Herbert James Bert Turner

Grandpa Bert Turner Settles in Northern Minnesota

   I will  tell you what I remember of my Mother's story about why Grandpa Turner came to Northern MN.  It seems he grew tired of urban living, they lived in the very small town (and it still is) of Swanville, MN where he worked for the railroad.  Grandma was the local seamstress for ladies in the nearby city of Little Falls, even did some sewing for Mrs. Charles Lindbergh.  In fact, when Uncle George Turner visited  MN in June 1988,  for his  90th birthday,  we took him back to Swanville.  The house they lived in was still there and so was the church they all attended, now called the Swanville Bible Church, the pastor was there that day and made us a copy of the names of members from 1914 which included Bert Turner and Mrs. Bert Turner.  This was news to me as I  didn't think Grandpa had ever been to church. You could say he was a redneck long before that term became known!  Anyway, while we were near Little Falls, George want to see the Lindbergh House, now a museum, where he used to play with Charles, Jr..  Needless to say, we all were mighty surprised to hear that!

Sometime, during 1914, Granddad heard of a place on the Schoolcraft River in Northern MN that had wonderful hunting and fishing opportunities, where people lived off the land. I'm not sure how he got there as he never owned a car, maybe by the train to Bemidji. However, as the crow flies, that city was 20 miles to the north and at that time not many roads were in place. He found the place he was looking for, it was a former logging camp called "Skunk Camp", on the bank of the Schoolcraft River in Schoolcraft Township (it was named after Henry Schoolcraft, an early explorer who found the source of the Mississippi River, not that far away) There was a two story house already there and a barn, perfect for a few cows and a horse. So I guess he and George (then 16yrs. old) farmed and hunted deer, trapped mink, muskrat, and all other fur bearing animals and sold the fur. Shot ducks that lived on the river, all their bed pillows were made of duck down and feathers. Caught fish in a trap in the river, and picked berries, all kinds of berries. Mother said and her sister Elizabeth put themselves through teachers college by picking and selling blueberries.
Granddad was a great gardener, too, potatoes and every kind of vegetable that would grow in northern MN. When I was little I remember helping him harvest navy beans by beating the pods on a blanket, and cutting cabbage for sour kraut, little green worms (which he couldn't see) and all. I also followed him through the snow on his winter trap line for weasel and muskrat. He skinned them in the house, a very stinky process as I remember, stretched them on a board where they dried and when sold, bought us kids Christmas candy and fresh store bought fruit, apples and oranges, very much a treat back then.
Kathy Dehart

Additional information about this story

Description This story is remembered by Kathy Olson Dehart, granddaughter of Bert & Jane Turner, as told to her by her mother, Emily Turner Olson.

Date 2007

Location Minnesota

Obituary of Herbert James Turner

OBITUARY

TURNER RITES HERE WEDNESDAY

           Funeral services for Herbert James Turner, 82, resident of Schoolcraft township in Hubbard county, will be held at the Olson Funeral Home on Wednesday at 2 p.m.  The Rev. J. C. Schreiber of Oak Hills Fellowship will officiate and burial will be in Greenwood cemetery.

Mr. Turner, who died at the Lutheran hospital on Sunday, was born in St. Joseph, Mo., on Sept. 2, 1868. He was married at LeSeuer, Minn., in 1895 to Jennie Minerva Dunlavy. They first settled at Upsala, Minn., where they lived for about 10 years. They then moved to Swanville, Minn., and in 1916 they moved to Hubbard county. Mr. Turner’s wife preceded him in death three months ago.
He is survived by one son, George of Kamiak, Idaho; three daughters, Mrs. Elizabeth McGregor of Salem, Ore., Mrs. Emily Olson of Guthrie and Mrs. Dorothy Keehr of Kooskie, Idaho; 13 grandchildren and one great grandchild; three brothers, Elmer, George and Willis, living in Idaho, and one sister, Mrs. May Higgins of Idaho. One son and one daughter preceded Mr. Turner in death.
Additional information about this story

Description Copied from a newspaper clipping given to me from Henry Turner. Newspaper unknown.

Date 1945

Location Swanville, Minnesota