Shaver, F. A., Arthur P. Rose, R. F. Steele, and A. E. Adams, compilers.  "An
Illustrated History of Central Oregon." ("Embracing Wasco, Sherman, Gilliam,
Wheeler, Crook, Lake, & Klamath Counties")  Spokane, WA: Western Historical
Publishing Co., 1905.  p. 466.
 
WILLIAM H. TURNER

     is one of Sherman county's progressive, energetic and skillful farmers. He
resides two miles west from Rutledge postoffice and has a fine estate. He was
born in New York, March 21, 1866, the son of George and Louisa (Seeley) Turner.
The father was born in Hartford, Connecticut and died when our subject was nine
years of age. He came from an old American family.  The mother's parents were
born in New York and their parents were natives of England. The Seeley family is
well known as one of the prominent families in New York and New England and many
professional and educational men were among them. The mother's father, lost his
eyesight when forty years of age, through overwork while clearing land for his
home in Cortland county, New York. He was a pioneer settler and had taken land
there and when his eyesight was nearly gone, he suffered the additional trouble
of having to resist unprincipled men who tried to drive him from his property.
They even went so far as to fire shot guns at him. Still he persevered and
afterward bought peace and was left alone. Our subject still today owns the. old
place of sixty six acres where he resided until nine years of age. His uncle
helped till the place until he entered the State Normal school. The uncle is
Professor Felix E. Seeley who taught in the high schools in Michigan, Wisconsin
and New York and in later years came west and farmed near DeMoss Springs for ten
years. He is now engaged in real estate and loaning in San Francisco, being a
prominent and worthy citizen. After his father's death, he assisted his mother
in working out to pay for the little home place and he continued at the same
until fifteen, when he determined to come west and seek his fortune. He gave his
mother all his money, except enough for his fare and he landed in Wasco county
with just six cents in his pocket. He was on the second train that had come over
the Northern Pacific. Scott and McCoy ran a store in Grant and when our subject
was trying to purchase a nickel's worth of crackers and cheese, Mr. Scott
gruffly asked him if he had no more money. Mr. Turner replied, "No." Scott then
said, "Go to the hotel and I will stand good." Mr. Turner feeling independent,
said he would not, as he had one cent left. Scott insisted and took him to the
hotel with instructions for the hotel man to keep him until he could find work.
Our subject went to work cutting wood for the hotel keeper and while thus
employed Michael King, a Scotchman with a broad brogue and a throat disease,
came along and addressed Mr. Turner with the idea of hiring him: but owing to
the difficulties mentioned, our subject could understand nothing except the
man's profanity. However, a bargain was finally made and he went to work tending
camp for forty-five dollars per month, which money he sent to his mother as soon
as he earned it. Then he went to work at eighty-five dollars per month and
remarks to this day that he felt nearly frightened to death to receive that much
money for one month's labor when he had only gotten thirteen and one-half
dollars for his work in the east. Mr. Turner staved two years with Mr. King and
during that time he sent for his mother, who married William Currie a year after
she came here. After his mother came, our subject went to freighting and
prospered exceedingly, but like the other freighters, he spent his money freely
but was careful to take a preemption, homestead and timber culture, which forms
his estate at the present time. Mr. Turner owns the lead mare which he used for
fifteen years, she now being twenty-one years old. Her intelligence is almost
human and he would not part with her under any circumstances. In addition to
doing freighting and handling his estate, our subject worked with his
step-father on a threshing outfit which he later owned and they conducted the
business until the present time. Mr. Turner is a prosperous man, has many
friends and is one of the leading citizens of the county.
     On October 12, 1903, Mr. Turner married Jennetta Leonard. She was born in
Ontario, Canada, on April T2, 1887, the daughter of Charles and Jennetta (Bain)
Leonard, natives of Canada and Scotland, respectively, and now dwelling in
Sherman county, their home at the head of Sherar's grade, seven miles up from
the bridge. Mr. Turner is an only child; his wife has one brother. Alien, and
four sisters, Lizzie, Carrie, Georgia and Nora.


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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in November 2010 by Diana Smith.
Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned
above.