Solano County Biographies

W. H. TURNER

Transcribed by Kathy Sedler

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm

 
is a native of Macdingburg, Virginia, and was born December 27, 1816, where he 
received his education and lived on a farm with his parents till twenty years 
old.  At the age of twenty-three, he emigrated to Cape Girardeau county, 
Missouri, where he married Susan J. Elliott, July 23, 1839.  Here he lived and 
was engaged in farming for seven years, when he moved to St. Clair county, 
Illinois, where he pursued farming for two years; came to California, leaving 
his family, crossing the plains with an ox team, arriving in Nevada city, 
September 15, 1850, at which place he followed mining about five months, after 
which he went to Red Bar, Trinity river, going into partnership with J. B. 
Rentchler, where he remained about eight months, then went to San Francisco, 
going East via the Nicaragua route, landing in New Orleans, thence up the 
Mississippi river, Mr. Rentchler going to St. Louis and Mr. Turner stopping at 
Cape Girardeau, where he met his family.  After remaining there about two 
months, he again crossed the plains to this State with an ox team, accompanied 
by  his wife and six children and four men.  He arrived in Suisun valley, August 
28, 1852.  Five days after his arrival he left his family in a small cabin about 
four miles north of Suisun, under the protection of a gentleman, and he, with 
three men, went to Trinity river, to look after his mine he had previously 
located, but only remained about four days, and then returned home, settling on 
a farm about four miles north of Suisun, building a house, the timber for which 
he brought from the Napa red-woods.  In December, 1860, he came to his present 
farm of 238 acres, situated about four miles north-west from Suisun.  His wife 
died October 11, 1867.  The names of the children by this marriage are, John H., 
born September 12, 1840, and died July 9, 1866; Cebiner C., born May 13, 1842; 
Richard W., born December 27, 1843; Louisa J. Shaw, born January 2, 1846, died 
April 15, 1871; Juliette A., born April 21, 1847; William W., born February 4, 
1849; Thomas B., born November 4, 1853, and died January 28, 1876; Charles M., 
born August 19, 1855; Frank, born August 23, 1857, and died December 6, 1863.
            Mr. Turner again married, on September 27, 1871, Miss Salina V. F. 
Rogers, in Virginia, and the following are his children:  William H., born 
August 12, 1872; George R., born August 3, 1874; Edward, born September 19, 
1876, and died October 3, 1876; Leland J., born November 15, 1877.
 
History of Solano County � San Francisco, Cal. - Wood, Alley  & Co., East 
Oakland, pub 1879, pp 426