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Mary Frances (White) Turner
(1844-1904)

Mary Frances (White) Turner was born in 1844 in Maryland, the daughter of Perry G. and Charlotte (McClatchey) White. Her husband -- seen here -- was a veteran of the Civil War. Their descendants hold an annual reunion every year in Fayette County, PA.

As a young girl, Mary Frances and her parents moved to Wharton Twp., Fayette County, where her father was a construction contractor on the National Turnpike. Mary was but a young girl when her mother died, and her father remarried Mariah Minerd.

Mary Frances married George Washington Turner (1840-1923), the son of John and Eliza Grace Turner. They had nine children -- Sophia Inks, John Perry Turner, Ulysses S. "Grant" Turner, Charles S. Turner, Homer W. Turner, Lydia Heltebran, Charlotte "Lottie" B. Turner and Frank George Turner.

A Uniontown newspaper once said Mary Frances "was a faithful wife and a kind christian mother."

During the Civil War, George enlisted in the Army on Aug. 20, 1862. He was assigned to Company E of the 16th PA Cavalry. In late April 1863, while at Warrington, VA, and suffering from some sort of physical disability, George was sent to a general hospital in Alexandria, VA, where he remained for some time. While hospitalized, he missed his regiment's participation in the Battle of Gettysburg. In mid-March 1864, apparently his health not improving, George was transferred to the Invalid Corps

After the war, said the Uniontown (PA) Daily News Standard, the Turners resided "six miles from Ohiopyle Falls." A rare old postcard of the world-famous falls is seen at right, set against the backdrop of the "Little Alps of America." 

When the federal census was taken in 1900, the Turners were listed as living on the outskirts of Ohiopyle. Also residing in the home that year were daughter Charlotte and son Frank, with son Charles residing several doors away.

Mary Frances passed away at age 61 at home on Sept. 23, 1904. She was laid to rest at Bryner Ridge Cemetery, also known as Middle Ridge Cemetery, near Ohiopyle. The Daily News Standard carried her obituary, naming her father and living siblings.

George outlived Mary Frances by nearly two decades. 

He married a second time to Flora (Hull) Turner (1877-1953). George and Flora were nearly four decades apart in age. , and were together when the federal census was enumerated in 1910. They may have had two more children, Mary Turner and William Turner.

At the age of 83, George died on April 21, 1923, at age 83. He was laid to rest beside Mary Frances at Bryner Ridge. His newspaper obituary, published April 26, 1923, discreetly said George was "known as 'Daddy Turner', in his 80th year, died Saturday at his home near town from old age... He is survived by his wife and a number of children."

~ Daughter Sophia (Turner) Inks ~

Daughter Sophia Turner (1866-1931) married Thomas J. Inks (1865-1917) in 1885. They had one child, who died sometime prior to 1900. After Thomas' death in 1917, Sophia married Warren Dean ( ? - ? ). Stepchildren from her marriage to Dean were Charles Dean, Robert Dean, Minnie Dean, Aaron Dean, Aurella Dean, Laura Dean, Florence Dean and George Dean. She passed away at her home in Keisterville, Fayette County, on Oct. 25, 1931. After the funeral at the Keister Church, she was laid to rest at the Cove Run Cemetery.

~ Son John Perry Turner ~

Son John Perry Turner (1868-1951) married Lillian Mae Yates (1878-1953) and later moved to Butler, Butler County, PA. He is seen at left, seated on the bumper of a favorite automobile. They were members of the First Methodist Church in Butler. Their children were Mary G. Williams, Ethel Mae McMillen, Samuel Joseph Turner, Susie Elma Brown and Charles P. Turner. Tragically, son Charles drowned in July 1937 when he fell off a sand barge into the Chesapeake Bay. John died at the age of 83 on Nov. 26, 1951, at the home of his son Samuel in Butler. His obituary was published in the Butler Eagle newspaper, with burial in the Rose Hill Cemetery. The Eagle said he was survived by 13 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren.

~ Son Ulysses "Grant" Turner ~

Son Ulysses "Grant" Turner (1869-1948) married Maryetta Hilling ( ? -1947). They had two children, Maude Harttell and Grant Turner Jr. Circa 1946, when two of Grant's brothers died in separate events, Grant was named in the Connellsville Daily Courier and Uniontown newspaper obituaries as residing in Mt. Braddock, Fayette County. Maryetta died on March 25, 1947. Grant followed her to the grave a year later, in 1948. He was laid to rest in the Percy Cemetery near Uniontown. 

• In the late 1940s, son Grant Turner Jr. resided in Tacoma, WA. 
• Daughter Maude Turner (1896-1989) married Milton Hartzell, a civil engineer. The Hartzells moved to Fayetteville, Franklin County, PA, and and three children -- George Turner Hartzell, Ida Mary Kistler (1921- ? ) and Mary Ellen Moyle (1924- ? ). George resided in Fayetteville and worked there for a construction company. He is said to have published a book, Book of Life, regarding genealogy.

~ Son Charles S. Turner ~

Son Charles S. Turner (1870-1957) is believed to have married sisters Flora Hull (1877-1953 and Grace Hull (1884-1931). Charles and Grace were 14 years apart in age. Charles is seen at right in an undated portrait. They resided near Chalk Hill, Fayette County. In all, Charles had 10 children -- Robert M. Turner of Chalk Hill, Nancy Leonard of Greenbrier, Pearl M. McCartney of Uniontown, Bessie G. Smith-Sorrels of Chalk Hill, Theodore R. Turner of Evans Station, Luella M. Thompson of Farmington, Eugene Charles Turner of the US Navy, Cornelia F. Turner, Apostle "Paul" Turner and Raymond Turner. Circa 1910, the Turners resided in Rostraver, Westmoreland County, PA. Sadly, Grace died at home as she neared her 48th birthday on Oct. 20, 1931. She rests for eternity in the Leonard Cemetery at Chalk Hill. Charles lived in Uniontown, Fayette County circa 1951. 

• Son Robert M. Turner (1899-1946) married Mabel Weimer ( ? - ? ). They lived at 105 Chestnut Street in Uniontown. The Turners had one daughter, Betty Guthrie. Robert died in the Uniontown Hospital at the age of 47 on April 17, 1946. His place of burial is the Leonard Cemetery.
• Daughter Cornelia F. Turner (1916-1935) passed away at the age of 19, following an illness of four months' duration, on April 10, 1935. Following funeral services held at the home of her married sister, Pearl McCartney, she was laid to rest in the Leonard Cemetery in Chalk Hill, near Uniontown. 
• Daughter Luella Turner (1909-1958) married James Thompson ( ? - ? ). They resided on the Chalk Hill-Ohiopyle Road near Uniontown. The Thompsons had three children -- Viola King, Hazel Clender and James R. Thompson. They attended the Chalk Hill Methodist Church. Luella passed away at the age of 49 on Feb. 3, 1958. She was interred in the Sunset View Cemetery. 
• Son Theodore R. "Ted" Turner (1907-1970) married Viola Moreland ( ? - ? ). They resided in Uniontown for many years and later in 1964 moved to nearby Belle Vernon, Fayette County. The Turners had five children -- Frances Fotta, Beatrice Chidester, Elizabeth Golcher, Edward Turner and Theodore E. Turner. Ted died at the age of 53 on Oct. 18, 1970, and was buried in Leonard Cemetery. At the time, he was survived by 20 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. 
• Son Eugene Charles Turner (1913-1959) resided in Imperial Beach, CA. He was married and had children. He was a retired chief gunner's mate with the US Navy, and was a World War II veteran, with 22 years' of service in total. He died at the age of 46 on May 13, 1959. 
• Son Paul Turner resided in Dunbar, Fayette County, circa 1970.
• Son Ray Turner lived in Waltersburg, Fayette County in 1970. 
• Daughter Nancy (Turner) Leonard made her home in Dunbar in 1970.
• Daughter Pearl (Turner) McCartney resided in Uniontown circa 1970. 
• Daughter Bessie (Turner) Sorrells lived in Washington, DC in 1970.

~ Son Homer W. Turner ~

Son Homer W. Turner (1873-1946) was a farmer and was married to Sally B. (?) (1879- ? ). Sadly, she passed away sometime before 1910. The Turners had at least six children, Sophia "Sofa" White Holland, Lenora White, George E. Turner, James A. Turner, Hazel Johnson and Agnes Turner, all born between the years 1898 and 1905. When the census was taken in 1910, widower Homer and the children lived next door to his father. By 1930, he and his former sister in law, the widowed Flora Turner, were living together as stated in the U.S. census. Homer passed away at his home at Chalk Hill at the age of 73 on July 30, 1946. The funeral and burial were held at the Christ Evangelical Church. His obituary in the Uniontown newspaper said he was survived by nine grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. At the time, his son George and daughters Sophia Holland, Hazel Johnson and Mrs. Albert Wenger were all residing in Philadelphia, PA. 

• Daughter Lenora "Nora" Turner (1899-1973) married Robert M. White Jr. (1896-1964), a cousin and the son of Robert Marshall White. They lived in Hopwood and were members of the Central Christian Church. The Whites had four children: Robert W. White, Madeline Walters, Frances Meyer and Sally Cluelow. Tragically, son Robert was killed in a truck accident on West Main Street in Uniontown at the age of 30, on Aug. 25, 1950. Robert passed away on April 6, 1964, with burial at Chalk Hill Cemetery following funeral arrangements handled by the Minerd Funeral Home. Later in life, Lenora made her home with or near her daughters in Coraopolis, Allegheny County, PA, where she belonged to the St. Andrew Lutheran Church. She passed away at the age of 74 on Dec. 6, 1973, at the Sewickley Valley Hospital. She was laid to rest in the Chalk Hill Cemetery. 
• Daughter Sophia Turner ( ? - ? ) married (?) Holland. Circa 1973, she lived in Conshohocken, near Philadelphia.
• Daughter  Hazel Turner ( ? - ? ) married (?) Johnson. She resided in Trevose, Bucks County, PA in 1973.

~ Daughter Eliza (Turner) Heltebran ~

Daughter Lydia Turner (1877-1951) married Samuel Heltebran (1872-1911), the son of Jacob and Delila (Rhodes) Heltebran of Westmoreland County, PA. Leyda and Samuel had three children -- Clarence Thomas Helterbran, George Dewey Helterbran and Earl J. Helterbran. They resided in Rostraver Township, Westmoreland County circa 1896, and she later belonged to the First Methodist Church of Charleroi. Sadly, Samuel passed away of unknown causes at the age of 39 in 1939, with burial in Hoffman Cemetery in Smithton, Westmoreland County. Lydia died at the age of 74 on April 18, 1951 in the Monessen Hospital. A newspaper reported that she was survived by five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

• Son Clarence Thomas Helterbran Sr. (1896-1978) married twice, first to Ruth (divorced 1929) and second to Beulah Jane Williams (1915-1978), the daughter of Isaac N. and Elizabeth (Wilburn) Williams of Mill Run, Fayette County, PA. Clarence worked at Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel in Allenport, PA until retirement. Despite having a "crippled right foot," he was a veteran of World War I, serving in Company D of the 17th Cavalry, and received a Purple Heart for wounds. During the Great Depression, he was employed by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) of the federal government, and was a laborer on the work crew that reconstructed historic Fort Necessity. He also was a member of the Charleroi Fishing Club. Beulah belonged to the Hiller Free Methodist Church. Clarence and Beulah had five children -- Clarence Jr., Thomas (?), Georgette, Thelma Mae and Earlene Helterbran. Clarence Sr. died in Charleroi-Monessen Hospital in 1978, with burial at Monongahela Cemetery. At his death, a newspaper reported that he was survived by 13 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
• Son George Dewey Helterbran (1898-1983) married Sylvia Joseph of Ohiopyle. They had several children. George was employed early in his adult life by Imperial Glass Company of Charleroi. He was a veteran of World War I, and later resided in Phoenix, Maricipa County, AZ, where he died in April 1983.
• Son Earl J. Helterbran (1899-1970) married Frances Sechez, a native of Belgium. They had no children, and lived at 817 Rear Washington Avenue in Charleroi. Earl was employed by Allenport plant of Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel. Frances belonged to the St. Jerome Catholic Church in Charleroi. He died at the age of 70 in February 1970, with burial at Sacred Heart Cemetery near Monongahela. She outlived him by some years and died at the age of 76.

~ Son Frank George Turner ~

Son Frank George Turner (1885-1946) married Bertha A. (?) (1890- ? ). They resided on Jacobs Creek Road in South Huntington Township, Westmoreland County. Circa 1918, when he registered for the federal draft during World War I, he was employed by the Strawn-Blaney Coal Company of Allenport, PA. Later, in the 1940s, they lived at Ohiopyle. They had nine children -- Mary Louise Dean Shipley (more on her below); Warren Turner of Ohiopyle; Kenneth G. Turner of Ohiopyle; Harold Turner of Ambridge, Beaver County; David Turner, Verna Wise of Lemont Furnace/Cove Run, Fayette County; Mabel Turner of Fairmont, WV, Ruth Turner of Fairmont, WV and Nancy Turner. Tragedy struck twice in 1946 -- first in October, when daughter Mary Louise Dean Shipley died, leaving her three young sons as orphans, who were taken into Frank and Bertha's home to raise. The second tragedy that year was when Frank himself was killed when the automobile in which he was a passenger collided with a truck the day before Christmas Eve 1946. The accident occurred on U.S. Route 40 near Flint Rock Park, east of Uniontown, and made front-page headlines in the Connellsville Daily Courier. He was laid to rest at Bryner Ridge Cemetery, along the Farmington-Ohiopyle Road. 

• Daughter Mary Louise Turner (1907-1946) married Charles William Dean Sr. (1900-1933), the son of Warren McEwen and Bessie (McNutt) Dean Sr. The Deans had five sons -- Charles William Dean Jr., David Lewis Dean, Frank Warren Dean, Vincent Dean and Edward Dean. Tragedy struck this family three times within three months in 1933, when William was killed in a coal mine accident in July at Keisterville, Fayette County, and their sons David and Charles died of illness within a week of each other in September 1933. Mary Louise married again to Eugene Shipley ( ? - ? ) of Ohiopyle, and was a member of the Ohiopyle Methodist Church. Sadly, Mary Louise also died a young, untimely death. At the age of 39, on Oct. 22, 1946, she passed away at the Uniontown Hospital. The funeral was held at the home of her parents on the Farmington- Ohiopyle Road, followed by additional services in the Ohiopyle Methodist Church, led by Rev. Jacob Kooser. The youngest three orphaned sons were taken into the home of their grandparents, Frank and Bertha Turner, and attended Turner reunions over the years. 
• Son Kenneth G. Turner ( ? - ? ) served in the US Army during the Korean War. In January 1950, he received an Army commendation "for outstanding performance of duty as a military escort in the program of returning war dead," said a local newspaper. "The commendation was in recognition of Sgt. Turner's service in escorting the remains of American servicemen who died overseas and whose bodies have been returned here for final burial... Turner and other trained military escorts accompany each deceased serviceman from New York to the place of final burial selected by next of kin. After contacting the family on arriving at the serviceman's home town, the escorting soldier offers his services and presents the country's flag to the next of kin at the conclusion of the graveside service."

The fate of daughter Lottie Turner is unknown.

~ Turner Reunions ~

 
News article - 1977 Turner Reunion

In 1975, the descendants of George and Mary (White) Turner began holding annual reunions in Fayette County, PA. The third annual reunion, in 1977, was conducted at Braddock's Inn, with Theron J. Turner elected president. A newspaper article reported that "A buffet dinner was served. The afternoon was spent reminiscing over old pictures, working on the family tree of some eight generations, playing games and contests for which prizes were awarded.... Officers for 1978 were elected: president, Arthur McCartney; vice president, Ray Turner; secretary, Margaret Masiarelli; treasurer, Nell Marker." The 1978 reunion was scheduled to be held on the third Sunday of August 1978. The 2007 reunion was held on Sept. 2, 2007, beginning at 1 p.m. at Wharton Township Park along Route 381 in Farmington, Fayette County.

We are grateful to Turner descendants Charles William Dean and Paul Kyle for generously sharing research information for this webpage. For more information, contact descendant Vivian Kalberer.

Copyright © 2003-2004, 2006-2007 Mark A. Miner