Family: John Turner / Mary Gubbins (F2627)

• Father | Male John Turner

  
  

  Born	Abt 1784	Petherwin, Devon, England
  Died	Yes, date unknown
  Buried
  Married
  Father	J. Turner, Sr. | F3656 Group Sheet
  Mother	Anne | F3656 Group Sheet

  
  

  Mother | Female Mary Gubbins

  
  

  Born	1779	Bayton, Cornwall, England
  Died	Aft 1861	Devon, England
  Buried
  Father
  Mother

  
  

  Child 1 | Female + Elizabeth Turner, "Eliza"

  
  

  Born	20 Nov 1816	Tavistock, Devon, England
  Christened	19 Dec 1816	Tavistock, Devon, England
  Died	1902	Barnstaple, Devonshire, England
  Buried
  Spouse	John Maunder | F3928
  Married	Jul 1856	Tavistock, Devon, England

  
  

  Child 2 | Male John Gubbins Turner

  
  

  Born	5 Nov 1817	Tavistock, Devon, England
  Christened	18 Nov 1817	Tavistock, Devon, England
  Died	1888	Australia
  Buried

  
  

  Child 3 | Male John Turner

  
  

  Born	20 Jan 1819	Tavistock, Devon, England
  Christened	4 Feb 1819	Tavistock, Devon, England
  Died
  Buried

  
  

  Child 4 | Female + Matilda Turner

  
  

  Born	1 Jul 1822	Tavistock, Devon, England
  Christened	14 Aug 1822	Brook Street-Independent, Tavistock, Devon, England
  Died	21 Sep 1905	Mountain View, Santa Clara Co., CA
  Buried
  Spouse	Erastus J. Burk | F111
  Married	13 Jun 1842	Darlington Township, Durham County, Ontario, Canada

  
  

  Child 5 | Female Jane Turner

  
  

  Born	1824
  Died	Yes, date unknown
  Buried

  
  

• Notes

  Married: There are two boys named John (John #3 and John #4 below) whose parents are listed on original documents as John and Mary Turner, baptised by W. Rooker, in the same church register, in Tavistock, Devon. John #1 Turner - possible father of John #2 John #2 Turner - husband of Mary, listed as father of John #3 and John #3 Gubbins - b.5 Nov c 18 Nov 1817 (the "s" is clearly visible in the record) John #4 Turner - b. 20 Jan 1819 c.4 Feb 1819 Soome possibilities: John (#3) Gubbins Turner died young - His parents (John #2 and Mary) re-used his name for John #4 as was common in that era. Following the British Isles naming convention, John #2 Turner's first son should be named after his father - John #1.  One problem with this theory is that a John Gubbins Turner with the same birth date as John #3 Gubbins was transported to Australlia and died there in 1888.  One problem with this theory is that John #4 Turner was not listed as John Gubbins in the christening book.  Perhaps an omission, or by design to differentiate, but an anomaly either way since the parents and the minister were the same. John (#3) Gubbins Turner was adopted - His biological mother possibly died when he was born, and perhaps his father (a Gubbins), was dead or unable to provide care.  Mary and John #2 would have reason to adopt him if John #3 Gubbins was Mary's nephew, possibly the son of her brother and his deceased wife. One additional point  supporting the adoption theory is Elizabeth "Eliza" Turner was b. 20 Nov 1816 slightly less than one year before John #3 Gubbins was born. It's somewhat unusual for births to be this close even at that time.  Subsequent children were more spaced out.  This theory is compatible with John #3 Gubbins dying in Australia in 1888. John (#4) - was John #2 and Mary's first biological son.  In this case "John #4 Turner" was not re-used, it was required by convention that he be named after John #1. [1]

  
  

• Sources

  [S518] John Spencer Howell, Jr., John Spencer Howell, Jr., (http://www.jhowell.com/ jhowell@jhowell.com), research notes.