William Iredell Turner (June 7, 1812 – October 28, 1881), also occasionally and erroneously referred to as William J. Turner, was a Florida pioneer and a soldier who helped establish Bradenton, Florida and Parrish, Florida.[1][2]
William Iredell Turner | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 7, 1812 |
| Died | October 28, 1881 |
| Known for | Helping to found Bradenton and Parrish. |
| Spouse | Isabell |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance |  United States Confederate States |
| Service/ | United States Army Confederate States Army |
| Years of service | 1828-1837 1860-1865 |
| Rank | Colonel |
Turner was born in Virginia on June 7, 1812. When he was about sixteen years old, he enlisted in the military.[3] He fought during the Second Seminole War, during which time he was injured in the neck.[4] He was discharged from the military in August 1837 but returned to a militia role during the American Civil War, where he served as a Colonel for the Florida State Militia and commanded Fort Brooke in 1861.[5] Prior to the Civil War Turner owned and ran Oak Hill,[6] the largest plantation in Alachua County, Florida.
Turner was a proponent of secession and had unsuccessfully run for a seat in the Florida House of Representatives.[4] However, he is known to have been elected to the Florida Senate in 1865.[7]
Turner died on October 28, 1881, and is buried alongside his wife Isabella at the Parrish Cemetery.[8]
Referenced edit
- ^ Gibson, Pamela N. (1983). Major William Iredell Turner: Town Founder Extraordinaire. Bradenton, Florida.
- ^ Favorite, Merab-Michal (2013). Bradenton. Arcadia Publishing. p. 17. ISBN 9780738590783.
- ^ Waters, Zack C. (2018). "Tampa's Forgotten Defenders: The Confederate Commanders of Forte Brooke". Sunland Tribune. 17 (3).
- ^ a b Taylor, Paul (2001). Discovering the Civil War in Florida: A Reader and Guide. Pineapple Press Inc. pp. 168–169. ISBN 9781561642359.
- ^ Taylor, Paul (16 December 2018). Discovering the Civil War in Florida: A Reader and Guide. Pineapple Press Inc. ISBN 9781561642359 – via Google Books.
- ^ O'DONNELL, CHRISTOPHER. "Old Florida in Parrish". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Retrieved 2019-01-23.
- ^ Turner, William (October 15, 1975). "Speech by Mrs. William S. Turner, Jr. "Major William I. Turner"". Manatee County Public Library System: Digital Collection. p. 7. Retrieved 2020-12-30.
- ^ "Bradenton makes American Style Magazine's Top 25 Cities list". bradenton.