Theodore Turley, Jr.
1822-1837

Born: 4 September 1822 in Birmingham, Warwickshire, England1
Christened: 26 November 1822 at St. Philip’s Cathedral in Birmingham, Warwickshire, England2
Died: 1837, likely in Churchville, Ontario, Canada3
Buried: Likely at Churchville Cemetery in Churchville, Ontario, Canada
FamilySearch ID: KWVM-XQG
FindaGrave Memorial ID: None

Theodore was the son of Theodore Turley, Sr., and Frances Kimberley.

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Life Sketch

Theodore Turley, Jr., was the oldest child of Theodore Turley and Frances Kimberley. He was born in Birmingham, Warwickshire, England on 4 September 1822 and christened at St. Philip’s Cathedral in Birmingham on 26 November 1822. At the time of the christening, his father, Theodore, was noted as a Stamper & Piercer residing on Lench Street.4

Christening record of Theodore Turley, Jr., at St. Philip’s Cathedral in Birmingham (26 Nov. 1822)

What we know of the life of Theodore, Jr., is based around the records of his family members. We know the Turley family lived in Birmingham through the beginning of 1825 based on the birth of Theodore’s little sister Frances Amelia.5 They then moved to London, England. Theodore, Jr., would’ve been around three years old at the time of the move. The Turley family resided in London through August 1826, based on the christening record of Frances Amelia.6

In late 1826 or early 1827, the Turley family sailed from London to York, Ontario, Canada. One of the few references to Theodore, Jr., in the historical record is Theodore Turley stating in 1840 that he sailed to Canada with his wife, Frances, and two children.7 Theodore, Jr., would’ve been about four years old at the time he, his parents, and his little sister, Frances Amelia, made the trans-Atlantic voyage. We know the family was in York by April 1827 because a local newspaper advertised Theodore Turley’s metalworking skills.8 Two more little sisters were born while the family lived in York, Mary Ann and Priscilla Rebecca.9

Between 1829 and 1832, the Turley family moved to the nearby rural community of Churchville. Theodore, Jr., would’ve been seven or eight years old at the time of that move. While living in Churchville, Theodore, Jr., would’ve seen the birth of three more siblings: Frederick, Obia, and Sarah Elizabeth. The baby Obia died after only a few weeks and was buried in the Churchville Cemetery.10

Theodore, Jr., was fifteen years old when his parents were introduced to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in early 1837 by Elder Isaac Russell. He likely saw his parents get baptized in March,11 and perhaps he watched Elder Parley P. Pratt ordain his father to the office of priest in April.12 He may have seen the preparations his parents made to gather with other Latter-day Saints in the United States, including selling all their Churchville property in August.13

The only record we have of Theodore Turley, Jr.’s death is from a 4 November 1837 letter that his father wrote to their family friend, Isaac Russell. After reviewing a visit to Kirtland, Ohio, and his missionary labors in Canada, Theodore shared that his oldest son had died. “My son Theodore has fallen assleep in Christ,” he wrote, “Dear Brother I have been T[ried?] by the powers of Darkness on this account as well as others but this as neavour moovd me[.] Oh my hearte rejoices in the Truths of the Gospel as brought to Light in These Last days.”14

Theodore Turley, Jr., was likely buried in the Churchville Cemetery near his younger sibling, Obia.

Churchville Cemetery, photo by Ann Lewis

Related Links

Timeline

1822
September 4: Theodore Turley, Jr., was born in Birmingham, Warwickshire, England.15
November 26: Theodore Turley, Jr., was christened at St. Philip’s Cathedral in Birmingham. His father, Theodore, Sr., was noted as a “Stamper and Piercer” living on Lench Street.16

1825
January 1: Theodore Turley, Jr., had a little sister, Frances Amelia, born in Birmingham.17

Theodore, Jr., was likely around three years old when his family moved from Birmingham to London.

1826
August 24: Theodore, Jr.’s, little sister, Frances Amelia, was christened at St. George the Martyr church in south London. The Turley family lived in nearby Snowsfields.18

Theodore, Jr., was four years old when he, his parents, and his little sister sailed from England to Canada in late 1826 or early 1827. The family settled initially in York (now Toronto), Ontario.

1827
April 19: Theodore Turley, Sr., placed an advertisement in The Colonial Advocate, a newspaper based in York, Ontario, soliciting customers for his blacksmithing services. This is the earliest known historical record of the Turley family in Canada.19
July 13: Another little sister, Mary Ann Turley, was born in York.20

1829
June 1: A third sister, Priscilla Rebecca Turley, was born in York.21

Theodore, Jr., was likely seven or eight years old when he, his parents, and his three little sisters moved to the rural community of Churchville, Ontario.

1832
May 23: Theodore, Jr., finally got a little brother, Frederick Turley, born in Churchville, Ontario.22

1834
July 5: A sibling, Obia Turley, was born in Churchville. The baby, however, only lived a few weeks.23
July 29: Obia Turley was buried in Churchville, Ontario.24

1835
September 24: Theodore, Jr., got another baby sister, Sarah Elizabeth Turley, born in Churchville.25

1837
March 1: Theodore’s parents, Theodore and Frances, were baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Elder Isaac Russell.26
August 3: Theodore’s parents sold their property in Churchville to prepare for gathering with the Saints in the United States.27
November 9: Theodore wrote a letter to his friend, Isaac Russell, who was on a mission in England. In the letter he mentioned the loss of his oldest child. “My son Theodore has fallen assleep in Christ Dear Brother I have been T[ried?] by the powers of Darkness on this account as well as others but this as neavour moovd me.” Theodore, Jr., would’ve been fifteen at the time of his death in late 1837. He was likely buried in the Churchville Cemetery near his baby sibling, Obia Turley.28

Important Places

Birmingham, England: Theodore Turley, Jr., was born in Birmingham, Warwickshire, England, in September 1822. He was christened at St. Philip’s Cathedral in Birmingham in November 1822.
London, England: The Turley family lived briefly (about 1825-late 1826) in southeast London, at Snowsfields. Snowsfields is located in the Bermondsey District of the London borough of Southwark.
York (now Toronto), Ontario: The Turley family lived about two to five years in the town of York (now Toronto), Ontario, Canada.
Churchville, Ontario: Theodore Turley, Jr., spent the bulk of his life, about five to eight years, living in the rural settlement of Churchville, Ontario, Canada. He likely died there in 1837, at the age of fifteen or sixteen, and was probably buried in the Churchville Cemetery.

  1. Family Memorial – Frances Kimberley; Birmingham, England, Church of England Baptisms, 1813-1912, baptism record of Theodore Turley, 26 November 1822, Ancestry.com.
  2. Family Memorial – Frances Kimberley; Birmingham, England, Church of England Baptisms, 1813-1912, baptism record of Theodore Turley, 26 November 1822, Ancestry.com.
  3. Theodore Turley, Sr., wrote a letter to his friend, Isaac Russell, and mentioned the death of his son, Theodore Turley, Jr. View transcript of letter here. Russell, Isaac 1807-1844. Isaac Russell correspondence, accessed 15 April 2020, https://catalog.churchofjesuschrist.org/assets?id=8e24060e-2e53-46bf-8eb1-a3c6f5fd8949&crate=0&index=20. See also Richard E. Turley, Jr., “4: Church Life in Canada, 1837-1838,” Theodore Turley: A Biography newsletter series.
  4. Family Memorial – Frances Kimberley; Birmingham, England, Church of England Baptisms, 1813-1912, baptism record of Theodore Turley, 26 November 1822, Ancestry.com.
  5. There is some confusion on the year of birth for Frances A. Turley. The Family Memorial and her Nauvoo Temple sealing record both state that Frances was born on 1 January 1824. However, her 1826 christening record, Nauvoo endowment record, and Winter Quarters death record all indicate she was born on 1 January 1825. London, England, Church of England Births and Baptisms, 1813-1917, baptism record of Frances Amelia Thurley [sic], 24 August 1826, Ancestry.com; Devery S. Anderson and Gary James Bergara, The Nauvoo Endowment Companies, 1845-1846: A Documentary History (Salt Lake City, Utah: Signature Books, 2005), p. 109; Nauvoo and sealing record “A”, 1846-1857, p. 245-246, entry for Frances Amelia Turley, FHL 183374; Winter Quarters sexton’s records, 1846-1848; Record book; Church History Library, https://catalog.churchofjesuschrist.org/assets?id=1647eb3e-6020-4669-91a2-603820678def&crate=0&index=13 (accessed: April 15, 2020).
  6. The Family Memorial states that Frances was registered at “St. Gorge’s Church Birminsey London.” Bermondsey is a district in Southwark, the same south London borough where St. George the Martyr church is located. London, England, Church of England Births and Baptisms, 1813-1917, baptism record of Frances Amelia Thurley [sic], 24 August 1826, Ancestry.com.
  7. See Theodore’s Autobiography.
  8. See images of Theodore Turley’s York advertisements at the Canadian Newspapers page; The Colonial Advocate, Thursday, April 26, 1827, p. 2, col. 1, accessed 29 April 2020, Google News Archive, https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=DQNrXyjhriIC&dat=18270426&printsec=frontpage&hl=en.
  9. See Family Memorial for Frances Kimberley and Timeline below.
  10. See Family Memorial for Frances Kimberley and Timeline below.
  11. See Richard E. Turley, Jr., “3: Joining the Latter-day Saints,” Theodore Turley: A Biography newsletter series.
  12. Historical Department journal history of the Church, 1830-2008; 1830-1839; 1837; Church History Library, accessed 27 April 2020, https://catalog.churchofjesuschrist.org/assets?id=d87cf687-399a-497c-889c-af5de8ea18ca&crate=0&index=51. See also Richard E. Turley, Jr., “4: Church Life in Canada, 1837-1838,” Theodore Turley: A Biography newsletter series.
  13. See Timeline for Theodore Turley, Sr.; Toronto Township Deeds No. 14467.
  14. View transcript of letter here. Russell, Isaac 1807-1844. Isaac Russell correspondence, accessed 15 April 2020, https://catalog.churchofjesuschrist.org/assets?id=8e24060e-2e53-46bf-8eb1-a3c6f5fd8949&crate=0&index=20. See also Richard E. Turley, Jr., “4: Church Life in Canada, 1837-1838,” Theodore Turley: A Biography newsletter series.
  15. Family Memorial – Frances Kimberley; Birmingham, England, Church of England Baptisms, 1813-1912, baptism record of Theodore Turley, 26 November 1822, Ancestry.com.
  16. Family Memorial – Frances Kimberley; Birmingham, England, Church of England Baptisms, 1813-1912, baptism record of Theodore Turley, 26 November 1822, Ancestry.com.
  17. There is some confusion on the year of birth for Frances A. Turley. The Family Memorial and her Nauvoo Temple sealing record both state that Frances was born on 1 January 1824. However, her 1826 christening record, Nauvoo endowment record, and Winter Quarters death record all indicate she was born on 1 January 1825. London, England, Church of England Births and Baptisms, 1813-1917, baptism record of Frances Amelia Thurley [sic], 24 August 1826, Ancestry.com; Devery S. Anderson and Gary James Bergara, The Nauvoo Endowment Companies, 1845-1846: A Documentary History (Salt Lake City, Utah: Signature Books, 2005), p. 109; Nauvoo and sealing record “A”, 1846-1857, p. 245-246, entry for Frances Amelia Turley, FHL 183374; Winter Quarters sexton’s records, 1846-1848; Record book; Church History Library, https://catalog.churchofjesuschrist.org/assets?id=1647eb3e-6020-4669-91a2-603820678def&crate=0&index=13 (accessed: April 15, 2020).
  18. The Family Memorial states that Frances was registered at “St. Gorge’s Church Birminsey London.” Bermondsey is a district in Southwark, the same south London borough where St. George the Martyr church is located. London, England, Church of England Births and Baptisms, 1813-1917, baptism record of Frances Amelia Thurley [sic], 24 August 1826, Ancestry.com.
  19. The Colonial Advocate, Thursday, April 26, 1827, p. 2, col. 1, accessed 29 April 2020, Google News Archive, https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=DQNrXyjhriIC&dat=18270426&printsec=frontpage&hl=en; Ann Laemmlen Lewis Timeline.
  20. Family Memorial, Theodore notes in that memorial that Mary Ann’s birth was registered with the Methodist Episcopal Church in York, Upper Canada (now Toronto), but we have not yet located that record; Devery S. Anderson and Gary James Bergara, The Nauvoo Endowment Companies, 1845-1846: A Documentary History (Salt Lake City, Utah: Signature Books, 2005), p. 109; Nauvoo and sealing record “A”, 1846-1857, p. 577-578, entry for Mary Ann Turley, FHL 183374.
  21. Family Memorial; Devery S. Anderson and Gary James Bergara, The Nauvoo Endowment Companies, 1845-1846: A Documentary History (Salt Lake City, Utah: Signature Books, 2005), p. 109; Nauvoo and sealing record “A”, 1846-1857, p. 379-380, entry for Priscilla Rebecca Turley, FHL 183374.
  22. Family Memorial. Frederick appears to be named after Theodore’s little brother, Frederick, who died in England just two years earlier, in July 1830. He was only seventeen years old. For more information, see the Theodore Turley: A Biography newsletter installment by Richard E. Turley, Jr., “2: The Pre-Conversion Canadian Years.”
  23. Family Memorial.
  24. Family Memorial.
  25. Family Memorial.
  26. Although Theodore seems to suggest Parley P. Pratt baptized them in his personal life sketch written c. 1840, that is impossible; Pratt was in Kirtland, Ohio, on March 1st. See Richard E. Turley, Jr., “3: Joining the Latter-day Saints,” Theodore Turley: A Biography newsletter series.
  27. Toronto Township Deeds No. 14467.
  28. View transcript of letter here. Russell, Isaac 1807-1844. Isaac Russell correspondence, accessed 15 April 2020, https://catalog.churchofjesuschrist.org/assets?id=8e24060e-2e53-46bf-8eb1-a3c6f5fd8949&crate=0&index=20. See also Richard E. Turley, Jr., “4: Church Life in Canada, 1837-1838,” Theodore Turley: A Biography newsletter series.