My Genealogy Hound

JOHN MANLEY TURNER, general agent of the Equitable Life Assurance Society and a resident of Northampton since 1866, was born April 22, 1829, in Mansfield, Conn., son of Benjamin and Desire (Calkins) Turner.

Mr. Turner is of Puritan ancestry, being a lineal descendant of John M. Turner, one of the courageous band that landed on Plymouth Rock from the historic “Mayflower” in 1620. He did not survive the rigors of the first New England winter he experienced, but died before spring, leaving three sons, one of whom was the progenitor of the subject of this sketch. The paternal great-grandfather of Mr. Turner was Seth Turner. His son, Prince Turner, was a well-known resident of Mansfield, Conn., being an innkeeper on the old turnpike for many years. He married, and reared two children, Benjamin and Eunice Turner. Eunice lived about sixty-eight years. Prince Turner died quite suddenly at the age of fifty-six years. His widow survived him, dying at the age of seventy-seven years.

Benjamin Turner was a well-to-do farmer, and also carried on an extensive wholesale and retail mercantile business. He resided in Mansfield, and was a shrewd business man. His wife was a daughter of James and Betsey (Dunham) Calkins, and their wedding was celebrated in 1803. She was of Scotch antecedents, her grandfather, the Rev. James Calkins, having emigrated from Scotland, the country of his birth, to Connecticut, where he was put in charge of the Presbyterian church of Willington. Her parents were lifelong residents of Willington, both living to good old age, and leaving two sons and two daughters.

John Manley Turner was a regular attendant at the district school until thirteen years of age, when he was placed under the instruction of Dr. William H. Richardson, with whom he studied six years. When seventeen years old, before completing his education, he taught school for three terms, at the same time pursuing his studies. At the age of twenty he was appointed assistant superintendent of schools with the Rev. A. R. Livermore in his native town, holding that office and still studying and teaching by turns. He was subsequently appointed the first Selectman of the town. He afterward taught in the graded school at Tolland, Conn., finally going to Rockville in 1855 as principal of the high school, and having the charge of all the schools. He retained this position eleven years, during which he acquired a high reputation as an educator. He looks back upon that period now as the most useful decade of his life. While in Rockville, he was clerk of the First Congregational Church and superintendent of the Sunday-school; and he became an honorary life member of the Foreign Missionary Society. He was noted in educational circles, and for several years was Vice-President of the State Teachers’ Association. In 1868 Mr. Turner established the firm of Turner, Walker & Co. in the general insurance business, which was carried on until 1876, when Mr. Turner retired. The following year Mr. Turner became general agent for the Equitable Life Assurance Society. He is also a large dealer in real estate, making, without doubt, some of the heaviest sales in that line ever made in this county. He has accumulated a fine property, and owns in Glenwood, Volusia County, Fla., an orange grove that produces three thousand boxes of oranges a year.

Mr. Turner was united in marriage at South Glastonbury, Conn., in 1850 to Elizabeth L. Sanders, who died in 1880. The only child born of their union was a daughter, Lizzie M., who became the wife of Gilbert A. Christie, and died childless January 8, 1892. Mr. Turner is a Master Mason, and is an esteemed member of the First Congregational Church.