%eadnotat; ]> 5152tufa Rebecca Sinclair Turner Family Papers, 1776-1954 FHL staff Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College. 1966 Text converted and initial EAD tagging provided by Apex Data Services, May 2002. ENG Rebecca Sinclair Turner Family Papers, 1776-1954 FHL staff Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College. 1966 Descriptive Summary Turner Family Papers, 1776-1954 RG 5/152 Rebecca Sinclair Turner (1795-1877) 5 boxes; 2.5 linear ft. Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College
500 College Avenue, Swarthmore, PA 19081-1399
Phone: (610) 328-8496 FAX: (610) 690-5728 This collection centers around the family and descendants of Joseph Turner, Jr., (1790-1850) and his wife Rebecca (Sinclair) Turner (1787-1877), members of Baltimore Monthly Meeting-Western District. They raised eight children and had fifty-four grandchildren. As a young man, Joseph left the family plantation near Still Pond, Kent County, Maryland, and became a lumber merchant in Baltimore. He served as Clerk of the Lombard Street Meeting. Rebecca was a recorded minister and traveled widely. She served on the Standing Committee on Indian Concern of Baltimore Yearly Meeting, the Friends Association in Aid of Freedmen and on the first Board of Managers of Swarthmore College, 1862-1868. The Turner Family Papers are significant for the source material they provide on Quaker family life in Baltimore and the Eastern Shore of Maryland in the 19th century. The manuscripts include extensive correspondence concerning the Indian Committee of Baltimore Yearly Meeting and records of goods sent to the Pawnee Agency in Nebraska. There is also a series of letters written during the Civil War by Joseph Turner (1831-1865), Rebecca Turner's diaries and her journal travelling in the ministry with Priscilla Cadwallader in 1850-1851, journals and correspondence of her son Richard Townsend Turner (1819-1892), and miscellaneous family papers. BIOGRAPHICAL/HISTORICAL

The Turner Family Papers are significant for the source material they provide on Quaker family life in Baltimore and the Eastern Shore of Maryland in the 19th century. The manuscripts include extensive correspondence concerning the Indian Committee of Baltimore Yearly Meeting and records of goods sent to the Pawnee Agency in Nebraska; also included is a series of letters written during the Civil War.

17th centuryThe Turner ancestors claimed land in Calvert County in 1653 and were associated with the Colonial Government of Maryland. From 1690 they were members of the Third Haven Meeting. Later they owned land in Kent County and were ministers and elders in Cecil Monthly Meeting until it was laid down in 1952. Through marriage they were related to Townsend, Bartlett, Corse (DeCourcy), Betterton, Rigbie, St. Clair and Yardley families. 19th centuryThis collection centers around the family and descendants of Joseph Turner, Jr. (1790-1850) and his wife Rebecca (Sinclair) Turner (1787-1877), members of Baltimore Monthly Meeting, Western District. They raised eight children and had fifty-four grandchildren. Joseph left the family plantation near Still Pond, Kent County, Maryland, and became a lumber merchant in Baltimore. He served as Clerk of the Lombard Street Meeting. Rebecca was a recorded minister and traveled widely. She served on the Standing Committee on Indian Concern of Baltimore Yearly Meeting, the Friends Association in Aid of Freedmen and on the first Board of Managers of Swarthmore College, 1862-1868.

Among the correspondents are: Rachel and Caleb Barker; Deborah Bringhurst; Levi K. Brown; John Comly; Jane M. Edgar; Jacob M. Ellis; Benjamin Ferris; Benjamin Hallowell; Rachel Hicks; Phoebe H. Howell; Cornelia Janney; Samuel M. Janney; George M. Justice; Mary S. Lippincott; Harriet I. Moore; William D. Parrish; Rachel Price; Mary L. and Rush Roberts; William Stabler; P.E. Thomas; Lydia M. Thorne; Anne W. and Jacob M. Troth; Martha E. Tyson; E.H. Walker; Deborah J. Wharton; Amos and Caroline Willets; and James Wood and the families of Sinclairs, Townsends, Underhills and Yardleys.

The family had a keen interest in education and were associated with a variety of schools including: Alexandria Boarding School; Eaton Academy, Kennett Square; Fair Hill Boarding School, Sandy Spring; Friends Free School, Darby, Pa.; Friends Boarding School, Providence, RI; McKim's School, Baltimore; New England Yearly Meeting Boarding School; Sharon Boarding School, Darby, Pa.; Samuel Smiths Boarding School, Wilmington; Southern Boarding School, Smyrna, Del.; Springdale Boarding School, Loudon County, Va.; as well as Swarthmore College.

 SCOPE AND CONTENT

The Turner Family Papers are significant for the source material they provide on Quaker family life in Baltimore and the Eastern Shore of Maryland in the 19th century. In addition to family correspondence, the papers include extensive correspondence concerning the Indian Committee of Baltimore Yearly Meeting and records of goods sent to the Pawnee Agency in Nebraska. There is also a series of letters written during the Civil War by Joseph Turner (1831-1865), Rebecca Turner's journals (1865, 1866, 1871-1876) and her journal of travelling in the ministry with Priscilla Cadwallader in 1850-1851, journals and correspondence of her son Richard Townsend Turner (1819-1892), and miscellaneous family papers, including a detailed farmbook detailing wages, livestock, etc., kept by Richard Townsend Turner, Jr., 1865-1907.

 Arrangement

The collection is divided into six series:

Biographical and genealogical Journals and writings Correspondence Business papers Family memorabilia Reference material ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Accession information

Donor: Rebecca Janney Timbres Clark Taylor, 1966

Donor: Mr. & Mrs. Jesse H. Holmes, 1972, /1978, 7/1983, 10/1983

Donor: Donald C. Turner, 1983

The collection was given by Rebecca Janney Timbres Clark Taylor, the daughter of Oliver Edward Janney and Anne B. Webb Janney and granddaughter of Joseph and Rebecca Turner. Additions were deposited by Jesse and Rebecca (Webb) Holmes. She was the daughter of Rebecca Sinclair Webb and also a granddaughter of Joseph and Rebecca Turner. Donald C. Turner, grandson of Richard Townsend Turner and great-great grandson of Joseph and Rebecca Turner, gave the genealogical papers and additional family letters in 1983.

 Access

Collection is open for research

 Use Restrictions

Copyright has not been assigned to Friends Historical Library All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in to the Director. Permission for publication is given on behalf of Friends Historical Library as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by reader.

 Preferred Citation

[Indicate the cited item or series here], Turner Family Papers, 1776-1954, Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College

 Processing information

Received unprocessed. Originally the bulk of the collection was related to the work of Rebecca (Sinclair) Turner. Material was added later by Donald C. Turner which includes journals and correspondence of her son Richard Townsend Turner (1819-1892) and his son Richard Townsend Turner, Jr. (1845-1908). Also, Betterton family correspondence (1829-1842) and a letter from Joseph Turner, Jr. to his father from Southern Boarding School. Sorted and placed in RG 5.

 Bibliography

For biographical and genealogical data see

The Turner Family of "Hebron" and Betterton, Maryland, by Henry Chandlee Forman, Waverly Press Baltimore, 1933. BX7791.T88F7 Related Material

See also:

RG 5/072, O. Edward Janney Papers RG 5/210, Donald C. Turner Papers RG 5/026, Rebecca Timbres Clark Papers SELECTED SEARCH TERMS

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Friends Historical Library (TRIPOD). Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search the catalog using these headings: Researchers are advised to search by subject and author, when applicable.

Quakers --Maryland--Kent County Quakers -- Civil War, 1861-1865 Civil War, 1861-1865 --Quakers Quaker Women Ministers --Quaker Maryland - Quakers Maryland - Farming Quakers -- Social life and customs Quakers - Diaries -- 19th century Turner family Society of Friends -- Theology Baltimore (Md.) -- Charities Baltimore (Md.) - Quakers Baltimore Yearly Meeting of Friends (Hicksite: 1828-1968) - Joint Committee on Indian Affairs (1869-1892) Abolitionists - Quakers Social reformers - Quakers Church work with the poor -- Society of Friends Church work with Indians -- Society of Friends Indians of North America -- Government relations- -1869-1934 Indians of North America -- Missions Quakers -- Indians of North America Quakers -- Social Service--United States Society of Friends -- Indians of North America Society of Friends -- Missions -- United States Society of Friends -- Nebraska Friends' Indian Aid Association Cadwallader, Priscilla, 1786-1859 Turner, Rebecca Sinclair, 1795-1877 Turner, Joseph, Jr., 1790-1850 Turner, Richard Townsend, 1819-1892 Turner, Richard Townsend, Jr., 1845-1908 Turner, Joseph, III, 1831-1865 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE RECORDS

Note to Researchers: To request materials, please note both the location and box numbers shown below:

 Ser. 1. Biographical and genealogical material, 1663-1875, n.d. Charts and miscellaneous genealogical notes collected primarily by Rebecca (Turner) Webb. 1

Names include: St. Clair/Sinclair, Turner, Webb, Williams, Bartlett, Corse, and Rigbie.

 Documents relating to marriage, 1789-1804: Letter of marriage approval for Joseph Turner from his mother Hanna Turner R. to Cecil MM 9/14/1789 1 Copy of certificate of Joseph Turner and Sarah Corse 12/16/1789 1

In notebook with copy of memorials of Joseph Turner (1765-1841) and Cassandra (Rigbie) Corse (1746-1800)

 Marriage certificate of Joseph Turner and Sarah Mifflin 11/15/1804 1

See Chart case: Marr, T.

 Marriage certificate (non-Quaker) of John St. Clair and Elizabeth Williams. 5/26/1796 1 Memorials, 1800-1908 Cassandra Corse (d. 1800) 1 Joseph Turner (d. 1841) 1 2 copies Richard Townsend Turner Jr. (d. 1908) 1 Wills, 1663-1875 William Turner 1663 1 photocopy Hannah Turner 7/12/1772 1 Joseph Turner 1/18/1834 1 Sarah Turner 1 3/2/1843 Rebecca (Sinclair) Turner and codicil (6/24/1877) 11/10/1875 1 Rachel Turner (draft) n.d. 1 Traveling Minutes, 1760 From East Nottingham for James Rigbie 7/26/1760 1 From West River for James Rigbie 8/29/1760 1 copies Ser. 2. Journals and Writings, 1797-1876 Joseph Turner, manuscripts 1797-1812 1 Rebecca (Sinclair) Turner (1797-1877), 1845-1876 Petition to the Mayor of Baltimore regarding Chimney Sweeps 1845-1846 1 Journal traveling in the ministry with Priscilla Cadwallader 12/21/1850-2/1/1851 1 Diaries 1865, 1866, 1871-1876 1 Richard Townsend Turner (1819-1892), 1836-1849 1 Journals and typescripts 1836-1839 8 journals 1 "The Turner Race" 1849 1 Martha Ellen (Birch) Turner (1840-1911), Poem, essay and drawing from school days 1 William B. Webb (1824-1894), "Style in Writing and Conversation" 1 Ser. 3. Correspondence, 1828-1954 Rebecca (Sinclair) Turner, 1828-1877 Letters and correspondence to family and friends 1828-1877 2 Letters to Levi K. Brown 1865-1873 3 Miscellaneous correspondence 1849, 1858-1871 1872-1875 3 Joseph Turner, III (1831-1865), letters written during the Civil War 1861-1866 3 Richard Townsend Turner, Jr. (1845-1908) letters 1894-1907 3 Turner family correspondence 1803-1910, 1935, 1940, 1954 4 Ser. 4. Business papers, 1776-1907

Arranged chronologically.

 Indentures Samuel and Hannah Rowland to her son J. Turner 9/8/1776 5 Samuel and Hannah Rowland to J. Turner (and copy) 7/29/1788 5 Power of attorney, John Corse to son-in-law J. Turner 3/29/1790 5 Agreement between Samuel Marshall and Benjamin S. Roberts, trustees of Half Breed Lands 4/6/1839 copy 5 Opinion relative to rents 10/7/1842 5 Indenture between Thomas Dorsey and wife and Joseph Turner Jr. 6/24/1844 5

For land in Baltimore.

 Opinion on Section 6 of Joseph Turner's will 7/9/1845 5 Financial statements 9/1/1845, 11/19/1845 5 Release by Thomas Mifflin to Joseph Turner 12/19/1845 5 Release by Isaac Turner to Joseph Turner 7/11/1846 5 Bill of lading and freight for chimney sweeping machine 1/1847 5 Receipt for payment of sweeping machine 1/22/1847 5 Document: Rebecca Turner guardian of Jos. Turner and Mary G. Turner. 7/26/1850 5 Indenture between John and Elizabeth Sinclair and Rebecca Turner 12/4/1850 5

Concerning Indian lands in Iowa.

 Release of mortgage, Leah and Sarah H. Gale to Rebecca Turner and Richard T. Turner 2/26/1851 5 Agreement, R. Turner with William and Laurence, Attys 4/25/1854 5 Narrative account by Rebecca Turner n.d. 5

re: finanial matters of her husband with Robert Sinclair

 Estate papers of Isaac Turner 1852-1888 5 Deed of Richard and Eliz. Turner to Rachel B. Turner 10/28/1870 5 Indenture of Alfred and Mary Underhill to R. Turner 5/1/1871 5 Estate of Rebecca Turner 1874-1881 5 Miscellaneous business papers of Rachel B. Turner 1890-1901 5 Farmbook of Richard T. Turner Jr. 1865-1907 5

Includes precise account of wages, livestock, orchards planted, etc. Indexed.

 Ser. 5. Memorabilia, 1839-1774, n.d. Invitations 1861-1874, n.d. 5 Pictures Rebecca (Sinclair) Turner, Rebecca (Turner) Webb, Anne Webb Janney, Henry Chandlee, William B. Webb, Rebecca Webb Holmes. PA 100

Filed with Individual Portraits.

 Family of Charles Henry St. Clair of Morgan City, LA and Exeter, NH 5

These pictures remain in Box 5. Picture of painting of Old Lombard St. Meeting House filed with Meeting House Pictures.

 School reports, and verse 1839-1860 5 Skytop Highlander Banner RG 6

Placed in RG6, Box 11a5.

 Ser. 6. Reference Material, n.d. Indexes to letters made by Donald C. Turner 5 Cecil Meeting, historical notes 5 Printed items 5