William Turner (1853-1889)

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William Turner, the second son and middle child of Thomas and Elizabeth Turner, has proved very difficult to trace at this stage. William was born at Port Adelaide almost 11 months after the death of his sister, Elizabeth Ann, which demonstrates that his father was getting consistent work at the Port as a sawyer. They were still there 4 months later when William was baptised in Holy Trinity Church in Adelaide. But, by 1856, the family was at Canowie, and William spent the early years of his life travelling with them to various country locations where work was available (Redruth and Upper Wakefield being two other locations).

Penfield
When his mother remarried in 1864, William was 10 years old, and inherited 9 step-sisters when he moved into the Teague home at Penfield. We have no details of his early life other than to assume he was bought up in a similar manner to his brothers, being educated at home and assisting in farm labouring tasks.

Crystal Brook
The next reference to William that we have is not until 1881, when upon the death of his grandfather John Rowe, William and his brothers inherited 158 pounds 15 shillings between them ( it should be noted, however, that the SA Directories list a William Turner, bargeowner of Port Pirie for the late 1870s). Succession duty statements say that at the time Thomas Brown, William and James were all of Crystal Brook. All we can assume at this stage is that William moved up to the Crystal Brook area at the same time as his brother.

William lived on what is known as Bowman family land according to the Crystal Brook Assessment books (begun in 1887). The Bowman land was resumed by Government during 1871 and resettled by farmers from 1872-3 onwards. William owned sections 628, 636 & 637 which was 29 acres, including buildings and land. He also owned small blocks from section 32 through to 41 along the Crystal Brook Creek, 11 acres in all and all were adjoining.

Possible Marriage
Whether William married or not is unclear. His death certificate does not give any indication. There is a marriage certificate in existence naming a William Turner, farmer at Laura, whose age and name of father matches our William. Laura was a town to the east and slightly north of Crystal Brook. The bride’s name was Catherine Cook of Laura, aged 36, and the couple were married in the home of her father, James Cook of Clare. Details of the Cook family of Clare are limited at present, so research into Catherine’s family may yield more concrete information.

If this is our William, there appears to be no children from the marriage, or at least none that were recorded in the SA Births: 1842-1906, Index to Registrations. It makes more sense when you consider that our William contracted Tuberculosis only 2 years into the marriage. If it is our William, it also appears that he returned to Crystal Brook as his brother James did when flooded out in approximately the late 1880s. William’s trade at Crystal Brook was as a teamster, and wheat carting in those days was done by bullock teams. The teams bought the grain from a very wide area to be shipped at Samuel’s Creek (later to be known as Solomontown).

Tuberculosis
William suffered from Tuberculosis for 3 years before dying on May 12th, 1889, aged only 35 years (incorrectly written on his death certificate as 25). His death certificate stated that he was a teamster of Crystal Brook, and that his brother Thomas Brown Turner was the informant. His death certificate was one of the earlier types that did not ask for the deceased’s birthplace, marital status, or number of issue. Place of death was Crystal Brook and the assumption is that he is buried there. The Bowman family had responsibility of the cemetery up to 1872 and the Crystal Brook Council did not take over responsibility of it until 1892, so the years in-between are unclear.