Samuel K. Turner

TURNER, WITCHENTHAL, HARKNESS, GISINGER, RENWICK, ROBBINS

Posted By: Peter Gausmann (email)
Date: 1/1/2010 at 07:19:02

SAMUEL K. TURNER

There is probably no resident of Lake Mills with a wider or more favorable acquaintance throughout the county than Samuel K. Turner. He has made his home in the town for many years but has continued to engage in farming and has met with gratifying success in that connection. Moreover, for more than three decades he has been either deputy sheriff or constable. He was born March 10, 1856, in Fennimore, Grant county, Wisconsin, and is a son of James and Harriett (Brown) Turner. The former was born in Lancashire, England, and the latter in Belgium but when a child was taken by her parents to Virginia. In early manhood the father emigrated to the United States and located in Lancaster, Wisconsin, where he farmed until the discovery of gold in California. In 1849 he made the long journey to the Pacific coast and was more successful there than the average miner as at the end of three years he returned to Wisconsin a wealthy man. He took up his residence in Fennimore and became the owner of three hundred and twenty acres of valuable land in that locality, engaging in raising grain and stock until he enlisted as second lieutenant of a Wisconsin Infantry Company for service in the Civil war. He was at the front for a year and a half, or until the close of hostilities, and when honorably discharged held the rank of captain. When peace had been restored he returned to Wisconsin and continued to reside there during the remainder of his life. He died in 1870, when sixty-three years of age, from the effects of a wound received in battle. He was one of the foremost citizens of his section of the state and for a term filled the important position of state treasurer. He was a brother of the well known General Turner, who was killed in battle at the beginning of the Boer war. The mother of our subject survived until 1890, passing away at the advanced age of seventy-seven years.

Samuel K. Turner was reared upon the homestead and in the acquirement of his education attended the public schools. When he reached mature years he look charge of the operation of the home place and also bought and sold horses, so continuing until 1876. In that year he came to Winnebago county, Iowa, and the following year, in partnership with his brother, purchased a half section of land which is now worth one hundred and fifty dollars an acre but which they bought for four and a half dollars an acre. They never operated that place and in fact sold it after a few years. Mr. Turner of this review removed to Lake Mills and for three years engaged in the livery business, and at the same time served as deputy sheriff under J. H. Twito and M. C. Wheeler. He retained that office for eleven years. Since the end of his connection with the sheriff's office, or for twenty-three years, he has been constable, and has made a splendid record. While still living in Wisconsin he was deputy sheriff for five years and the number of times he has been called to office testifies to the high esteem in which he has always been held by his fellow citizens. In 1893 he bought a quarter section of land in Logan township and although continuing to reside in Lake Mills he has farmed that place himself save for three years when he rented it to others. He understands thoroughly the various phases of agricultural work, is industrious and progressive, and his annual income ranks him among the substantial men of his county. He is also a stock holder in the Farmers Elevator Company and the Mutual Telephone Company and for thirty-five years he has engaged in auctioneering, during which time he has cried many sales occurring in the county. Although the activities enumerated are seemingly sufficient to require all of his time and energy he also practiced as a veterinarian from the age of fifteen years until two years ago, retiring from that work in 1915.

Mr. Turner was married September 24, 1884, to Miss Minnie Witchenthal, and to them were born five children, Ethel H., who married Earl Harkness; Lulu B., who married Gus Gisinger, Beulah F., who married Dr. L. R. Turner, of Renwick, Iowa; Lyle K., who enlisted at the age of seventeen years in Troop M of the Thirteenth Minnesota Cavalry and served eighteen months with that command, being stationed at Columbus, New Mexico, and El Paso, Texas; and Glenn F.

The wife and mother died January 12, 1899, and on the 10th of October, 1900, Mr. Turner was married to Mrs. Luretta M. (Robbins) Kyle, of Lake Mills, the widow of the late John A. Kyle, who was the owner and editor of the Lake Mills Graphic.

Mr. Turner is a stanch adherent of the republican party and discharges to the full his civic duties and has served with credit as a member of the town council. Fraternally he belongs to the Masonic order and the Modern Woodmen of America.

Source: History of Winnebago County and Hancock County, Iowa: A Record of Settlement, Organization, Progress and Achievement, Vol. II. Pioneer Publishing Company (Chicago), 1917. p. 279-280.