TURK-L Archives

Archiver > TURK > 1998-04 > 0892264084


From: BobBecAlln <>
Subject: Re: Descendants of Robert TURK
Date: Fri, 10 Apr 1998 23:08:04 EDT


Hi Darlene,

I descend from Robert Turk through his son Thomas Turk, through his daughters,
Jane Turk who married Robert Allen and Elizabeth Turk who married William
Gleaves.

I have a bible record which says that Thomas Turk was born in March, 1718 (no
exact date was given). Your account says 1717/1718. I know that this means
the same thing, except your version is the recognization of the old Julian
calendar. I am wondering whether this date reference is your method of
stating the date or whether you have a reference which presents the date of
birth in this way. If so, I am interested to know about this reference.

I have a Turk bible record which gives the exact date of marriage of Thomas
Turk and Mary Gleaves to be 1 April 1766.

I am adding below a file I sent to the group last week in case you did not get
it.

Bob Allen

I am descended from Robert Turk (ca. 1690-1772). He is believed to have been
born in Ulster Province, Ireland (now Northern Ireland). He was a Scotch
Irish Presbyterian. He is believed to have emigrated to Boston, MA in 1718.
He acquired land in Beverly Manor, Orange Co., VA in 1736 which became part of
Augusta Co., VA when Augusta Co., VA was form in 1738-45. He died in Augusta
Co., VA.

He proved the importation of his family in the Orange Co., VA in Court Order
Book II, page 110 on 28 Feb. 1739. He lists himself, his wife, Margret (sic)
and his children, Jane, John, Ann, Thomas, James and William. The purpose of
proving ones importation was to obtain legal right to hold title to land in
Virginia. I connect to Robert Turk through his son, Thomas Turk, born March
1718, died 28 June 1809. I Think Thomas was born in Ireland just before the
family sailed for America. I think Jane, John and Ann were born in Ireland
before Thomas and James and William were born in America after Thomas between
1710-1725. His first wife, Margaret died in Augusta Co., VA sometime between
1765-1772.

In 1718 there was a surge of emigration to America of the Scotch Irish in
Ulster Province, Ireland. In 1718 five ships arrived in Boston harbor
carrying passengers from the Ulster Province area of Ireland. The first ship
to arrive was the "William & Mary". One of the passengers was a Rev. William
Boyd (of Macasky, a town in Ulster Province, Ireland) who brought a Petition
signed by 311 Scotch Irish Presbyterians in Ulster Province, Ireland on 26
Mar. 1718. The Petition was addressed to Governor Shute, governor of MA. It
began as follows:

To His Excellency the Right Honourable Colonel Samuel Suitte, Governour
of New England:

We whose names are underwritten Inhabitants of ye North of Ireland Doe
in our own names and in the names of many others our neighbours,
Gentleman, Ministers, Farmers and / Tradesman, Commissionate and
appoint our trusty and well beloved Friend the Reverend Mr. William Boyd
of Macasky to repair to His Excellency the Right Honourable / Collonel
Samuel Suitte Governour of New England, and to assure His Excellency
of our sincere, and hearty inclinations to Transport our selves to that very
excellent and / renowned Plantation upon our obtaining from his Excellency
suitable incouragement. And further to act, and Doe in our names as his
Prudence shall direct. Given under / our hands this 26th day of March
Annoq Don. 1718.

Robert Turk was not a signer of this Petition. Of interest, a John Gray and
his son, John Gray, Jr., were signers.

The other ships arriving in Boston from Ireland in 1718 were as follows:

2. A ship of an unknown name arrived July 28, 1718. It had 200 paying
passengers of the middle class and some indentured servants.

3. The "Robert" which arrived on August 4, 1718 from Glasgow, Scotland and
Belfast, Ireland which included Rev. James McGregor and Rev. Archibald Boyd.
James McGregor and Archibald Petitioned the MA legislature for land on Oct.
31, 1718 on behalf of 26 others and 40 more about ready to leave Ireland. The
"Robert" went from Boston to Falmouth (now Portland), Maine shortly after its
arrival in Boston (presumably with many of its passengers and got frozen in
for the winter in Casco Bay (Merrymeeting Bay). This group is reported to
have founded Londonderry, N.H. (initially called "Nutfield).

4. The "William" which arrived during the week of August 4-11, 1718 from
Coleraine.

5. "The MacCallum" which arrived from Londonderry, Ireland on September 1,
1718 with over 200 families including the Rev. James Woodside who ended up
going to Brunswick, N.H. for a year. This ship left Boston for Kennebec
River, Casco Bay (Merrymeeting Bay), ME on September 8, 1718 and returned to
Boston on October 7, 1718 and returned to Londonderry, Ireland in December,
1718.

6. Note: Another ship from Dublin, Ireland with indentured servants, the
"Mary Anne" arrived in Boston during the week of August 4-11, 1718, however,
this ship did not likely carry and Scotch Irish Presbyterians from Ulster
Province.

Robert Turk and John Gray were both witnesses to a deed from Nathaniel Gerrish
"of ye Town of Portsmouth in ye Province of New Hampshire in New England,
Marriner" to Paul Wentworth "of Dover in ye Province aforesaid, Yeoman" of
land located in Quamphegan, near Berwick, County of York, Maine (then
described as "in ye Massachusets Bay in New England" dated 6 April 1719 (York
Co., ME Deed Book IX, Folio 222-223).

On October 24, 1719 there is a Record of the Boston Selectmen's Minutes which
says:

Sundry persons Strangers with by order of the Selectmen wr by
Deacon John Marion warned to depart out of this Town, vizt.

John Gray with wife and three Children

Robert Tark with his wife & three Children,

who all came into this Town from Berwick in a sloop Thomas Bell master
who haveing teen been here about three dayes warned on ye 5th of August
Last were warned to depart.

After this entry I loose track of Robert Turk until 1733 when he witnesses the
Will of John Loughten which was written on 2 Feb. 1732/33 in Sussex Co., DE
(Register of Wills, Libre A, Folio 265-267). Again I loose track of Robert
Turk until he is deeded land in Orange Co., VA in 1736.

Most of you who descend from Robert Turk know most of the details of his
family once he gets to Augusta Co., VA. I have elected not to go into any of
those details in this query.

My interest is to trace Robert Turk back to his town and county in Ulster
Province, Ireland. Does anybody have any information or clues?

Does anybody have any old Turk bibles from the 1600s or 1700s which contain
Turk vital statistical information about any Turk family?

Has anybody gone to Ireland to search the local records or graveyards for Turk
information? Has anybody had any success by engaging a paid genealogist to
search the Ulster Province Turks in the 1600s and 1700s?

Has anybody found records of a Robert Turk in the New England area between
1718-1736 in addition to the records which I have mentioned above?

Bob Allen

This thread: