GEORGE WEBSTER TURNER
President of the Los Gatos Telephone Company
Bio- Sawyers
SURNAMES: NASSON, WEBSTER, CHAPMAN, SEED, LISSER
A far-seeing, experienced official who has amply demonstrated
exceptional executive ability is George Webster Turner, the president of
the Los Gatos Telephone Company. He was born at San Francisco on
November 25, 1860, the son of Cephas Tuner, Jr., a native of Hampden,
Me., who had married Miss Vienna Bell Webster, a native of Sanborn, Me.
One of the paternal ancestors, John Turner, a native of England,
came on the Mayflower, in 1620, to Plymouth, Mass., and founded the
family that have since become prominent and leading citizens in every
walk of life throughout the entire United States. On his
maternal side, George W. Turner is descended from Major Samuel Nasson,
who was of French Huguenot origin, and the family were also early
settlers of New England, some of whom served in the Colonial wars,
while Major Nasson served in the Revolution as major of a Maine
artillery regiment.
Cephas Turner Jr., was one of the argonauts that left New England in
1849 for the California gold fields, coming as a passenger on the
sailing vessel Harriette Rockwell, around Cape Horn, arriving at San
Francisco In February, 1850. After following mining with varied
success, he located in SAn Francisco, where he rose to business
prominence and became one of the leading manufacturers. In 1858
he returned to Maine by way of the Isthmus of Panama, where he married
Miss Webster, and returned with his bride to San Francisco, where he
resumed his business. He was prominent in civic and social
affairs in the early days of San Francisco and was a citizen highly
esteemed and much loved by all who knew him. He passed away about
twenty years ago. His widow is still living, at the age of
eighty-nine, and makes her home with and it tenderly cared for by her
son, George Webster Turner.
Mr. Turner attended both the grammar and the high schools of San
Francisco, but because of trouble with his eyesight, he was compelled
to give up studying. He then engaged in the insurance business in
San Francisco, and he has been active with insurance and real estate
since 1876. In this field he has made an enviable reputation,
both for valuable experience and integrity and dependability, and he
has done what he could to stabilize insurance and realty in the Golden
State. In 1908 he came to Los Gatos to make his home, and for the
past eleven years he has been associated with the local telephone
company, while for ten years he has been, as he now is,
president. He served on the city council for four years, and for
two years he was chairman of the board, and it was during his term of
office that the city hall and the sewers were built, the streets paved,
and many improvements effected.
At San Francisco, November 9, 1887, Mr. Turner was married to Miss
Harriette B. Chapman, a native daughter, born in San Francisco, the
daughter of Henry F. and Anne. (Seed) Chapman, natives of Connecticut
and Yorkshire, England, respectively. The Chapman family were
among the earliest families of Connecticut and some of Mr.
Turner's ancestors served in the Revolutionary War. Henry F.
Chapman was a '49er, locating in Sacramento until the flood of 1863,
when he moved to San Francisco. He was a naturalist and was one
of the founders of the Academy of Science in that city. Mrs.
Turner was a graduate of the San Francisco high school. Two
children have come to bless their union: Enid is the wife of Hans
Lisser, a practicing physician in San Francisco and instructor in the
Medical Department of the University of California. Ruth Bell
Turner is at home. Mr. Turner was made a Mason in Occidental
Lodge No. 22. F. & A. M., at San Francisco, thirty-three years ago,
and is a past master of the lodge, as well as one of its oldest and
most honored members. He is also a popular member of the San Jose
Lodge No. 522, Elks, and the Royal Arcanum, and of California Chapter,
Sons of the American Revolution, San Francisco, and was formerly a
member of the Bohemian Club. He is proud of being a native son
and deeply interested in preserving the old historical and pioneer
landmarks in the state. Having accumulated a competence, he spends much
of his time in scientific research and is particularly a student of
ethnology.
Transcribed by CDF, from Eugene T. Sawyers' History of Santa Clara County,California, published by Historic Record Co. , 1922. page 1105