How it all began

Peter and Mary Turner arrived in Boston on April 18, 1848 via the ship George Evans from Liverpool, England with their infant son Thomas. Here is the log entry showing Peter Turner as a 23 year-old "labourer" from Ireland. I suspect that the Ireland reference is an error as all subsequent mentions of Peter's country of origin is England.



The Ancestry.com entry referring to their immigration is shown here.




The 1850 census record shows that Peter, Mary and Thomas Turner lived in Roxbury, MA (their entry is at the bottom of the image). Note that Peter's occupation is "weaver" and his place of birth is listed as "England."






By 1860 the Turner family had grown to Peter, Mary, Thomas F., Elizabeth A. and John J. Note that John J.'s age in 1860 is shown as 2; therefore, provided that the entry was made correctly, John J. was born in either 1857 or 1858. I also noticed one very interesting thing. They lived in the same building as one of the people who were on the George Evans with them. A Rostin. Notice that in the 1848 immigration log there is a James (40), Elizabeth (37), Thomas (28), Mary Ann (23) (Peter's wife I believe), James (17), Elizabeth (21). In the 1860 census the Rostin's are listed as James W. (28) and Ann (25). It seems that the 17 year-old James in 1848 is one in the same as the 28 year-old James W. in 1860. What one might conclude here is that James W. Rostin is Mary Turner's brother. So if you know any Rostin's in Massachusetts they might be related to us.