Return to main file

JOHN TURNER (say 1620–1695/7), son of Humphrey Turner

MARY BREWSTER (b. 1627), daughter of Jonathan Brewster and Lucretia Oldham


John Turner was born say 1620. [1] He died between 4 March 1695 and 22 January 1697.

John Turner the Elder of Scituate married Mary Brewster on 10 or 12 November 1645. [2][3][4]

Mary was the daughter of Jonathan Brewster and Lucretia Oldam of Derby. [4] She was born on 16 April 1627. [2]

John Turner is referred to as John, Sr. in the records because he had a younger brother who was also named John. It was not that unusual to have two children with the same name at that time in England. However, it suggests that the two Johns might be half brothers.

John was in the Scituate section of the 1643 list of mem able to bear arms. [1]

John Turner, Sr. was chosen a surveyor of highways for Scituate on 5 June 1651. He was chosen constable on 8 June 1655. [5]

John Turner, Sr., was on a committee to divide the remaining common land in Scituate on 26 February 1673. Drawing the third lot, he received 75 acres in Scituate on 4 June 1673. [6]

John Turner, Sr. of Scituate made his will on 4 March 1695. He mentioned his wife Mary, his sons Jonathan and Joseph (whom he named his executors), his sons Ezekiel, John, Elisha and Benjamin, his grandchildren Isaac Turner, John James, Thomas Prince, Margaret Turner and Alice Prince. His will was proved on 22 January 1697. [7] Alice and Thomas Prince were children of Thomas Prince. [8]

Children of John Turner and Mary Brewster: Births and baptisms recorded in Scituate as the children of John, Sr. [9]

i. Jonathan Turner was born on 20 September 1646. He was baptized in March 1649. He married first Martha, the daughter or granddaughter of Deacon Thomas Bisbee of Scituate in 1677. [10] She died on 24 March 1687. [10] Jonathan married second Mercy Hatch. [10] Mercy was born on 15 April 1655. [10]

Jonathan lived in Scituate and had 11 children. [10]

ii. Joseph Turner was born on 12 January 1647/[8?]. Joseph, the son of John, Sr., died on 15 January 1647/[8?] in Scituate. [9]

iii. Deacon Joseph Turner was born on 12 January [!] 1649. Deacon Joseph, the husband of Bathshua, died on 13 February 1724, age 75, in Scituate. [9] He married Bathsheba, the daughter of Reverend Peter Hobart and the widow of John Leavitt, Jr. [10] Joseph and Bathsheba are buried in the Second Parish Cemetery in Norwell, Plymouth county. [11]

Joseph was a tanner in Scituate. [10]

iv. Ezekiel Turner was born on 7 January 1650. He died on 16 January 1703/4 in New London. [10] He married Susannah Keeney on 26 December 1678 in New London. [10] Susannah, the daughter of John and Sarah (Keeney) of New London, was born on 6 September 1662. [10] The widow Susannah Turner married second Joseph Miner on 26 August 1706 in New London. [12] Joseph, the son of Clement and Frances Miner, was born on 6 August 1666 in New London. [12] He died on 26 April 1752, age 86, in New London. [12] He married first Elizabeth Comstock on 12 March 1682. [12]

v. Lydia Turner was born on 24 January 1652. She died on 20 June 1714 in Scituate. [10] She married first John James in 1675 in Scituate. [10] He was killed by Indians in 1676. [10] She married second William Barrell on 20 April 1680. [10] William was the son of William Barrell of Boston. [10] Lydia and William are buried in the Second Parish Cemetery in Norwell. [11]

vi. John Turner was born on 30 October 1654. He married Abigail Padeshall. [10] She was "probably" the daughter of Richard and Abigail Padeshall of Boston. [10]

John and Abigail lived in Scituate and had six children. [10]

vii. Elisha Turner was born on 8 March 1656. Lieutenant Elisha died on 24 April 1700 in Scituate. [9] Elisha married Elizabeth Jacob on 6 June 1687 in Scituate. [9] Elizabeth, the daughter of John and Mary (Russell) Jacob of Hingham was born on 11 April 1666 in Hingham. [10]

Elisha and Elizabeth had six children. [10]

viii. Mary Turner was born on 10 December 1658. She died on 10 December 1738 in Hull. [10] She married Captain Isaac Prince on 28 December 1697 in Scituate. [10] Isaac was the son of Elder John and Alice (Honor) Prince of Hull. [10] He was baptized on 9 July 1654 in Hull. [10]

Isaac and Mary lived in Hull and had 11 children. [10] Isaac was a sea captain. [10]

ix. Benjamin Turner was born on 5 March 1660. He died on 12 August 1748 in Scituate. [9] He married Elizabeth Hawkins on 14 April 1692 in Scituate. [9]

Benjamin lived in Scituate and had seven children. [10]

x. Ruth Turner was baptized on 17 May 1662. She died in Duxbury. [10] She married first Captain Thomas Prince in December 1685 in Scituate. [10] Thomas was the brother of Ruth's sister Mary's husband. [10] He was baptized on 8 August 1658. [10] He died in Barbados in 1696. [10] Ruth married second Israel Sylvester. [10]

Thomas and Ruth lived in Boston. Thomas was the commander of the brig Dolphin and other Boston vessels. He sailed to Europe and the West Indies for 19 years. [10]

xi. Isaac Turner was baptized on 30 April 1665. He probably died before 4 March 1695, when he was not mentioned in his father's will. [10]

xii. Grace Turner was bapitzed on 2 August 1668. She died on 1 June 1734 in New London. [10] She married as his second wife Judge Richard Christophers on 3 September 1691. [10] Richard, the son of Christopher and Mary Christophers of New London, was born on 13 July 1662 in Cherston Ferres, Devonshire and died on 9 June 1726 in New London. [10] Richard and Grace are buried in the Ancient Cemetery in New London. [11] Richard married first [Grace's first cousin] Lucretia Bradley, the daughter of Elizabeth Brewster and granddaughter of Jonathan Brewster. [10]

Richard was a judge of the county court and court of probate. He was elected assistant of the Upper House of the Connecticut General Court in 1703. He left a large estate and had ten children. [10]

xiii. Colonel Amos Turner was bapitzed on 4 June 1671. He died on 13 April 1739. He married Mary Hyland.

References:

1. "The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England 1620-1633, Volumes I–III," digitized book, AmericanAncestors (https://www.americanancestors.org/DB393/i/12107/1845/23896204), citing Robert Charles Anderson, The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England 1620–1633, 3 vols. (Boston: New England Historical and Genealogical Society, 1995).

2. Lucy Hall Greenlaw, "Early Generations of the Brewster Family," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 53 (1899): 109–14.

3. Nathaniel Shurtleff, Records of the Colony of New Plymouth: Court Orders, vol. 2, 1633–1644 (Boston, William White, 1855), 94, 12 November.

4. "The Brewster Book," Mayflower Descendant 1 (1899): 8, written by Jonathan Brewster.

5. Records of the Colony of New Plymouth, vol. 2: 168; 3: 79.

6. Jeremy Dupertuis Bangs, The Seventeenth-Century Town Records of Scituate, Massachusetts, 3 vols. (Boston: New England Historical Genealogical Society, 1997, 1999, 2001), vol. 1: 57–59.

7. "Plymouth County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1686–1881," online database, AmericanAncestors, case 21382, citing records supplied by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Archives (https://www.americanancestors.org/DB1558/i/20958/21382-co6/45584234).

8. Vital Records of Scituate, Massachusetts: To the Year 1850, 2 vols. (Boston: New England Historic and Genealogical Society, 1909), 1: 300.

9. Vital Records of Scituate, 1: 369–83 (births); 2: 300–8 (marriages); 2: 454–8 (deaths).

10. Emma C. Brewster Jones, The Brewster Genealogy: 1566–1907, vol. 1 (New York: Grafton Press, 1908), 15–16.

11. Deacon Joseph Turner," Findagrave (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/142909378/joseph-turner). "Bathsheba Hobart Turner," Findagrave (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/22726306/bathsheba-turner). "Lydia Turner Barrell," Findagrave (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/74351211/lydia-barrell). "WIlliam Barrels," Findagrave (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/74351310/william-barrels). "Grace Turner Christophers," Findagrave (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/31683454/grace-christophers). "Richard Christophers," Findagrave (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/11349730/richard-christophers).

12. "Connecticut Town Records, pre 1870 (Barbour Collection)," Ancestry, New London Records, 1646–1854, pp. 252, 303–5.


©a. buiter

02-Nov-2020