John L. Turner Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1076-1078 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. II (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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	JOHN L. TURNER, in point of consecutive identification the oldest 
merchant in the state of South Dakota save for one exception, retaining 
his residence and business headquarters in the attractive town of 
Springfield, Bon Homme county, is a scion of a family which has been 
identified with the annals of American history from the early colonial 
epoch, and is himself a native of Geneseo, Livingston county, New York, 
where he was born on the 26th of August, 1843, being a son of Lyman and 
Martha (Lewis) Turner, of whose five children he is the eldest of the 
three surviving, his sisters being Mary H., a maiden lady, residing in 
Newt York city and Isabella I., the wife of Charles S. Pease, of 
Albany, New York. The father of the subject was born in Connecticut. in 
1809, his ancestors in the agnatic line having emigrated from England to 
America in 1648, taking up their abode in the colony of Massachusetts, 
whence representatives later went into Connecticut, where the name 
became one of prominence, as representative of the highest order of 
citizenship. Members of the family rendered valiant service as 
Continental soldiers during the war of the Revolution, and patriotism 
and loyalty have been distinguishing family traits in successive 
generations. As a young man Lyman Turner removed with his father, 
Matthey Turner, who was born in 1777, to New York city, whither an older 
brother had preceded them, and after remaining for a short time in the 
national metropolis he removed to Geneseo, that state, where he 
established himself in the mercantile business. In hater years he became 
extensively engaged in the cattle business in that section of the Empire 
state, and was a member of the company which imported the first 
shorthorn cattle into that district. He eventually retired from 
mercantile pursuits and devoted his entire attention to the breeding of 
blooded live stock, in which connection he gained a high reputation, 
being very successful in his efforts and becoming an extensive land 
owner. He died at the age of fifty-five years, in the very prime of his 
honorable and useful manhood, his demise occurring in 1864. He was 
originally an old-line Whig in his political adherency, and espoused the 
cause of the Republican party at the time of its organization, ever 
afterward remaining a radical advocate of its principles, though he 
never sought official preferment. He and his wife were communicants of 
the Protestant Episcopal church and were persons of sterling character, 
retaining the high regard of all who knew them. The mother of the 
subject entered into the eternal life in 1861 at the age of forty-two 
years.  

	John L. Turner remained at the parental home until he had attained 
the age of twenty-two years and after completing a course of study in 
the high school at Geneseo he entered a private boarding school 
conducted by Dr. Reed, at Geneva, New York, and later continued his 
studies in a commercial college at Rochester, that state. After thus 
completing his educational discipline he became actively associated with 
his father in the cattle business, which he continued after the death of 
his father until 1867, when he removed to Ann Arbor, Michigan, where he 
resided until 1870, giving his attention to property interests of the 
estate in that locality. In the year last mentioned he cast in his lot 
with what is now the state of South Dakota, coming to Springfield and 
here establishing himself in the general merchandise business. About 
three years later he became associated with Henry E. Bonesteel in the 
prosecution of the enterprise, under the firm name of Bonesteel & 
Turner, and this partnership obtained for a quarter of a century, being 
dissolved in 1898, after which John W. Turner, the son of our subject, 
became associated with him in the business, proving an able coadjutor, 
and the enterprise has since been continued under the firm name of J. L. 
Turner & Son. The business has grown to extensive proportions, drawing 
its trade from a wide radius of contiguous country, while the stock 
carried is select and comprehensive and the firm is one whose reputation 
for reliability and I fair dealing is of the highest Mr. Turner is the 
owner and operator of the Artesian roller mills in Springfield, and for 
many years he also conducted a drug store in the town, having recently 
disposed of this branch of his business.  

	In 1864 Mr. Turner enlisted as a member of the Fifty-eighth New 
York National Guards, in which he was made sergeant major, and during 
his term of service he was on guard duty at Elmira, New York, receiving 
his honorable discharge in December, 1864. Mr. Turner has ever been a 
stanch adherent of the Republican party and has taken an active interest 
in promoting the party cause. Soon after coming to Springfield he was 
appointed postmaster of the town, being the first incumbent of this 
office, which he continued to hold for a number of years, while his also 
was the distinction of being the first mayor of the town, of which 
position he was likewise incumbent for several years. He may well be 
mentioned as one of the founders and builders of Springfield, to whose 
interests he has ever been most loyal, doing all in his power to promote 
its advancement and material upbuilding. In 1896 he was candidate of his 
party for presidential elector, and in 1892 he was an alternate delegate 
to the national Republican convention, in Minneapolis. He has been a 
member of the Masonic fraternity since 1865 and is a charter member of 
Mount Zion Lodge, No. 6, of Springfield; he was a delegate at the 
organization of the grand lodge of the territory of Dakota, being senior 
grand warden of this body in 1879. He is also a charter member of the 
Masonic Veterans' Association and is identified with DeMolay Commandery, 
No. 3, Knights Templar, at Yankton, and with El Riad Temple, Ancient 
Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, in Sioux Falls. He is 
one of the prominent members and a communicant of Ascension church, 
Protestant Episcopal, in whose organization he took an active part, and 
he has been a member of its vestry from that time to the present. He was 
for several years a member of the board of education of Springfield, and 
in 1883 he was a member of the state constitutional convention, which 
assembled in Sioux Falls.  

	On the 17th of May, 1865, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. 
Turner to Miss Mary A. Finley, of Geneseo, New York, and they became the 
parents of one son, John W., who was born on the 8th of October, 1866, 
and who is now associated with his father in business, being one of the 
able and popular young men of the county. Mrs. Turner entered into 
eternal rest on the 8th of March, 1884, having been a devoted 
communicant of the Episcopal church, and on the 2d of February, 1888, 
Mr. Turner was united in marriage to Miss Fanny E. Howes of 
Springfield, who presides with gracious dignity over their attractive 
home, no children having been born of this union.