George Turner (U.S. politician)
Encyclopedia
George Turner was a United States Senator from Washington.
Born in Edina, Missouri
, he attended the common schools and served as a military telegraph operator with the Union Army
from 1861 to 1865. He studied law, and was admitted to the bar
in 1869, commencing practice in Mobile, Alabama
. From 1876 to 1880, he was United States Marshal
for the Southern District of Alabama
and Middle District of Alabama
, and was an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the Territory of Washington
from 1885 to 1888.
He resumed the practice of law in Spokane, Washington
in 1888 and was also interested in mining. He was a member of the Territorial Convention in 1889 that framed the first Washington Constitution, the state constitution
of Washington, which had recently been admitted to the Union. He was an unsuccessful candidate for election as a Republican
to the U.S. Senate in 1889 and 1893; he was elected on a fusion ticket
with Silver Republicans
, Democrats
, and Populists
support to the U.S. Senate and served from March 4, 1897, to March 4, 1903; he was not a candidate for reelection and resumed the practice of law in Spokane.
In 1903, he was a member of the Alaska Boundary Tribunal and was an unsuccessful Democratic candidate for governor in 1904. He was counsel for the United States at The Hague
in the northeastern fisheries arbitration
with Great Britain in 1910, and was appointed by President William H. Taft as a member of the International Joint Commission
, created to prevent disputes regarding the use of boundary waters between the United States and Canada from 1911 to 1914. He was counsel for the United States before the International Joint Commission from 1918 to 1924 and practiced law in Spokane. He died there in 1932 and is interred at Greenwood Cemetery.
Born in Edina, Missouri
Edina, Missouri
Edina is a city in Knox County, Missouri, United States, between the North and South Forks of the South Fabius River. The population was 1,176 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Knox County.-Geography:Edina is located at...
, he attended the common schools and served as a military telegraph operator with the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
from 1861 to 1865. He studied law, and was admitted to the bar
Admission to the bar in the United States
In the United States, admission to the bar is the granting of permission by a particular court system to a lawyer to practice law in that system. Each U.S. state and similar jurisdiction has its own court system and sets its own rules for bar admission , which can lead to different admission...
in 1869, commencing practice in Mobile, Alabama
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
. From 1876 to 1880, he was United States Marshal
United States Marshals Service
The United States Marshals Service is a United States federal law enforcement agency within the United States Department of Justice . The office of U.S. Marshal is the oldest federal law enforcement office in the United States; it was created by the Judiciary Act of 1789...
for the Southern District of Alabama
United States District Court for the Southern District of Alabama
The United States District Court for the Southern District of Alabama is the Federal district court whose jurisdiction comprises the following counties: Baldwin, Choctaw, Clarke, Conecuh, Dallas, Escambia, Hale, Marengo, Mobile, Monroe, Perry, Washington, and Wilcox...
and Middle District of Alabama
United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama
The United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama is the Federal district court whose jurisdiction comprises the following counties: Autauga, Barbour, Bullock, Butler, Chambers, Chilton, Coffee, Coosa, Covington, Crenshaw, Dale, Elmore, Geneva, Henry, Houston, Lee, Lowndes,...
, and was an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the Territory of Washington
Washington Supreme Court
The Washington Supreme Court is the highest court in the judiciary of the U.S. state of Washington. The Court is composed of a Chief Justice and eight Justices. of the Court are elected to six-year terms...
from 1885 to 1888.
He resumed the practice of law in Spokane, Washington
Spokane, Washington
Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...
in 1888 and was also interested in mining. He was a member of the Territorial Convention in 1889 that framed the first Washington Constitution, the state constitution
State constitution (United States)
In the United States, each state has its own constitution.Usually, they are longer than the 7,500-word federal Constitution and are more detailed regarding the day-to-day relationships between government and the people. The shortest is the Constitution of Vermont, adopted in 1793 and currently...
of Washington, which had recently been admitted to the Union. He was an unsuccessful candidate for election as a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
to the U.S. Senate in 1889 and 1893; he was elected on a fusion ticket
Electoral fusion
Electoral fusion is an arrangement where two or more political parties on a ballot list the same candidate, pooling the votes for that candidate...
with Silver Republicans
Silver Republican Party
The Silver Republican Party was a United States political faction active in the 1890s. It was so named because it split from the Republican Party over the issues of "Free Silver" and bimetallism. The main Republican Party supported the gold standard....
, Democrats
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, and Populists
Populist Party (United States)
The People's Party, also known as the "Populists", was a short-lived political party in the United States established in 1891. It was most important in 1892-96, then rapidly faded away...
support to the U.S. Senate and served from March 4, 1897, to March 4, 1903; he was not a candidate for reelection and resumed the practice of law in Spokane.
In 1903, he was a member of the Alaska Boundary Tribunal and was an unsuccessful Democratic candidate for governor in 1904. He was counsel for the United States at The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
in the northeastern fisheries arbitration
Arbitration
Arbitration, a form of alternative dispute resolution , is a legal technique for the resolution of disputes outside the courts, where the parties to a dispute refer it to one or more persons , by whose decision they agree to be bound...
with Great Britain in 1910, and was appointed by President William H. Taft as a member of the International Joint Commission
International Joint Commission
The International Joint Commission is an independent binational organization established by the United States and Canada under the Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909.The Commission has responsibilities related to the following treaties and agreements:...
, created to prevent disputes regarding the use of boundary waters between the United States and Canada from 1911 to 1914. He was counsel for the United States before the International Joint Commission from 1918 to 1924 and practiced law in Spokane. He died there in 1932 and is interred at Greenwood Cemetery.