The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1890-10-29

was sent for one year tn the Oneida
Conference Seminary at Cazenovia, n
l., which was the extent of the collegi-
ate advantages which he was ever des-
tined To enjoy. Upon his return he en-
tered the employ of Daniel l.. Case
still resident of Lansing-as clerk i'm
q general store As is customary in
such establishments, the stock com
prised everything from silks and satins
to salt pork and washtubs. This serv-
ice, MIR. Turner declares, was the best
business schooling that he ever received.
1t taught him IA great deal about the
relative values of a wide variety of arti-
cles. After two years of this life he en-
tered the land office of the Jackson,
Lansing IL Saginaw Railway Co., his
father at that time being land commits.
sioner for the road. Young Turner was
placed in charge of the field notes and
surveys. The elder Turner was build
ing both the jackson, Lansing d Sagi-
nav and the Ionia Il Lansing railroads,
and the son was given charge of the
construction of the latter.
But there came dark day for the
Turner family-as dark days come to
most in this world. when James was
10 years old the father fell i'll and died
leaving an estate the total value OF
which was less than 5000 The widow
ed mother was left with a large family
on her hands and her eldest son her on
ly support. His only brother met with
II tragic death, being killed when 10
years of age by a runaway team. About
this time, James was appointed pay
master and cashier of the Ionia IL
Lansing railway, which responsible po-
sition he retained until the construction
was completed and the line consolidat-
ed into what is now known as the De-
troit, Lansing Il Northern railway Mr.
Turner then retired from railroading
and engaged in general land BUSH
ness, in partnership with Dwight 5.
jackson. The firm was known as
charge of the office, while Mr. Turner
shouldered a pack and tramped through
the northern wilderness as landlooker
and surveyor. His home was in the
great forests, summer and winter, and
here he doubtless acquired the breadth
of his character and purpose which
have ever since been among his most
characteristics. He became
familiar with every section of that vast
portion of the Lower Peninsula of
which lies north of the Sagi-
naws, between lakes Huron and Michi-
gan, and the Upper Peninsula from St.
lgnace and Sault Ste. Marie to the
line.
In 1875, Mr.. Turner was married to
Miss Sophie Porter Scott, daughter of
one of the most prominent and influen-
tial lawyers of Chicago.
This" Mr.. Turner is wont to- say,
was the most important event of my
life. | have been "A happy man ever
since that eventful day To my wife's
influence and encouragement / owe IA
large measure of what success | may
have achieved"
The well-mated couple are lovers
still, and one does not need to he long
in their society to discover that they
will so remain To the end. Mrs Turner
is the constant companion of her hus-
band during the arduous labors con-
nected with the present campaign,
and sustaining him with her
presence and influence.
Two fine lads, ten or twelve years of
age, have resulted from this union of
hearts and of hands, and the Turner
home in Lansing is an ideal paradise of
domestic happiness and love.
In 1874, Mr.. Turner organized the
Chicago IL Northeastern Railroad Com
pany and built the line from Lansing
TO Flint. This is now a portion of the
main line of the Chicago IL Grand
Trunk railroad. He served as presi-
dent and general superintendent of the
line till September, 1879.
The recent farming operations of Mr..
Turner on large scale were inaugu-
rated by the purchase of part of what
is now widely known as Springdale
farm, in 1874. The acreage was gradu-
ally increased until it embraced nearly
2 900 acres. When this large tract of
land was bought it was a solid wood
land. 1t is now entirely cleared and
under high cultivation, being all i'm
proved. 1t is widely known as one of
the most extensive stock farms in Mich
igan. 1t embodies dairy of over 300
milch cows, as well as several hundred
head of registered Short Horns and
Herefords. Clydesdale horses, standard
bred trotting horses, Shetland ponies
and Shropshire sheep are other stock
of Springdale farm. The
horses are over 200, and the sheep 500
or 900 in number. From its earliest in
ception, Mr.. Turner has given this great
stock farm his daily care and attention.
The farm buildings are much the most
extensive and complete to be found in
They are plain and COM
inexpensive, but are models
of convenience. An interesting feature
of Mr.. Turner's economic stock farming
is his corn ensilage, of which over 5000
tons is annually fed TO horses, cattle,
and sheep. He knows every animal on
the farm, as well as how it is bred. As
a rule, men with families are employed,
and each is provided with comfortable
house, garden and cow Every employee
of the farm has for the past fifteen years
been paid his wages in full every Satur-
day night. Can any man be more of
friend to his employees than is shown 10y
this recordg
Mr.. Turner is also president of the