Gardner Stilson Turrill
Home < 1907 Bios

Greene County IAGenWeb

 

What's New | Bios | Birth/Marr/Death | Cemeteries | Census | Courts | Directories/Lists | Family | History | Maps | Military | Photos | Resources | Schools

1907 Past and Present Biographies

Gardner Stilson Turrill

Gardner Stilson Turrill, vice president of the Bee Publishing Company, and one of the influential factors in political as well as business circles in Jefferson, his native city, was born on the 29th of November, 1870. His father, Hall A. Turrill, was born in Livingston county, New York, on the 17th of May. 1839, and is descended from an old family of English origin that was represented in the Revolutionary war. Hall A. Turrill was a school teacher in early life and a graduate of the Nunda Literary Institute, New York. Following the completion of his school course, he devoted his energies to teaching in and near the place of his nativity and afterward became agent for the Pennsylvania Railroad Company at Pittsfield, Pennsylvania, where he remained for four years. Following the outbreak of the Civil war he espoused the cause of the Union, enlisting as a member of Company G, Two Hundred and Eleventh Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, at Titusville, Pennsylvania, in 1864. He then served until the close of hostilities and was mustered out at Washington, D. C., June 9, 1865. He took part in the grand review in the capital city, where the great Union army marched through the streets in the most celebrated military pageant that has ever occurred on the western hemisphere. Mr. Turrill held the rank of first corporal, participated in the battle of the Crater at Petersburg, took part in the Richmond campaign and was present at the fall of the city of Richmond.

When the war was over he returned to the north and in 1867 came to Jefferson, Iowa, where he engaged in teaching in public schools. He became a most prominent factor in the educational development of this part of the state and from January, 1878, until January, 1886, he was county superintendent of schools. Then. on account of failing health, he retired and was succeeded in the office by his wife, who served two years. He died on the 19th of November. 1891, in Schuyler, Nebraska, in the faith of the Baptist church, of which he had been a devoted member from the age of fourteen years. He was a very active worker in the church and at one time served as church treasurer. He belonged to the Masonic and Odd Fellows fraternities and was also a member of George H. Thomas post, G. A. R., and also the Knights of Pythias. In politics he was a republican and, aside from the position of county superintendent, he held minor oflices, discharging all duties with promptness, fidelity and capability. His life, however, was largely given to educational work and he proved a most capable instructor, doing much to promote the best interests of the schools. He wedded Mary E. Stilson, who was born. in Akyjab, Burma, India, August 13, 1843, a daughter of the Rev. Lyman Stilson, a minister of the Baptist church and a missionary of that society to Burma, India. He was associated with Adoniram Judson, the first missionary to Burma, who was her first Sunday school teacher. Mrs. Turrill’s father returned to the United States when she was nine years of age and took up their abode at Nunda, New York, where she completed her education by graduation from Nunda College. It was there that she met her future husband and they were married in Nunda on the 14th of April, 1868. They had four children: Gardner S.; Mary L., the wife of Edwin W. Mecum, who is pastor of a Baptist church in Los Angeles, California; Boyd B., who died in infancy; and Will H. A., who is a magazine publisher in Chicago.

Gardner S. Turrill was a student in the public schools of Jefferson until he was graduated from the high school as a member of the class of 1888. In the fall of the same year he entered the Iowa State University at Iowa City, where he spent two years. In the meantime his father removed to Schuyler, Nebraska, and Mr. Turrill left college in order to join him there, for the father was in declining health and needed the aid of the son. The latter accepted the position of city editor of the Daily Telegram at Columbus, where he remained for two years, and upon the death of his father, he joined his mother at Schuyler, where for one year he published the Schuyler Sun, the only republican paper of the county. In January, 1894, he bought a half interest in the Saturday Souvenir at Jefferson, Iowa, and in a few months purchased the interests of the founder of the paper, W. M. Ferguson. He then conducted this journal alone for two years, when he sold a half interest to his brother-in-law, Victor H. Lovejoy, at which time the firm name of Turrill & Lovejoy was assumed. In 1900, however, Mr. Turrill purchased Mr. Lovejoy’s interests, although the latter remained in active connection with the paper until its consolidation with the Bee in 1903. At that time a stock company was formed under the name of the Bee Publishing Company, with the following officers: Frank J. Stillman, president; G. S. Turrill, vice president; and Paul E. Stillman, secretary. These are the sole owners of the paper, which is an excellent sheet, devoted to the dissemination of general and local news. Because of its large subscription list it proves an excellent advertising medium and both departments of the business are proving profitable. Mr. Turrill is also interested in real estate, having considerable valuable property here.

On the 24th of November, 1892, Mr. Turrill was married to Miss Lillian E. Lovejoy, who was born in Old Rippey, Greene county, lowa, January 31, 1873, and is a daughter of Dr. James C. and Emeline Lovejoy. Mr. and Mrs. Turrill have six children: Lillian E., May E., Gardner S., Park L., Russell H. and Paul E.

The parents are devoted and faithful members of the Baptist church and Mr. Turrill is affiliated with most of the branches of Masonry. He is also a past noble grand in the Odd Fellows lodge, a past chancellor commander of the Knights of Pythias, and in addition to taking the degrees of the blue lodge, chapter and commandery in Masonry, he is also a member of the Mystic Shrine. He likewise belongs to the Sons of Veterans and is popular in all these different organizations, the beneficent spirit of which finds exemplification in his life. He is, moreover, very influential in local political circles and his opinions also carry weight in the state councils of his party. In 1895 he was secretary of the republican state convention and the following year was chairman of the republican county central committee. He has been a delegate to several state and judicial conventions and has always taken an active interest in politics, keeping well informed on the questions and issues of the day and doing all in his power to secure the adoption of the principles in which he believes. He was appointed postmaster of Jefferson in 1897 and took charge of the oflice on the 1st of March of the following year. He has since been continued in this position, now serving for the third term, and his administration of the office has been most satisfactory to the public. Mr. Turrill and his family occupy a beautiful new residence, which is one of the fine homes of Jefferson, and in his native city he occupies an enviable position in business, social and political circles.


Transcribed from "Past and Present of Greene County, Iowa Together With Biographical Sketches of Many of Its Prominent and Leading Citizens and Illustrious Dead,"
by E. B. Stillman assisted by an Advisory Board consisting of Paul E. Stillman, Gillum S. Toliver,
Benjamin F. Osborn, Mahlon Head, P. A. Smith and Lee B. Kinsey, Chicago: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1907.


Copyright
Site Terms, Conditions & Disclaimer