A History of Masonry in Madison County, Kentucky 1812-1913, compiled 
and written by Robert R. Burnam, 1914, p. 79.

EDWARD WILLIAM TURNER was the son of Joseph Turner and Matilda Kerley.  He 
was born in Richmond March 14, l830.  He received his primary education at 
the old Madison Seminary, like many of his predecessors, and entered Centre 
College at Danville when fifteen years of age.  The latter school, then 
under the control of Dr. John C. Young, its most brilliant president, was 
in the Golden Age of its career, attracting to its halls not only the dower 
of Kentucky youth, but also many students from other States.  While at 
college, young Turner was popular and had a fine rank in his class.  He 
left college before graduation, however, to begin the study of law.  After 
graduating from the Louisville Law School he was admitted to the bar of his 
home town in l851.  He was by both temperament and environment attracted 
toward political life.  A fine presence, a brilliant orator, a genial 
companion, a rare raconteur, he had many qualities attractive to men in all 
stations of life.  Although his people were Whigs in politics, he, like 
hundreds of other Kentucky youths, became fascinated by the personality and 
leadership of John C. Breckinridge and enlisted under the banner of 
Democracy and continued there until his death.  In l852 he became a 
candidate for County Attorney and although Madison County usually gave a 
large Whig majority, was elected as a Democrat.  During the decade ending 
with l860 he edited a weekly paper for several years, practicing his 
profession at the same time.  In 1866 he was elected County Judge, serving 
for four years.  Subsequently he was elected to both branches of the 
Kentucky Legislature.  He was speaker of the lower House for a term, and 
later clerk of the same body.  He was a candidate for Lieutenant Governor 
against John G. Carlisle in 1871 and later a candidate for Congress, but in 
these instances he failed to receive the nomination of his party.  At the 
time of his death he was the most prominent candidate for Attorney-General 
of Kentucky in his party and would certainly have been nominated had he 
lived.
     In briefly summing up his life, it can be said that he was more 
brilliant than studious.  It is impossible to estimate what might have been 
the result of such a life if he had taken the same more seriously.  He 
studied and labored more than he wished others to know or even think he 
did, but what he accomplished was nothing by comparison with what he should 
have done.  Life was not to him a gift accompanied by responsibility, but 
rather a play-thing to be enjoyed and then laid aside.  In extracting this 
pleasure from life it can be truly said "that he burned the candle at both 
ends."  Although devoted to the Masonic Order, the great lessons taught by 
it were lost sight of in the search for pleasure.  So while there was 
always a feeling of pride in his Lodge for his career, which was far more 
prominent than this short sketch indicates, there was ever also a feeling 
of regret that the talents committed to him were not made the most of.
     He received the degrees of Ancient Craft Masonry in 1855.  Those of 
Capitular Masonry in 1868.  He was elected Master of his Lodge first in 
December, 1866, again in 1868, and a third time in 1871.  He was elected 
Grand Master in 1872.  His year of service as such was a busy one.  In the 
annual address delivered by him, among many important matters, he urged the 
necessity of providing funds for the support of the Widows' and Orphans' 
Home.  This he suggested should be done by the levying of a per capita tax 
of $1.00 on each member of subordinate Lodges.  While his suggestion failed 
at that time, he lived to see it enacted a few years later, and it was the 
salvation of the home.  He died December, 1882, and was buried with Masonic 
honors.  The beautiful service he had used so often for others was read for 
him.  Hail and farewell.


Turner Kerley Young Breckinridge Carlisle
=
Boyle-KY Jefferson-KY

http://www.rootsweb.com/~kygenweb/kybiog/madison/turner.ew.txt