Thomas Turner

Thomas Turner (23 December 1807 – 24 March 1883) was a United States Navy rear admiral. He served as commander of the Pacific Squadron from 1869 to 1870. Turner fought in the Mexican–American War and, though a Virginian, served in the Union Navy during the American Civil War.

Biography Turner was born at the Marengo plantation in King George County, Virginia in 1807 and raised at the Kinloch plantation in Fauquier County.

Remaining with the Mediterranean Squadron, Turner rejoined the Constellation in 1834 and then was reassigned to the frigate in 1835. He was promoted to lieutenant on 22 December 1835. From 1837 to 1838, Turner served aboard the frigate in the West Indies Squadron. From 1838 to 1841, he was assigned to the frigate in the East India Squadron, participating in the Second Sumatran expedition. Turner was given command of the armored frigate and commended by Rear Adm. Samuel F. Du Pont for his actions during the First Battle of Charleston Harbor in April 1863. Turner retired from active duty on 21 April 1870 after forty-five years of military service.

Thomas Turner's younger brother Henry Smith Turner (1 April 1811 – 16 December 1881) was an 1834 graduate of the United States Military Academy. He accompanied and helped document Stephen W. Kearny's 1845–1847 expedition to the Rocky Mountains, California and New Mexico. Capt. Henry S. Turner was wounded at the Battle of San Pasqual in December 1846 He left military service in July 1848

On 1 June 1836, Thomas Turner married Frances Hales "Fanny" Palmer in Philadelphia. The officiant at the ceremony was Episcopal bishop William White. His wife's older brother was naval officer James Shedden Palmer. Turner and his wife had eight children.

After his retirement, Turner and his wife settled in Philadelphia. They later moved to nearby Glen Mills, Pennsylvania, where he died in 1883. His remains were interred at the Evergreen Cemetery in Union County, New Jersey.