James Turner
Encyclopedia
James Turner was the 12th Governor
of the U.S. state
of North Carolina
from 1802 to 1805. He later served as a U.S. senator
between 1805 and 1816.
Turner was born in Southampton County, Virginia
; his family moved to Warren County, North Carolina
in 1770. Raised in a family of farmers, Turner served in the North Carolina volunteer militia during the American Revolutionary War
in 1780. He served under Nathanael Greene
alongside Nathaniel Macon
, with whom he formed a lasting friendship and political alliance.
In 1798, Turner was elected to the North Carolina House of Commons; he served there from 1799 to 1800, and served in the North Carolina Senate
from 1801 to 1802. In 1802, the General Assembly elected John Baptista Ashe
governor, but he died before he could assume office; Turner was chosen in his place and sworn in on 5 December 1802. He served the constitutional limit of three one-year terms and, at the end of this time as governor, was elected to the United States Senate
when Montfort Stokes
resigned before serving the term to which he had been elected.
Turner served as a senator for eleven years, re-elected to a second term in 1810, resigning due to ill health in 1816. During his time in office, he supported the administration of James Madison
during the War of 1812
.
Turner was married three times; first to Marian Anderson in 1793 (they had four children), then to Ann Chocran in 1802, with no children, and finally to Elizabethg Johnston in 1810 (resulting in two children). Turner died in 1824 and is buried on his "Bloomsbury" plantation in Warren County
. In addition to Bloomsbury, he owned a second home, "Oakland," in present-day Vance County
.
Governor of North Carolina
The Governor of North Carolina is the chief executive of the State of North Carolina, one of the U.S. states. The current governor is Bev Perdue, North Carolina's first female governor.-Powers:...
of the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
from 1802 to 1805. He later served as a U.S. senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
between 1805 and 1816.
Turner was born in Southampton County, Virginia
Southampton County, Virginia
As of the census of 2010, there were 18,570 people, 6,279 households, and 4,502 families residing in the county. The population density was 29 people per square mile . There were 7,058 housing units at an average density of 12 per square mile...
; his family moved to Warren County, North Carolina
Warren County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 19,972 people, 7,708 households, and 5,449 families residing in the county. The population density was 47 people per square mile . There were 10,548 housing units at an average density of 25 per square mile...
in 1770. Raised in a family of farmers, Turner served in the North Carolina volunteer militia during the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
in 1780. He served under Nathanael Greene
Nathanael Greene
Nathanael Greene was a major general of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War. When the war began, Greene was a militia private, the lowest rank possible; he emerged from the war with a reputation as George Washington's most gifted and dependable officer. Many places in the United...
alongside Nathaniel Macon
Nathaniel Macon
Nathaniel Macon was a spokesman for the Old Republican faction of the Democratic-Republican Party that wanted to strictly limit the United States federal government. Macon was born near Warrenton, North Carolina, and attended the College of New Jersey and served briefly in the American...
, with whom he formed a lasting friendship and political alliance.
In 1798, Turner was elected to the North Carolina House of Commons; he served there from 1799 to 1800, and served in the North Carolina Senate
North Carolina Senate
The North Carolina Senate is one of the two houses of the North Carolina General Assembly.Its prerogatives and powers are similar to those of the other house, the House of Representatives. Its members do, however, represent districts that are larger than those of their colleagues in the House. The...
from 1801 to 1802. In 1802, the General Assembly elected John Baptista Ashe
John Baptista Ashe (delegate)
John Baptista Ashe was an American planter, soldier, and statesman from North Carolina. He was born in Rocky Point township of Pender County, North Carolina in 1748, the son of Samuel Ashe. During the American Revolutionary War, he served in the North Carolina Line of the Continental Army, rising...
governor, but he died before he could assume office; Turner was chosen in his place and sworn in on 5 December 1802. He served the constitutional limit of three one-year terms and, at the end of this time as governor, was elected to the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
when Montfort Stokes
Montfort Stokes
Montfort Stokes was an American Democratic politician who served as U.S. Senator from 1816 to 1823, and the 25th Governor of North Carolina from 1830 to 1832....
resigned before serving the term to which he had been elected.
Turner served as a senator for eleven years, re-elected to a second term in 1810, resigning due to ill health in 1816. During his time in office, he supported the administration of James Madison
James Madison
James Madison, Jr. was an American statesman and political theorist. He was the fourth President of the United States and is hailed as the “Father of the Constitution” for being the primary author of the United States Constitution and at first an opponent of, and then a key author of the United...
during the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
.
Turner was married three times; first to Marian Anderson in 1793 (they had four children), then to Ann Chocran in 1802, with no children, and finally to Elizabethg Johnston in 1810 (resulting in two children). Turner died in 1824 and is buried on his "Bloomsbury" plantation in Warren County
Warren County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 19,972 people, 7,708 households, and 5,449 families residing in the county. The population density was 47 people per square mile . There were 10,548 housing units at an average density of 25 per square mile...
. In addition to Bloomsbury, he owned a second home, "Oakland," in present-day Vance County
Vance County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 42,954 people, 16,199 households, and 11,647 families residing in the county. The population density was 169 people per square mile . There were 18,196 housing units at an average density of 72 per square mile...
.
Sources
- Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States, 1789-1978, Robert SobelRobert SobelRobert Sobel was an American professor of history at Hofstra University, and a well-known and prolific writer of business histories.- Biography :...
and John Raimo, eds. Westport, CT: Meckler Books, 1978. (ISBN 0-930466-00-4) - North Carolina Historical Marker GrandSon James Moody Turner