John Burton TURNER

                   NOTE: Thomas and wife also went to Alaska as the Yukon Gold Rush was an attraction to them. Their son Eric was about the same age as Ben, they left son Eric with John B and Maria for quite a while in the late 1800s.
                  

                   NOTE:George Abraham's nickname was "Abe."

   James "Chick" invested in fledgling movie industry. Brother Abe joined later. Nance played the piano at their T&D (Turner and Dahnkin) Theater in Oakland accompanying the silent films. A company by Silver Films (Ted sometimes called Tough and Dirty).

Occupation: Bar owner until Prohibition; Theater owner and manager.

George Turner was an industrious young man. He met and married May Doherty after the 1906 earthquake. May had been living with her tow sisters in San Francisco. After their marrige in San Francisco at St. Mary's Cathedral they moved to Fresno, CA where Geo became the proprietor of a succesful saloon in that city. All was going well until Prohibition Jan 16, 1919 and with all the bottles smashed George had to begin again and this time it was into the theater business in Salinas, CA. The theater business was very good to the Turner family. Salinas was not the first choice of a city to live, but after they moved they learned to love this small little town and its people. Geo died at the age of 56 after and appendectomy.
                  

                   NOTE: James Talton went by the nickname of "Chick."

   James "Chick" invested in fledgling movie industry. Brother Abe joined later. Nance played the piano at their T&D (Turner and Dahnkin) Theater in Oakland accompanying the silent films. A company by Silver Films (Ted sometimes called Tough and Dirty).

   History of Theater in September 2014 Report. Fredrich Dahnken Jr. was a partner with James Talton Turner in the movie theater business. Fredrich Dahnken Jr.'s father was also named Fredrich Dahnken and was an Emmigrant from Germany.  Fred Dahnken Jr. died in 1927 in a house fire in Salt Lake City, Utah.
                  

                   NOTE: Lillian Ellen's nickname was "Bridget."
                  

                   NOTE: William Grover was Mayor of Pillsbury/Pittsburg when it was known as Black Diamond. Nickname "Puss."
                  

                   NOTE: Frank died of pnuemonia.
                  

                   NOTE: Bertrum did not marry. Nickname "Bert."
                  

                   NOTE: Church Records show birth but no mention elsewhere. Possiblyy died at birth.
                  

                   NOTE: Nance was elected Golden Girl of Antioch and Ruth was Miss Personality. The sisters remained close all their lives, living together in San Leandro at the last.  

   After Ruth's divorce to Albert Yates, Ruth became Deputy County Assessor for Alameda County, where she stayed until retirement.

   In a letter to Dot (Dorothy): From the Turner Bible: Maria Agnes Fleming Turner (our grandmother); Sallie Mulhearn Fleming (our great grandmother); Mary Collins Mulhearn (our great great grandmother). 

   Patrick and Michael Collins were uncles (or great uncles?). Michael became a priest and moved to New York. Sallie Mulhearn married Frank Fleming, a farmer from Roscommon, Ireland. Three girls and two boys were born. The two boys died as babies-also their sister Kate. Frank Fleming came to America and died in New Orleans of Yollow Fever.

   Maria Agnes Fleming (our grandmother) was born in Dunsmore, County Galway, Ireland, in 1847. She sailed for San Francisco in 1869 with friends-Nellie Bruce and her five sisters. Nellie married a Doctor Bruce and our grandmother, Maria Agnes Fleming, met and married Captain John B. Turner shortly after her arrival. 

   Our grandfather, Captain John B. Turner was born in Saline County, Missouri on May 1, 1831. His father, Thomas Turner, was born in Albemarle County, Virginia. He died May 10, 1866 at the age of 56 in Antioch, Califronia. Thomas Turner, our great grandfather, was a pioneer in the great West and built the first fort in Missouri during the Black Hawk War. They crossed the plains in covered wagons in 1849 and engaged in the cattle business. In the 1850's Captain John Turner and his two brothers owned a steamboat which was called "The Antioch." It sailed on the San Joaquin and the Sacramento Rivers. There were no railroads in those days and they did a big business hauling freight and cattle and passengers.

   Our grandfather's mother, Catherine Turner, was born in Louisville, Kentucky. She died May 2, 1875 at 51 years 11 months and is buried in the family polot in Antioch. She was a very devout little Methodist and the old family bible shows the print of her pencil as she marked certain passages. Our grandmother Maria Fleming Turner, used to say she was so religious that wouldn't cook on Sunday.

   (Signed) Your lilttle Aunt Ruth

   The above is a letter to me from Aunt Ruth Bates and she ended it with "God bless them all and may they be in heaven. God bless you girls and your dear husbands and little families."

   Maria died peacefully in her daughter's Ruth's arms.
                  

                   NOTE: Ben Turner went to Alaska when he was 18 in 1904 for a year.

   When Ben, the youngest, was late coming home, all the brothers searched the town for him. He said that around every corner there would be another brother "helping" him on the way home. 

   Ben moved to Las Vegas, Nevada in its earliest days where he married Ruby Denny, whose family were the first settlers in the Seattle area. Their two sons Clyde and David live in Nevada with their families, as does Ruby.
   
Marriage Record: "This certifies that Ben J. Turner of Las Vegas, Nevada and Ruby Denny of Wauna, Washington were married at Los Angeles, Calif. 6 June 1936 by Ralph Walker, minister of Temple Baptist Church".  Witnessed by Margaret F. Paterson & Pat DeLulio.

Death & Burial: Funeral program for the services of Benjamin Joseph Turner: "Services for Benjamin Joseph Turner born January 8, 1887, died May 4, 1957. Rosary in Bunkers Brothers Chapel Tues. May 7, 1957 at 7:30 PM. Mass held at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church Wed. May 8, 1957 at 9:00 AM. Clergyman was the Reverend Elwood LaVoy. Interment in Mt. View Gardens of Memory."
Buried in Mt. View Gardens of Memory, Garden of Good Shepard, block 107, space 4, Las Vegas, Clark, Nevada at 10:00 AM on May 8, 1957. Passed at 7:12 PM May 4, 1957. Includes list of relatives and friends who attended his services.
                  

                   NOTE: Sadie Levinia went by the nickname "Nance."

   James "Chick" invested in fledgling movie industry. Brother Abe joined later. Nance played the piano at their T&D (Turner and Dahnkin) Theater in Oakland accompanying the silent films. A company by Silver Films (Ted sometimes called Tough and Dirty).

   Nance once swam across the San Joaquin River and back. It upset her borthers.

   Nance was elected Golden Girl of Antioch and Ruth was Miss Personality. The sisters remained close all their lives, living together in San Leandro at the last.  

   Nance met Thomas W. Blomberg at an Irish wake in Antioch and again at a dance. They won a Waltz contest which Nance fondly recalled. 

   They got married in Portland, Oregon when Nance was 30 years old. Tom died young at 43 years of Leukemia. 
Nance was appointed Deputy Sheriff of Alameda County, where she worked for 23 years. She worked at the Santa Rita Rehabilitation Center which was started by Sheriff H.P. (Jack) Gleason in 1947. She first served in the old Fifth Street jail in Oakland under former Sheriff Burton Becker and then the late Sheriff John Driver.

   Nance loved fresh catfish and often would catch enough to feed the whole family. She said, "They were so plentiful I could almost reach out and catch them by hand."

   The above was complied on the occasion of Thomas Turner Blomberg's daughter Mari's request for her 40th birthday. "Aunt Ruth's original notes, my mother's Bible and album were invaluable sources. My thanks to cousin Dot Turner Leahy and Aunt Ruby Denny Turner for their remembrances, my cousin Peter Frederickson for his research, and my wife Maren for giving it form. And to all the Turners past and present, my thanks for their colorful histories, which continue on." Thomas Turner Blomberg, Danville, California, July 15, 1993.