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Facts and Events
John Turner was baptised on 28th May 1765 at Heckington in Lincolnshire, son of Elizabeth Turner, formerly Gray, and her husband Philip Turner, a farmer. He was the couple's fifth child, but two of his older sisters had already died. There were another five children after John. When John was eight years old his older brother Philip died, leaving John as the eldest surviving son.
John's father Philip died in 1803, when John was 37 years old. Under Philip's will John and his brother Edward were to inherit the farmland in Heckington, and John was also to inherit some land at Asgarby. John's mother Elizabeth was to be allowed to continue living in the westernmost room of the house for her lifetime rent free.
John did not marry until 1st May 1811, when he was about 46 years old. His wife was Sarah Allen, who was about 12 years his junior and from the nearby village of Kirkby la Thorpe. Sarah already had a son named John, who had been baptised in 1809 - and it would seem that John Turner was the also the father of young John Allen - John Turner described John Allen as his son in his will.
John and Sarah had another four children together between 1812 and 1820. By the time the youngest was born, John was 55 years old. John's mother Elizabeth died in 1818.
John's first known grandchild was born in 1833, being the illegitimate daughter of John's son Edward. Whether John was therefore aware of or acknowledged this grandchild is unknown. She appears to have been his only grandchild to have been born in his lifetime.
On 12th June 1838, John wrote his will. His real estate, comprising houses and land in the parishes of Heckington and Asgarby, was left to his sons John Allen and Edward Turner, but with provision that his wife Sarah should be allowed to carry on living in the westernmost room of the house and received £25 a year for the rest of her life from the estate. The similarity between John's will and his father's will in terms of stipulating that their widows should be allowed to live in the westernmost room of the house strongly suggests that John was living in the same farmhouse that his father had owned. Two daughters, Mary and Elizabeth, are also mentioned in the will - they were to receive £200 each, and were directed to stay living with their mother until they married. No mention is made of his daughter Ann, who presumably had died. John's personal estate (not counting the value of the real estate) was given as under £450. John appointed his wife Sarah, brother Edward (who was a farmer at Bicker a few miles to the south-east) and a farmer named John Christopher as executors.
John died on 31st August 1839 aged 74 and was buried on 5th September 1839 at Heckington, where he had lived his whole life. The notice announcing his death in the local newspaper described him as "much respected". Sarah outlived him by 12 years.
References
- ↑ Church of England. Parish Church of Heckington (Lincolnshire). Parish registers, 1559-1968. (Lincoln, England: Lincoln Archives Office, 1993).
Anno 1765
John son of Philip Turner farmer & Elizabeth his wife Bap[tize]d May 28
This baptism has been linked to the John Turner who married Sarah Allen on the basis that it is at the right time to match the age quoted at his burial, in the same parish in which the adult John married, had his children and was buried. The John baptised in 1765 had a brother called Edward, who corresponds to the Edward Turner of Bicker mentioned in the adult John's will. The adult John also gave one of his daughters the name Elizabeth Gray Turner, and the maiden name of the mother of the John baptised in 1765 was Elizabeth Gray. The John who married Sarah Allen was a farmer owning land in Heckington, and the John baptised in 1765 was son of a farmer, inheriting his father's farm in 1803. We therefore conclude the John baptised in 1765 was the same person as the John who married Sarah Allen in 1811.
- ↑ Lincstothepast.
Will - Turner, John accessed 3 Apr 2013
Name: Turner, John
Place: Heckington, Lincolnshire
Repository: Lincolnshire Archives
Reference: LCC Wills/1840/356
Transcript:
This is the last Will and Testament of me John Turner of Heckington in the County of Lincoln Farmer in manner following that is to say First I give and devise all that my Messuages or Tenements Lands and Premises and all other of my Real Estate whatsoever situate and being in the Parishs [sic] of Heckington and Asgarby in the County aforesaid Subject nevertheless as after mentioned unto my Two Sons John Allen and Edward Turner their Heirs and Assigns for ever to take and hold the same as Tenants in common and not as joint Tenants Provided and I do hereby direct that my said Sons do and shall permit and suffer my dear Wife Sarah Turner to have the use and occupation of the Westermost [sic] Room and chamber over the same in the House I now live in together with the Fixtures and Furniture of every description now in the aforesaid Rooms during the Term of her natural Life without paying any Rent or other Consideration or acknowledgement for the same, and I do hereby direct that my Two Daughters Elizabeth Gray Turner and Mary Turner to live and remain together with my Dear Wife in the aforesaid Rooms during the said Term above mentioned or untill thay [sic] shall think fit to Marry. Also I give and bequeath unto my said Wife Sarah Turner One Annuity or yearly Rent Charge of Twenty five Pounds of lawful Money of Great Britain for and during the Term of her natural Life which said Annuity I do hereby direct shall be Issuing and payable out of my said Messuages or Tenements Lands and Hereditaments hereinbefore devised to my said Sons John Allen and Edward Turner as Tenants in Common to be paid Clear of all deductions by equal Quarterly payments on the four most usual Days of Payment in the Year (that is to say) the Twenty fifth day of March the Twenty fourth day of June the Twenty ninth day of September and the Twenty fifth day of December in every year, The first payment thereof to begin and be made on such of the said days as shall first happen next after my Decease, And if the said annuity or yearly Rent or part of it shall be behind and unpaid by the space of Fourteen days after any of the days or times whereon the same ought to be paid as aforesaid that then and so often and at any time or times thereafter it shall and may be lawful to and for my said Wife and her Assigns into all or any part of my said Real Estate charged therewith respectively to enter and distrain and the distress and distresses then and there found to take lead drive carry away and impound and inpound to detain and keep or otherwise to sell and dispose of untill the said Annuity and Yearly Rent Charge or part in which default of payment shall be made as aforesaid together with all Arrears thereof shall be fully paid and satisfied. Also I give and bequeath unto my Two Daughters Elizabeth Gray Turner and Mary Turner the sum of Two Hundred pounds apiece to be paid One Hundred pound apiece at the Expiration of Two Years next after my Decease and one Hundred Pound apiece at the Expiration of Four years next after my Decease, which said two mentioned Legacies I will and direct shall carry Interest after the rate of Five Pounds per centm. per Annum from the time of my Decease and I charge my Real Estate at Heckington and Asgarby aforesaid in aid of my Personal Estate with the Payment of the said Annuity and the Two Legacies accordingly. All the rest residue and Remainder of my personal Estate and Affects whatsoever (Subject to the payment of my just Debts the aforesaid Annuity and the Two Legacies and Funeral Expenses) I give and bequeath unto my said Sons John Allen and Edward Turner. And I do hereby Constitute and apoint [sic] joint Executrix and Executors my Dear Wife Sarah Turner and my Brother Edward Turner of Bicker Farmer in the said County of Lincoln and John Christopher of Heckington aforesaid Farmer Trustess of this my last will and Testament to Divide share and distribute my said Estates both Real and personal according to the true intent and meaning of this my Will and also to assertain [sic] and divide the money to be paid by my Two Sons John Allen and Edward Turner in discharge of a debt due and Owing upon the said Estates in Equal proportion as thay [sic] can Allowing to themselves all such necessary expences as thay [sic] shal [sic] from time to time be put about the Business Thereof I the said John Turner the Testator have to this my last Will and Testament set my hand and seal This Twelfth Day of June in the year of our Lord One Thousand eight Hundred and Thirty eight signed seald [sic] Published and Declared by the above named Testator as and for his last will and Testament in the presence of us who hereunto subscribed our names as Witnesses to the same in the presence of the said Testator and of each Other
John Turner [seal]
Wm Durance
Robert Brice
John Clarricoats
One the third day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty Sarah Turner the Executrix and John Christopher one of the Executors within named were duly sworn and at the same time made oath that the whole of the personal estate and effects of the deceased at the time of his death did not amount in value to the sum of four hundred and fifty pounds power being reserved to make the like grant to Edward Turner the other executor therein named when he shall pray the same
Before me
Richard Yerburgh
Surrogate
The testator died on the 31st day of August 1839
- Deaths index, in General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration. (London: General Register Office).
d. John TURNER, September Quarter 1839, Sleaford Registration District, Volume 14, page 306, aged 74 [1764/5]
- ↑ Burials register, in Church of England. Parish Church of Heckington (Lincolnshire). Parish registers, 1559-1968. (Lincoln, England: Lincoln Archives Office, 1993).
| BURIALS in the Parish of Heckington in the County of Lincoln in the Year 1839 | | No. | Name | Abode | When buried | Age | By whom the Ceremony was performed | | 831 | John Turner | Heckington | September 5th | 74 years | Cha[rle]s De la Cour, Vicar |
- Stamford Mercury, in United Kingdom. The British Newspaper Archive
Page 3, Friday 6 Sep 1839.
DIED.
At Heckington, on Sunday last, aged 74, Mr. Turner, much respected.
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