1870 - 1897

The following information comes from an article in the September 26, 1911 issue of the Freeport Sentinel in Freeport, Maine.

Mr. Turner was born in Boston, graduated from the Boston Latin school in 1872 and entered Harvard, graduating from there in 1876, he then took a two years' course in botany and agricultural landscape gardening.

In 1881 he went to New York and laid out a number of large estates and the famous Eldorado Pleasure Park for the North Hudson Railroad company in New Jersey and managed the large casino there for three years, leaving there to assume charge of the extensive park system of Chicago, remaining there a number of years.

[Related article:Conquest of the Palisades]

In 1895 he was appointed superintendent of the Cliffside cemetary, resigning from there in the spring of 1898 at the breaking out of war with Spain.

At this time I have been unable to corroborate the information contained in the article. Checking with the Boston Latin school and Harvard has turned into a dead end.

Here are some business cards from the scrapbook.



























There are various newspaper clippings from J.J.'s time in the New York City area.

September 17, 1887
Mr. J.J. Turner, one of the principal artists connected with the Eagle Photographic View Co., of New York, is in the city for a number of days with his assistants engaged in taking views of all the business places and prominent residences of Plainfield. We have already discovered that he is a skillful photographer and an agreeable gentleman.

In February 2008 my daughter Nicole discovered a photo on the Internet attributed to J.J. Turner. I believe this is the first photo we've seen that is not part of J.J. Turner's collection. The photo can be found on page 108 in the book titled, Old Brooklyn in Early Photographs 1865-1929. The book contains 157 prints from the collection of the Long Island Historical Society (now the Brooklyn Historical Society ). Here is the link to the book on Amazon.com.

New York Sun, January 15, 1890
West Hoboken is the proud possessor of a photographic artist of national repute. Mr. John J. Turner, whose studio is at No. 319 Union street, is known on two continents as an unexcelled artist in exterior and interior photography and landscape photographing. Specimens of his work taken in various parts of New York and New Jersey recently, demonstrates the reputation gained by him elsewhere. The difficulty in securing proper light and location for out-door work are conditions that only a trained artist like Mr. Turner can secure with success. And this is true as well of interior work, where detail is an additional essential to really good work. Machinery, and all products of the factory are among the many things that Mr. Turner reproduces with accuracy and success. He photographs dogs, horses and cows, either in still life or in action. One of his best pictures is the Columbian Flyer on the New York Central road, perhaps the fastest train in the World. This picture was taken eight miles beyond Poughkeepsie, while the train was running 71 miles an hour. Flash light pictures made at night, are accomplished by Mr. Turner through a process entirely his own, and with marvelous accuracy. In short, Mr. Turner is without a superior in his special line of work and acknowledges few equals in this country where there are many really excellent photographers. Amateurs will be glad to learn that Mr. Turner has established a department devoted exclusively to the developing of all kinds of plates.

Englewood, May 15, 1891
A traveling photographer in town has been coining money taking views. The station, Bertholf's store and the lockup have been taken, the latter with Marshals Bertholf, Westervelt, Banta and Judge Blauvelt posed in front of (clip ends here).

Arlington, N.J., May 30, 1891
Artists in Photography
The Union Photographic Company inform us that they will send a couple of their best operators here on Decoration Day. This company is famous for its outdoor and interior work, having won the gold medal at the Paris exhibition. Owners of pretty homes may now have an opportunity of having them nicely photographed.

Some very pretty exterior and interior views have been made by the Union photographic Company during the past week.

A Handsome Present
Mr. J. J. Turner, who can be reached by addressing a note to care of P. O. Box 298, Arlington, has control of the sale of work that is of very great interest.

It is a trip around the globe in pictures, to the number of 250, 9x11 in size, handsomely bound in one volume. The views are reproduced from the best photographic originals taken on the spot, each plate being accompanied by an explanatory note, and the whole forming a consecutive panorama of the world as it would be seen by a traveler on a journey through its most interesting sites. In educational and instructive value for the home circle, as well as for its intrinsic interest and its utility for reference, this volume of views is unique. The work is published at $5 in cloth, $7.50 in half Russia, and $10 in full Russia de Luxe. It is not for sale in the book stores, and can only be obtained through the above address.

I have been attempting to find this book but no luck so far.