Senator George Turner was born in
Edina, Missouri in 1850 and studied law in Mobile, Alabama. In 1876 President
Arthur appointed Turner to a 4-year term as United States Marshal in Montgomery
where he met and married Bertha Dreher in
1878. His federal appointment to the territorial court of Washington brought
Judge Turner to the Inland Empire in 1884. After three years Mr. Turner resigned
his judgeship to practice law. As an attorney, he was an authority on corporate
and mining law and was involved in the development of the LeRoi Mine at Rossland,
B.C. The Judge was acknowledged for his leadership in the convention of 1889
that framed the constitution for the State of Washington.
Turner was elected to the United States Senate in 1897 and
served until 1903. During his term, the Senator served with distinction on the
International Boundary Commission. In 1910 Turner was appointed to sit at The
Hague as one of the United States Counsels for the northeastern fisheries
arbitration between the United States and Great Britain. Prominent in national
affairs, he worked with six Presidents and numerous ambassadors.
Judge Turner passed away in his home in January, 1932, at the
age of 81 years. His estate was bequeathed to his wife Bertha.
The late Judge’s library of 600 books was presented to Lewis & Clark High
School. To escape taxes, Spokane’s Columbia Theater, owned by the Turners and
once known as the Avalon, was torn down. Judge Turner was the former owner of
the Seattle Post Intelligencer. He was a Washington State Historical
Society board member in 1905 and a member of the Building Committee to construct
the Ferry Museum.
