John Turner

John Turner was born Nov 16 1751 in Montville, New London, CT. About 1760, he came to Nova Scotia with his parents, John Turner, also born Montville, and Bathsheba Whipple. His father was the great great grandson of Humphrey Turner born 1593 in Devonshire, Kent, England, who left with his wife Lydia to settle in Scituate, Plymouth, MA where the family passed the next 3 generations. In his search for good farmland, John’s father had become a grantee in Horton Township.

At Horton, young John met and married Ame Witter, daughter of Samuel Witter and Sarah Calkins, in 1773. About ten years later they moved across the bay to settle in Harvey where they raised their 11 children. His son Isaac was a shopkeeper, farmer, lumberman and exporter. Isaac’s son, Gaius Samuel Turner,20MPP owned the Turner Shipyard which saw 20 ships built and launched at Harvey. He was also a merchant, invested heavily in the Albert Southern Railroad and was elected to the House of Assembly.