Sacramento County Biographies

WILLIAM TURTON

Transcribed by: Nancy Pratt Melton

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

      

SACRAMENTO TOWNSHIP.
Page 293.
 
TURTON & KNOX. William F. Knox was born in Boone county, Virginia, in 1827, and 
remained until 1849, engaged in building. He then came to California, settling 
in Sacramento. He is a member of the firm of Turton & Knox, general contractors. 
The firm built the railroad from Sacramento to Niles Station for the Western 
Pacific Railroad Company; from Watsonville to Soledad on the Southern Pacific 
Railroad; from Healdsburg to Cloverdale on the North Pacific Railroad; from Galt 
to lone on the Amador branch; also the N. C. N. G. R. R. from Colfax to Nevada 
City. Mr. Knox was appointed by Governor Irwin as one of the Commissioners of 
the Sacramento River Drainage District. He was President of the Sacramento 
Society of California Pioneers for one term. He was Second Trustee and 
ex-officio Street Commissioner for six years. In 1857 he married Miss H. A. 
Farnsworth, a native of Virginia, who came across the Plains in 1850. They have 
two sons and two daughters.  WILLIAM TURTON crossed the Plains from Milwaukee, 
Wisconsin, in 1849; arrived at Bidwell's Bar, on Feather river, in October. He 
married Miss Ellen Kaye, in Milwaukee, in 1846. They have one son and four 
daughters. He resides on the southwest corner of O and Seventh streets. 
 
Source: History of Sacramento County, California With Illustrations 1880 by 
Thompson & West.