Robert Turner, The Original Landowner of Gwynedd
- Yen Ho
- 15 hours ago
- 4 min read
In order to claim land in the newly formed Pennsylvania, you would need to have a connection with William Penn and the Quaker movement that was happening in England. On top of that, you would need to be wealthy and have a successful business like Robert Turner.
Who Was Robert Turner?
Robert Turner (1635-1700) was born in Cambridge, England and was a member of the Dublin Friends Meeting after spending business in Ireland and converted to Quakerism. He was into being part of this congregation that he wrote a pamphlet called Truth's Defense (1658), claiming Moses was a Quaker. He ended up beaten and imprisoned, and his shop stoned and robbed for being too open to Quakerism. He was even tied by the hands and feet across a horse, and was taken around town where people threw sticks and stones at him. Despite everything that happened to him, Turner remained strong and gained wealth.
In 1672, he was set free in Dublin, and became acquainted with other Quaker leaders, including William Penn. At that time, Penn was into purchasing huge plots of land in what is now New Jersey and Pennsylvania. His deed for Pennsylvania was signed on March 4, 1681. One day later, he granted Turner 5,000 acres. He even had his Irish friends to buy land from Penn.
While Penn sailed to the New World, Turner came later in July 1683 on the 90-ton ship Lyon of Liverpool. His daughter Martha was with him on board as well as servants, friends, and relatives. They arrived on October 14, 1683.
"As owner of 5000 Pennsylvania acres, plus large New Jersey holdings, he was entitled to, and got, a prize "bank lot" running from the Delaware River bank back to Second Street, along what is now Arch. Here he built a wharf, dug a cellar-warehouse, and in 1684, constructed the city's first all-brick house. (The actual work was done by his friend, the carpenter Andrew Griscom.)"
- Marion Balderston, "Robert Turner, Merchant of Philadelphia" (8)
Welshmen Wants Turner's Land
In 1698, Turner's land was so huge that it caught the attention of two Welshmen from Philadelphia: William John and Thomas Evans. He was excited to have purchasers interested in his land, and "cheerfully" bargained with them. The land was given to John and Evans on March 10, 1698, naming what is then known as Gwynedd Township.
Life in 17th Century Philly
In 1684, Turner's friends John Fuller, Robert Ewer, Samuel Carpenter, and few other wealthy merchants, wanted to start a bank to keep and exchange money, but it didn't go so well. His Dublin friend John Fuller had to return to London on business, but was captured at sea, losing the documents from Penn. After inheriting a bulk of Fuller's wealth and selling the land that later became known as Gwynedd Township, Turner became one of the richest men in Philadelphia.
Turner became the man people relied on in political and social conflicts. When the people in Pennsylvania refused to pay taxes on land given to them, PA Governor John Blackwell gave up the job in despair. He was mistreated by the people, and asked Turner to take over his position, and borrowed money from Turner to pay his fare back to Boston.
When George Keith wanted a more orthodox interpretation of Quaker beliefs, at least a thousand people drew him off. Despite Turner being a supporter of Keith, Penn still remained friends with him. Turner helped Keith build a platform at the Philadelphia Monthly Meeting, which did not go well with people shouting across the room and even smashing the furniture and the flooring of the meetinghouse.
After this event happened, his friends deserted him, resulting in the Keithian movement collapsing. Ever since then, Turner had been making some decisions that many Quakers disagreed on: for example, he added "Esquire" to his name.
After his death, he was not buried among the Friends, which he did not rejoin.
Throughout his 17 years in Pennsylvania, he was the following:
Justice of the Peace
A judge
A Registrar of Wills
Member of the Board of Property
Member of the Provincial Council by Penn
Bibliography
Balderston, Marion. "Robert Turner, Merchant of Philadelphia." Quaker History 53, no. 1 (1964): 6-11.
Dunn, Richard S., Mary Maples Dunn, Marianne S. Wokeck, Joy Wiltenburg, Alison Duncan Hirsch, Craig W. Horle. The Papers of William Penn, Volume 3: 1685-1700. (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1986): 588.
Holme, Thomas, -1695, Lessing J Rosenwald, Philip Lea, John Harris, William Penn, and Lessing J. Rosenwald Collection. A mapp of ye improved part of Pensilvania in America, divided into countyes, townships, and lotts. [London: sold by P. Lea at ye Atlas and Hercules in Cheapside, ?, 1687] Map. https://www.loc.gov/item/82690543/.
Jenkins, Howard Malcolm. Historical Collections Relating to Gwynedd: A Township of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Settled 1698, by Welsh Immigrants ; with Some Data Referring to the Adjoining Township of Montgomery, Also a Welsh Settlement. (Philadelphia: Ferris Bros., 1884): 24-29.
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