Individual Details
Orsamus Turner
(23 Jul 1801 - 21 Mar 1855)
Said to be the sixth of nine children of Roswell Turner.
The name has been a curiousity to me. I did find that living in Richmond in Ontario Co about the time Orsamus was born, was one Oresimus Risden, a blacksmith.
Turner served as an apprentice printer on the "Palmyra Register" and the "Ontario County Repository" at Canandaigua. In 1822 he published the "Lockport Observatory". He was a Democrat and a Mason. Took the census as a U.S.Marshal in 1830.
Orsamus Turner was author of "Phelps and Gorham Purchase" and "The Holland Purchase" histories of Western New York.
On p.202 of "Phelps and Gorham Purchase" he mentions himself as "the author of this work" and a son of Roswell Turner.
In 1850, Orsamus was living in Lockport, Niagara Co NY. His family made their home in an Inn managed by Nathan Whillock. I suspect the ages may have been estimated in many cases. His age is given as 55, Eliza as 40, Julia 10 and William 15. All born in New York.
Buried in Cold Spring Cemetery, Lockport NY.
Events
| Birth | 23 Jul 1801 | Richmond, Ontario County, New York |  | ||
| Marriage | 10 Feb 1834 | Batavia, Wyoming County, New York - Juliza E. Bush | | ||
| Death | 21 Mar 1855 | Lockport, Niagara County, New York | |
Families
| Spouse | Juliza E. Bush (1806 - 1893) |
| Child | William B. Turner (1835 - ) |
| Child | Juliza A Turner (1840 - ) |
| Father | Roswell Turner (1766 - 1809) |
| Mother | Catherine "Caty" Allen (1766 - 1817) |
| Sibling | Horace S. Turner (1795 - 1844) |
| Sibling | [Daughter] Turner ( - ) |
| Sibling | Margaret Turner (1798 - 1831) |
| Sibling | [Daughter] Turner ( - ) |
| Sibling | Chipman Phelps Turner (1806 - 1890) |
Endnotes
1. Orsamus Turner; Introduction by S. George Ellsworth, Western Historical Quarterly; Vol. 6, No. 4; Oct 1975 "The Pioneer Settler upon the Holland Purchase, and His Progress" pp.425-435, Vol. 6, No.4. October 1975; pp.425-435.
2. Orsamus Turner; Introduction by S. George Ellsworth, Western Historical Quarterly; Vol. 6, No. 4; Oct 1975 "The Pioneer Settler upon the Holland Purchase, and His Progress" pp.425-435, Vol. 6, No.4. October 1975; pp.425-435.
3. Harry S. Douglass, Historical Wymoning; Vol 12, No. 2; Jan 1959 "Orsamus Turner, Pioneer Historian" pp.33-46, Vol. 12, No. 2; January 1959. Cover, and p.34-46.
4. Orsamus Turner; Introduction by S. George Ellsworth, Western Historical Quarterly; Vol. 6, No. 4; Oct 1975 "The Pioneer Settler upon the Holland Purchase, and His Progress" pp.425-435, Vol. 6, No.4. October 1975; pp.425-435.
5. Harry S. Douglass, Historical Wymoning; Vol 12, No. 2; Jan 1959 "Orsamus Turner, Pioneer Historian" pp.33-46, Vol. 12, No. 2; January 1959. Cover, and p.34-46.