Jesse TURNER

Judge Jesse Turner
Supreme Court Judge of the State of Arkansas, member of House of Representatives of the Arkansas Legislature, a member of the State Senate,United States Attorney for Federal Western District.

The Hon.Judge Jesse Turner was born in Orange County,N.C., October 3,1805, and was a son of James and Rebecca (Clendenin) Turner.

At the age of eighteen he taught school, and at nineteen was a law student in the office of his early friend,William McCauley, Esq. In May, 1825, he was admitted to the bar at Ashboro, Randolph Co., N. C., and at once commenced the practice in the county court, and the following year he
was admitted to practice in the supreme court. In 1830 he immigrated to the western country, stopping for a few months at Bellefonte, Jackson Co., Ala. In the spring of 1831 he continued his journey westward to the Territory of Ark., when he finally located at Van Buren, the seat of justice of Crawford Co., soon after becoming one of its most influential citizens.

The first wife of Judge Turner was Violet P. Drennen, a native of Allegheny County, Penn., born in 1817.
This lady survived her marriage less than one year.
In the year 1855 the Judge married Rebecca J. Allen, a native of Warwickshire, England, but reared at Pittsburgh, Penn. This marriage was blessed with one son, Jesse Turner, Jr.

Judge Turner was an ardent admirer of Mr. Clay,and an active and conspicuous Whig politician from the early formation of the Whig party until it ceased to exist as a distinct political organization. In the terrible struggle between the North and the South, growing out of the slavery agitation, he was opposed to the secession of the Southern States from the Union, because not authorized by the fundamental law of the Government, and because otherwise impolitic and ruinous to the best interests of the South.
But when the war was over he sincerely desired a restoration of harmony and union between the lately warring sections. He therefore was opposed to the Government's policy of reconstruction, because he believed it calculated very greatly to estrange and embitter the sections, and utterly unworthy of the magnanimity and generosity of a
great and powerful government in the hour of its triumph over a prostrate and helpless people. In 1838 he was elected a member from the counties of Crawford and Franklin to the House of Representatives of the Arkansas Legislature, and in 1840 he took a very active part in
the canvass of that year, which resulted in the election of William Henry Harrison to the presidency. In 1841 he was appointed, by the Secretary of War, one of the committee to attend the examination of cadets at West Point, and in 1851, upon the establishment of the Western (Federal) District of Arkansas, was appointed United States
Attorney for that district. In 1861 he was elected a member, from the county of Crawford, of the famous convention that ultimately passed the ordinance of secession. In 1866-67 he was a member of the State
Senate, and took an active part in the deliberations of that body; was chairman of the judiciary committee, and in 1874-75 he was again a member of the State Senate from Crawford and Franklin Counties, when he again took an active part in the proceedings of that body, contributing his full share in building up the prostrated credit of the State. In 1878 he was appointed by Gov. Miller a judge of the supreme court, to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Judge David Walker. Judge Turner has always been a steadfast friend to every public and private improvement looking to the up-building and development of the State. He has been connected officially with the
Little Rock & Fort Smith Railway for many years, and is also connected officially with the Kansas & Arkansas Valley Railway, both of which enterprises are doing much, and will do a vast deal more, toward building up and adding to the wealth and prosperity of all Western Arkansas. Judge Turner's personal integrity, his high sense of honor and rare intellectual ability are recognized, not only by the community in which he lives, but throughout the State of his adoption.
For more than fifty-seven years he was a resident of the State of Arkansas, and during the greater part of this time was engaged in the practice of the law in the Western counties of the State, including the United States Court for the Western District of Arkansas and the supreme court of the State. He deservedly stands high in his chosen profession of the law, not only for ability and learning, but for his bearing and deportment at the bar, which is worthy of all praise. Touching his religious impressions he is a firm believer in the immortality of the soul, and in reward and punishment here and hereafter, corresponding to our actions in this life, and though not a member of any church, he is a very liberal and generous contributor to all charities.


Photo courtesy of Frances Allen Titsworth

Contributed on 6/14/22 by Billsully060
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Record #: 1436537

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