Brooks County GaArchives Biographies.....Turner, Henry Gray 1839 - 1904
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Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 November 1, 2004, 9:51 pm

Author: William Harden
p. 1080-1081

   HON. HENRY GRAY TURNER. In the death of Henry G. Turner in June, 1904,
southwest Georgia lost one of its ablest public leaders and most influential
citizens. For sixteen years he represented the second district in congress, was
a successful lawyer, and had been identified by residence and professional
activities for many years with the city of Quitman in Brooks county.

   The late Mr. Turner was born in Granville, North Carolina, in 1839. His
father, Archibald Turner, was born either in North Carolina or Dinwiddie county,
Virginia, his parents having moved from Virginia to North Carolina and spent the
rest of their days in the latter state. Archibald Turner was reared and spent
his active life in North Carolina.

  Henry Gray Turner was a child when his father died, and it was largely due to
his self-reliant and purposeful efforts that he made advance to position and
influence. He acquired a good education and when yet in his teens went to
Alabama where he taught school a year, and then taught for a time in Piscola
Academy in the new town of Quitman, Georgia. In this way he first became known
in the community where he was later so prominent. At the breaking out of the war
between the states he returned home and offered his services to his native
state. Commissioned captain of a company in the Twenty-third Regiment of North
Carolina Infantry, he went to the front and soon joined the Army of the Potomac.
He led his company in many of the hard-fought battles of the great war, and at
Gettysburg was wounded and captured. He was held in federal prisons until near
the close of the war, when he was paroled and returned south. The war ended
before he was exchanged, and he spent some time in recuperating at Henderson,
North Carolina, where his mother and sisters were living. From there he came
again to Quitman, where he took up the study of law, and after being admitted at
Nashville opened an office in Quitman.

   In a short time success in his profession and distinction in public affairs
came to him. He was elected and served several terms in the state legislature,
and in 1878 was honored by election from the second district as its
representative in congress. He served for eight consecutive terms until 1894.
His adherence to the Democratic party was stanch and consistent, but he was
unable to support the free-silver doctrine, and with the rise of that issue to
dominance in the party he quietly withdrew from party leadership. During his
residence at Quitman Mr. Turner had bought the land within the city limits which
he improved into a beautiful park as a setting for his home, which has long been
one of the most attractive places in this part of the state. Many trees adorn
the grounds, and the native birds and squirrels have for years found a safe
shelter among them. It was in this ideal environment that Mr. Turner spent his
last years and where death found him.

   The late Mr. Turner married Lavinia Calhoun Morton, who was born in Brooks
county, a daughter of James Oliver and Sarah (Young) Morton. A sketch of her
family follows. Mr. and Mrs. Turner were the. parents of five children: James
Morton, Henry, India, S. Morton and Archibald. The last named died in infancy,
and James M. at the age of eleven. India is the wife of Samuel Stevens Bennett,
an attorney in Albany, Georgia. S. Morton followed in his father's footsteps and
is one of the rising young attorneys of Quitman. The late Mr. Turner was a
member of the Methodist church, as is his wife.


Additional Comments:
From:

A HISTORY OF SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA
BY
WILLIAM HARDEN

VOLUME II
ILLUSTRATED
THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY
CHICAGO AND NEW YORK
1913

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