Descendants of Col. Thomas Turner II 1689-1758
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Welcome to the Thomas Turner Association of Virginia website. We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose purpose is to conduct historical and genealogical research and education in addition to the collection of historical materials for preservation and future reference.
Col. Thomas Turner II 1689-1758 was an early Virginian, but exactly when or how he arrived on our shores is not yet known. Nor do we know the details of his undoubtedly English ancestry. We have various accounts some of which are partly contradictory. The earliest record we know for our Thomas is his marriage license issued in King George County in August 1714. He gives his name as Thomas Turner of Essex. He purchased several subdivisions of land and became the owner of Walsingham, his plantation on the Rappahannock River in King George County, Virginia. One of the deeds to Turner refers to him as "Thomas Turner, Chyrurgeen," an archaic term for surgeon. This could be the basis for the belief he may have been a doctor. Thomas was clerk of King George County from 1723 to 1742. He was justice of King George County and vestryman of Hanover parish in that county. In 1736-1740 and 1752-1755, he served as a member of the House of Burgesses for King George County.
In 1714, Thomas married Martha Taliaferro daughter of Col. Richard Taliaferro and Martha Wingfield. The Taliaferro family were prominent early 17th century settlers in eastern Virginia and Maryland. Thomas had two children with his first wife Martha; they were Thomas Turner III, and Maj. Henry (Harry) Turner. Shortly after Martha died in 1726, he married her sister Sarah Taliaferro. They had two additional children, Sarah Turner and Mary Turner. Thomas and his descendants were well connected with many other first families of Virginia in addition to the Taliaferros. Among them were Beverleys, Blands, Byrds, Carters, Fitzhughs, Lees, Randolphs, Tayloes and Washingtons.
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