Rebecca Sinclair Turner Family Papers, 1776-1954
General International Standard for Archival Description
Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College500 College Avenue, Swarthmore, PA 19081-1399 Phone: (610) 328-8496 FAX: (610) 690-5728
Text converted and initial EAD tagging provided by Apex Data Services, May 2002.
Encoded Archival Description
Encoded Archival Description (EAD) Version 2002
collection
Turner Family Papers, 1776-1954
Rebecca Sinclair Turner (1795-1877)
Biographical History for: Turner Family Papers, 1776-1954
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.
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
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
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
Turner family
Friends' Indian Aid Association
series
Ser. 1. Biographical and genealogical material, 1663-1875, n.d.
Charts and miscellaneous genealogical notes collected primarily by Rebecca (Turner) Webb.
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
Copy of certificate of Joseph Turner and Sarah Corse
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
See Chart case: Marr, T.
Marriage certificate (non-Quaker) of John St. Clair and Elizabeth Williams.
Memorials, 1800-1908
Cassandra Corse (d. 1800)
Joseph Turner (d. 1841)
Richard Townsend Turner Jr. (d. 1908)
Wills, 1663-1875
William Turner
Creation of William Turner
Time of Creation of William Turner
Hannah Turner
Joseph Turner
Sarah Turner
Rebecca (Sinclair) Turner and codicil (6/24/1877)
Rachel Turner (draft)
Traveling Minutes, 1760
From East Nottingham for James Rigbie
From West River for James Rigbie
Ser. 2. Journals and Writings, 1797-1876
Joseph Turner, manuscripts
Creation of Joseph Turner, manuscripts
Time of Creation of Joseph Turner, manuscripts
Rebecca (Sinclair) Turner (1797-1877), 1845-1876
Petition to the Mayor of Baltimore regarding Chimney Sweeps
Creation of Petition to the Mayor of Baltimore regarding Chimney Sweeps
Time of Creation of Petition to the Mayor of Baltimore regarding Chimney Sweeps
Journal traveling in the ministry with Priscilla Cadwallader
Diaries
Richard Townsend Turner (1819-1892), 1836-1849
Journals and typescripts
Creation of Journals and typescripts
Time of Creation of Journals and typescripts
"The Turner Race"
Creation of "The Turner Race"
Time of Creation of "The Turner Race"
Martha Ellen (Birch) Turner (1840-1911), Poem, essay and drawing from school days
William B. Webb (1824-1894), "Style in Writing and Conversation"
Ser. 3. Correspondence, 1828-1954
Rebecca (Sinclair) Turner, 1828-1877
Letters and correspondence to family and friends
Creation of Letters and correspondence to family and friends
Time of Creation of Letters and correspondence to family and friends
Letters to Levi K. Brown
Creation of Letters to Levi K. Brown
Time of Creation of Letters to Levi K. Brown
Miscellaneous correspondence
Joseph Turner, III (1831-1865), letters written during the Civil War
Creation of Joseph Turner, III (1831-1865), letters written during the Civil War
Time of Creation of Joseph Turner, III (1831-1865), letters written during the Civil War
Richard Townsend Turner, Jr. (1845-1908) letters
Creation of Richard Townsend Turner, Jr. (1845-1908) letters
Time of Creation of Richard Townsend Turner, Jr. (1845-1908) letters
Turner family correspondence
Ser. 4. Business papers, 1776-1907
Arranged chronologically.
Indentures
Samuel and Hannah Rowland to her son J. Turner
Samuel and Hannah Rowland to J. Turner (and copy)
Power of attorney, John Corse to son-in-law J. Turner
Agreement between Samuel Marshall and Benjamin S. Roberts, trustees of Half Breed Lands
Opinion relative to rents
Indenture between Thomas Dorsey and wife and Joseph Turner Jr.
For land in Baltimore.
Opinion on Section 6 of Joseph Turner's will
Financial statements
Release by Thomas Mifflin to Joseph Turner
Release by Isaac Turner to Joseph Turner
Bill of lading and freight for chimney sweeping machine
Receipt for payment of sweeping machine
Document: Rebecca Turner guardian of Jos. Turner and Mary G. Turner.
Indenture between John and Elizabeth Sinclair and Rebecca Turner
Concerning Indian lands in Iowa.
Release of mortgage, Leah and Sarah H. Gale to Rebecca Turner and Richard T. Turner
Agreement, R. Turner with William and Laurence, Attys
Narrative account by Rebecca Turner
re: finanial matters of her husband with Robert Sinclair
Estate papers of Isaac Turner
Creation of Estate papers of Isaac Turner
Time of Creation of Estate papers of Isaac Turner
Deed of Richard and Eliz. Turner to Rachel B. Turner
Indenture of Alfred and Mary Underhill to R. Turner
Estate of Rebecca Turner
Creation of Estate of Rebecca Turner
Time of Creation of Estate of Rebecca Turner
Miscellaneous business papers of Rachel B. Turner
Creation of Miscellaneous business papers of Rachel B. Turner
Time of Creation of Miscellaneous business papers of Rachel B. Turner
Farmbook of Richard T. Turner Jr.
Creation of Farmbook of Richard T. Turner Jr.
Time of Creation of Farmbook of Richard T. Turner Jr.
Includes precise account of wages, livestock, orchards planted, etc. Indexed.
Ser. 5. Memorabilia, 1839-1774, n.d.
Invitations
Pictures
Rebecca (Sinclair) Turner, Rebecca (Turner) Webb, Anne Webb Janney, Henry Chandlee, William B. Webb, Rebecca Webb Holmes.
Filed with Individual Portraits.
Family of Charles Henry St. Clair of Morgan City, LA and Exeter, NH
These pictures remain in Box 5. Picture of painting of Old Lombard St. Meeting House filed with Meeting House Pictures.
School reports, and verse
Creation of School reports, and verse
Time of Creation of School reports, and verse
Skytop Highlander Banner
Placed in RG6, Box 11a5.
Ser. 6. Reference Material, n.d.
Indexes to letters made by Donald C. Turner
Cecil Meeting, historical notes
Printed items