Wilfred Dent Turner (January 30, 1855 – November 8, 1933) was a lawyer, legislator, businessman, and the ninth Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina from 1901 to 1905, serving under Governor Charles B. Aycock.

Wilfred Dent Turner
Wilfred D. Turner
Born(1855-01-30)January 30, 1855
DiedNovember 8, 1933(1933-11-08) (aged 78)
Statesville, Iredell County, North Carolina
Burial placeOakwood Cemetery, Statesville, North Carolina
NationalityAmerican
Occupation(s)lawyer, politician businessman
Known forLieutenant Governor of North Carolina
Parents
  • Wilfred Turner (father)
  • Dorcas Tomlinson (mother)

Early life

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Wilfred Dent Turner was born in Iredell County, North Carolina, on January 30, 1855. His grandfather, Samuel Turner moved to Iredell County from Port Tobacco, Maryland, in 1818. Wilfred's parents were Wilfred Turner (1809–1893) and Dorcas (Tomlinson) Turner (1813–1900). The Turner family was the namesake of both the present day town of Turnersburg and Turnersburg township. Wilfred attended Duke University, Class of 1876, and was a member of the Chi Phi Fraternity. He died on November 8, 1933, and was buried in the Oakwood Cemetery in Statesville, North Carolina.[1][2]

Wilfred was married three times:[1][2]

  1. Ida Lanier (1857–1894), married in 1878; four children: Mrs. W. A. Colvert, Laura Lanier Turner, Mrs. James F. Robertson, and Jack Turner.
  2. Julie Harllee McCall (1867–1925), married in 1897; children: W. A. Turner and Dent Turner.
  3. Sarah F. Goff, married in 1927

Career

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A Democrat, Turner was elected to the North Carolina Senate in 1886, 1888 and 1890 from Iredell County. He was President pro tempore of the North Carolina Senate in 1891. Turner also served as the president of the Monbo Cotton Manufacturing Company.[3][4]

Turner was also a delegate to the 1896 Democratic National Convention. He died at the age of 78 in 1933 after a short illness.[5][6]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Wilfred Dent Turner". NCPedia. Retrieved February 23, 2019.
  2. ^ a b Tombstone at Oakwood Cemetery, Statesville, North Carolina
  3. ^ America's Textile Reporter: For the Combined Textile Industries. 1906-01-01.
  4. ^ Armfield, C.H. (May 5, 1904). "Turner for Governor". DigitalNC. Asheboro Courier.
  5. ^ Powell, W.S. (1996). Dictionary of North Carolina Biography: Vol. 6, T-Z. Vol. 6. University of North Carolina Press. p. 68. ISBN 978-0-8078-6699-3. Retrieved 2014-10-12.
  6. ^ "Wilfred D. Turner article". Statesville Landmark. November 10, 1933.
Party political offices
Preceded by
Thomas W. Mason
Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina
1900
Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina
1901-1905
Succeeded by