William F. Turner

William F. Turner
Chief Justice, Arizona Territorial Supreme Court
In office
August 22, 1863 – April 1870
Nominated by Abraham Lincoln, Ulyses S. Grant
Preceded by N/A (Newly created position)
Succeeded by John Titus
Personal details
Born 1816
Milton, Pennsylvania
Died December 1899 (aged 82–83)
Indianapolis, Indiana
Political party Whig/Republican
Spouse(s) Harriet Miller
Profession Attorney

William F. Turner(1816 – December 23, 1899) was the first Chief Justice of the Territory of Arizona, serving in that capacity for about 7 years. He presided over the Territorial Supreme Court of Arizona.

Early life

Turner was born in Pennsylvania, and lived for some time in Mount Vernon, Ohio. He attended Kenyon College. At the time of his appointment, he was practicing law in Keokuk, Iowa.

Appointment

Turner was actually the last of new territory's three initial federal judges to receive his appointment, and the second appointed to that position. Arizona's first officers were appointed on March 6, 1863, and the new governor was to be John Addison Gurley. John Noble Goodwin was appointed the Chief Justice and William T. Howell and Joseph P. Allyn became the first Associate Justices. However, Gurley and Goodwin never held those offices, as Gurley died suddenly of appendicitis before he left for Arizona in August of that year, and Goodwin was appointed Governor in his place. Turner himself had initially lobbied President Abraham Lincoln for the appointment to Arizona's governorship, but instead received the post of Chief Justice after it was left empty by Goodwin's promotion. Charles Poston called him "Senator Grymes' man" and claimed he had been appointed due to the influence of his fellow Iowan, Senator James W. Grimes. Turner and Goodwin were both appointed on an interim basis until the Senate returned from recess in January 1864 to confirm them.

He was assigned to the Third Judicial District, which comprised Yavapai County, and held court in Prescott, Arizona.

Turner was reappointed for a second term in 1868, by President Ulysses Grant.

Removal from office

In 1870, Turner was removed from office without finishing his term by President Grant, who had appointed him. Political opponents accused him of excessive absences and other misconduct. He had taken a lengthy leave of absence from April 1864 to November 1865, before his reappointment to a second term, and had also left in 1869 to lobby Washington for the governorship of Arizona. John S. Goff considers Turner to have been an able judge and attributes his removal to politics; he had been in conflict with the ruling "Federal" clique of state officials at the time. The Supreme Court, which met annually, did not convene for more than two years between November 1868 and January 1871 because of the deadlock. A December 1869 petition sent to President Grant advocating for his removal included former governors Goodwin and Richard Cunningham McCormick, and Anson Safford, the newly appointed governor to whom Turner had lost in his bid for that post.

References

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