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Gardner Stilson Turrill
Gardner
Stilson Turrill, vice president of the Bee Publishing Company, and one
of the influential factors in political as well as business circles in
Jefferson, his native city, was born on the 29th of November, 1870. His
father, Hall A. Turrill, was born in Livingston county, New York, on
the 17th of May. 1839, and is descended from an old family of English
origin that was represented in the Revolutionary war. Hall A. Turrill
was a school teacher in early life and a graduate of the Nunda Literary
Institute, New York. Following the completion of his school course, he
devoted his energies to teaching in and near the place of his nativity
and afterward became agent for the Pennsylvania Railroad Company at
Pittsfield, Pennsylvania, where he remained for four years. Following
the outbreak of the Civil war he espoused the cause of the Union,
enlisting as a member of Company G, Two Hundred and Eleventh
Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, at Titusville, Pennsylvania, in 1864.
He then served until the close of hostilities and was mustered out at
Washington, D. C., June 9, 1865. He took part in the grand review in
the capital city, where the great Union army marched through the
streets in the most celebrated military pageant that has ever occurred
on the western hemisphere. Mr. Turrill held the rank of first corporal,
participated in the battle of the Crater at Petersburg, took part in
the Richmond campaign and was present at the fall of the city of
Richmond.
When the war was over he returned to the north and in 1867 came to
Jefferson, Iowa, where he engaged in teaching in public schools. He
became a most prominent factor in the educational development of this
part of the state and from January, 1878, until January, 1886, he was
county superintendent of schools. Then. on account of failing health,
he retired and was succeeded in the office by his wife, who served two
years. He died on the 19th of November. 1891, in Schuyler, Nebraska, in
the faith of the Baptist church, of which he had been a devoted member
from the age of fourteen years. He was a very active worker in the
church and at one time served as church treasurer. He belonged to the
Masonic and Odd Fellows fraternities and was also a member of George H.
Thomas post, G. A. R., and also the Knights of Pythias. In politics he
was a republican and, aside from the position of county superintendent,
he held minor oflices, discharging all duties with promptness, fidelity
and capability. His life, however, was largely given to educational
work and he proved a most capable instructor, doing much to promote the
best interests of the schools. He wedded Mary E. Stilson, who was born.
in Akyjab, Burma, India, August 13, 1843, a daughter of the Rev. Lyman
Stilson, a minister of the Baptist church and a missionary of that
society to Burma, India. He was associated with Adoniram Judson, the
first missionary to Burma, who was her first Sunday school teacher.
Mrs. Turrill’s father returned to the United States when she was nine
years of age and took up their abode at Nunda, New York, where she
completed her education by graduation from Nunda College. It was there
that she met her future husband and they were married in Nunda on the
14th of April, 1868. They had four children: Gardner S.; Mary L., the
wife of Edwin W. Mecum, who is pastor of a Baptist church in Los
Angeles, California; Boyd B., who died in infancy; and Will H. A., who
is a magazine publisher in Chicago.
Gardner S. Turrill was a student in the public schools of Jefferson
until he was graduated from the high school as a member of the class of
1888. In the fall of the same year he entered the Iowa State University
at Iowa City, where he spent two years. In the meantime his father
removed to Schuyler, Nebraska, and Mr. Turrill left college in order to
join him there, for the father was in declining health and needed the
aid of the son. The latter accepted the position of city editor of the Daily Telegram
at Columbus, where he remained for two years, and upon the death of his
father, he joined his mother at Schuyler, where for one year he
published the Schuyler Sun, the only republican paper of the county. In January, 1894, he bought a half interest in the Saturday Souvenir
at Jefferson, Iowa, and in a few months purchased the interests of the
founder of the paper, W. M. Ferguson. He then conducted this journal
alone for two years, when he sold a half interest to his
brother-in-law, Victor H. Lovejoy, at which time the firm name of
Turrill & Lovejoy was assumed. In 1900, however, Mr. Turrill
purchased Mr. Lovejoy’s interests, although the latter remained in
active connection with the paper until its consolidation with the Bee
in 1903. At that time a stock company was formed under the name of the
Bee Publishing Company, with the following officers: Frank J. Stillman,
president; G. S. Turrill, vice president; and Paul E. Stillman,
secretary. These are the sole owners of the paper, which is an
excellent sheet, devoted to the dissemination of general and local
news. Because of its large subscription list it proves an excellent
advertising medium and both departments of the business are proving
profitable. Mr. Turrill is also interested in real estate, having
considerable valuable property here.
On the 24th of November, 1892, Mr. Turrill was married to Miss Lillian
E. Lovejoy, who was born in Old Rippey, Greene county, lowa, January
31, 1873, and is a daughter of Dr. James C. and Emeline Lovejoy. Mr.
and Mrs. Turrill have six children: Lillian E., May E., Gardner S.,
Park L., Russell H. and Paul E.
The parents are devoted and faithful members of the Baptist church and
Mr. Turrill is affiliated with most of the branches of Masonry. He is
also a past noble grand in the Odd Fellows lodge, a past chancellor
commander of the Knights of Pythias, and in addition to taking the
degrees of the blue lodge, chapter and commandery in Masonry, he is
also a member of the Mystic Shrine. He likewise belongs to the Sons of
Veterans and is popular in all these different organizations, the
beneficent spirit of which finds exemplification in his life. He is,
moreover, very influential in local political circles and his opinions
also carry weight in the state councils of his party. In 1895 he was
secretary of the republican state convention and the following year was
chairman of the republican county central committee. He has been a
delegate to several state and judicial conventions and has always taken
an active interest in politics, keeping well informed on the questions
and issues of the day and doing all in his power to secure the adoption
of the principles in which he believes. He was appointed postmaster of
Jefferson in 1897 and took charge of the oflice on the 1st of March of
the following year. He has since been continued in this position, now
serving for the third term, and his administration of the office has
been most satisfactory to the public. Mr. Turrill and his family occupy
a beautiful new residence, which is one of the fine homes of Jefferson,
and in his native city he occupies an enviable position in business,
social and political circles.
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