Turl, William bio

Portrait and Biographical Album of Fulton County, Illinois: containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county: together with portraits and biographies of all the presidents of the United States, and governors of the state; Biographical Pub. Co., Chicago, IL; 1890; page 750 & 753; Transcribed by Margaret Rose Whitehurst
William Turl is a prominent citizen and a leading Democrat of Orion Township, where he is prosperously conducting agriculture on a good-sized, well-managed farm, pleasantly located on the northeastern part of section 18. He is a son of James and Mary Ann Turl, of Devonshire, England, the maiden name of his mother being Wilson, and her marriage with his father took place in 1826. The paternal grandfather of our subject, who was also names James, was likewise married to a Miss Mary Ann Wilson, who lived to the extraordinary age of one hundred and one years.
The father of the subject of this sketch came to America with his family in 1852, sailing from Plymouth, England, and encountering severe storms and icebergs in mid ocean. England was the birthplace of his eight children, of whom the following is recorded: Elizabeth, the eldest, is the wife of Edward Purchase, of this township; Mary Ann, the second daughter, married Charles Hubble, and resides in Canton; James, the third child, was married to Jane McCreary, and lives in Peoria.
William Turl, the subject of this sketch, was married in 1864 to Malissa (Vance) Moore, and they have two children, the eldest a daughter named Lillie, aged nineteen, and one son named Ike, aged thirteen years, and both reside with their parents on the old Vance homestead.
Mrs. Turl is in every respect a fine woman and worthy of the esteem in which she is held. She is the daughter of a pioneer family. Her parents, George and Susan Vance, were natives of Pennsylvania and Massachusetts respectively, and to them were born nine children. In 1840 the Vance family came to Illinois, arriving here June 10, and built the substantial log dwelling house in which our subject and his family now live.
Mr. Turl has been quite successful in his farming operations, and owns two hundred and forty acres of as fine farming land as is to be found in the township. He has it supplied with excellent machinery for carrying on his operations to the best advantage, and from the cultivation of the soil derives an excellent income, and in his cozy home he and his family enjoy the substantial comforts of live. Our subject is a genial gentleman, and his pleasant social qualities make him a general favorite, which his ability gives him a prominent part in the management of local affairs. He is a leader in politics, and has frequently been elected to public positions in Orion Township, and has held the offices of Collector, School Director and Trustee, with credit to himself and with benefit to the community.