his property and as a benefit to the town in general. Mr. Turner kept the hotel himself for ten months. Uncle Peter is noted for his honesty and integrity. The motto he lives by is “Whatsoever ye would that others should do unto you, do ye even so unto them”. He is a stockholder in the Berthoud Milling and Elevator Company, and is energetic in helping out any good enterprise that will prove beneficial to the town in which he is the father of citizenship. The eldest son of the Turner family Beverly Bennett., born December 29, 1864. He married Miss Lucy E. Pulliam February 10, 1885. He has a large family of children of whom any parent might well feel proud. The second son, William Henry, was born July 4, 1867. At one time William Turner aspired to the office of county assessor, but was defeated at the election. At this juncture, however, fortune smiled upon him. He found the one woman in the wide world for him. Accordingly he married Miss Leota Kerby September 30, 1896 at Boulder in the same room at the county court house and by the same justice who performed the sacred ceremony which untied Bev and Lucy Turner in the bonds of holy matrimony. They took up their abode at Jamestown, where the two brothers engaged in a mining lease and after some waiting the small nugget of gold was found. Returning to the valley they engaged in farming and have been fairly prosperous. 1900 Peter Turner and his eldest son engaged in the sheep feeding industry, realizing a good profit. Susie S. Turner completed the course of study as prescribed for rural schools in 1892 and after one year at the Longmont Academy secured a position as teacher at Haworth, North Park, through the influence of our then popular superintendent, Samuel T. Hamilton. After her return she taught one term at No. 37 joint district between Boulder and Larimer Counties. Thence she was employed as a primary teacher in her home school, where she taught for five years. Last year she was promoted to the intermediate grades. Satisfaction was such that she retained her position for the coming school year. Gustavus Adolphus Turner was born July 15, 1882. James Adelphus Turner was born April 15, 1884. Being of a near age the younger brothers are deeply attached to each other and in them is centered the musical talent of the family. In fraternity Mr. Turner is identified with the I.O.O.F. and Degree of Rebekah. His two older sons belong to the first named order. B.B Turner is also a member of Woodmen of the World. Mattie Matthews is of the Women of Woodcraft. Elizabeth, Lucy E., Leota and Susie S. Turner are of the Degree of Rebekah. Aunt Betty, as the people are wont to designate her, is a Past Noble Grand of the order and state officer to the Rebekah Assembly which convenes in Colorado Springs in October of this. Susie S is Bethel Rebekah’s present Noble Grand, while Lucy E. Turner officiates as Vice Grand. In religious views Mr. and Mrs. Turner hold to the faith of Universal Salvation, although Mrs. Turner, together with four of her children, are members of the United Brethren Church. Love is the keystone which binds the sacred home circle. The paternal and parental love is anxiety for and devotion to Mrs. Turner, who has been a victim of ill health for several years. Mr. and Mrs. Peter Turner celebrated their twenty fifth or silver anniversary March 19, 1889. It is the wish of their prosperity to see them continue their wedded life, which has been beaten by the storms of trial and adversity, to a ripe old age, and that children and children’s children may be present to participate in the festivities of the golden wedding. =================================================== Contributed for use by the USGenWeb Archive Project (http://www.usgenweb.org) and by the COGenWeb Archive Project USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access.