William F. Turner

Dr. Turner's service ended during the Andrew Jackson administration and he moved his family first to Mount Vernon, Ohio and later to Cincinnati.

After failing to secure a position as assistant solicitor of the United States Court of Claims, Turner investigated possible diplomatic postings but no consulships were vacant at the time.

By the time he was prepared to depart for Arizona, most territorial officials were already in transit[1]: 191  from Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas by government wagon train.

[9] Turner took his oath of office with the other territorial officials traveling together on December 29, 1863, during a snow-storm shrouded ceremony held at Navajo Springs.

Governor Goodwin established three judicial districts in an April 9, 1864 proclamation at the temporary territory capital of Fort Whipple at its original tent and log-cabin location at Del Rio Springs.

[11][10]: 36 The new Chief Justice requested a four-month leave of absence on March 28, 1864, for the purpose of moving his wife to the territory.

His initial plans to go to Iowa were modified on April 9 when the citizens of Fort Whipple selected Turner to represent Arizona at the 1864 Republican National Convention in Baltimore beginning June 7.

[1]: 192  Following the convention, which renominated Abraham Lincoln for the presidency, Turner went from Baltimore to Washington, D.C. for several weeks where he lobbied for improved mail service for Arizona.

[1]: 193 From Washington, Turner proceeded to New York City where he wrote a full column letter to the editor of The New York Tribune, printed on July 21, responding to a complaint from an anonymous person known only as "G." in Tucson claiming that Secretary McCormick had received a full year's salary prior to his arrival in Arizona, taking office, or doing any work of the secretary.

Allyn was the only justice in the territory until Henry T. Backus arrived to replace Howell about the time Turner returned.

[12] In December 1865, Turner instructed the jurors that prompt punishment of minor offenses, such as "violation of the public peace and tranquility, offenses against public morality and health, gambling, cheating, swindling, and fraud" would deter more serious crimes and stressed that under Arizona law, drunkenness "shall not be an excuse for any crime".

Turner, a staunch Republican, was displeased with Governor McCormick, whose political allegiance had shifted from support for Lincoln to Johnson[1]: 198 In a letter to United States Secretary of the Interior James Harlan, Turner accused McCormick of appointing confederate sympathizers and copperheads to territorial offices instead of loyal union supporters.

Turner also felt that McCormick unduly benefited from being the owner and controller of the Arizona Miner, published in the capital Prescott.

[1]: 199 At the meeting of the 3rd Arizona Territorial Legislature in October 1866, Turner was not selected by the representatives to administer the oath of office to the speaker, as would have been customary.

[1]: 200 That year the legislature moved the territory capital south to Tucson and although the chief justice would normally be located at the territory capital, Turner stayed in Prescott where he had a new home on Cortez street near the town plaza and business interests in the area, including 30 acres (12 ha) of wheat.

The court now had the authority, granted by Congress, to set their own schedule and the two attending judges made adjustments to avoid such conflicts in the future.

Marion was a Democrat from Louisiana who sympathized with the south during reconstruction and quickly came to oppose Turner as a "radical" when mentioned as a possible successor to the governor's office in January 1869.

He had little support from influential Arizonans, only being endorsed by George W. Dent, brother-in-law of General Ulysses S. Grant and superintendent of Indian Affairs.

[1]: 203 Upon return, he faced a major judicial issue arising after Judge Backus ruled that many Territorial laws were invalid because the legislature was not legally apportioned.

Resolution at the Supreme Court would be difficult, as Turner explained to AG E. Rockford Hoar, since Arizona had no law library as Congress had never appropriated funds to create one.

[1]: 203 In the fall of 1869, Turner gave jury instructions in his district court alleging widespread corruption in Arizona including in the Postal service, military, and state government.

[1]: 203 The Miner stepped up the pressure, claiming in late February that a majority of Arizonans had "lost confidence" and "were tired" of Turner.

[1]: 204 Back in Prescott on March 30, he put his defense in writing, justifying his 1864-5 absence and explaining that his late return in 1869 was beyond his control as no military escort was available.

Addressing other charges, he denied that he ever improperly directed work to any attorney and noted that none of his district court rulings had been reversed on appeal.

Turner countered that his low salary required him to seek other sources of income, farming was a respectable business, and that Ramos was "honest, industrious, and well-respected".

[4]: 230 [1]: 206 Turner heard of his removal while in session and immediately dismissed the court and announced "that he would forgive his enemies and remember his friends".

[1]: 207 While his removal was prompted by accusations of wrongdoing including excessive absence from his post, conducting business affairs on the side, borrowing gold and then repaying the debts in paper currency valued at par, giving partial rulings, and colluding with lawyers as they prepared cases, historian John S. Goff considers Turner to have been an able judge and attributes his removal to politics.

[1]: 207 An envelope sent by Turner in March, 1864 to his wife in Mount Vernon, Ohio is the earliest known surviving item sent from the Arizona Territory.

The envelope has a "United States Supreme Court, Arizona" imprint, a "Las Cruces N.M. March 26/64" postmark (handwritten), a 3¢ George Washington postage stamp, and is marked received on April 25.

[16] Edmund W. Wells, who clerked for Turner and studied law from him was admitted to the bar and eventually became an Arizona supreme court justice himself.