Facts Questions / Page / Notes
Who is the author of the document ‘Benjamin and Rebecca Turner Their Heritage Uncovered’? How long did his research take? / 1
In what year did the 1916 title company determine Benjamin Turner owned their land? / 2
In what year did Mount Vernon begin the foreclosure proceedings to confiscate the Turner’s land? / 2
What did the Turner land consist of? / 3
Who was the last surviving heir Benjamin Turner? What was her relation to Benjamin Turner? How long did she defend her claim to the land? What happened? / 3
What was special about the Turner lot? / 3-5
What type of life did the Turners live? Give details. / 3
What year did the Turner’s Eastchester home become part of Mount Vernon? / 3
Why, after 75 years, were the Turners unable to pay the taxes on their property? / 4
What year was Sarah Elizabeth Nelson (Benjamin Turner’s granddaughter) forced off the Turner’s homestead? / 5
Read the letter Sarah Elizabeth Nelson (Benjamin Turner’s granddaughter) wrote to the Mount Vernon Common Council. When was the letter written and what was her claim? / 5
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Who was the Turner land sold to and when? / 7
According to the document, what was the Turner foreclosure story about? / 8
Who was Benjamin Turner? / 9-10
What were the Turner’s occupation and why? / 10
Summarize important facts about slavery in Eastchester pertaining to Rebecca Turner. / 11
What do we know about the Turner-Nelson family? / 18
What does the public record state about Benjamin Turner that discredits Mount Vernon’s claim that Benjamin Turner was a “squatter”? / 19
What additional information can you add about Benjamin and Rebecca Turner? / 19-20
What year did Benjamin and Rebecca Turner get married? Were they slaves when they married? / 20
St. Paul Church is referred to throughout this document. How is this church significant to the Turner family? / 16-23
What do they believe happened to Benjamin Turner? / 21
Based on this document, create a ‘Turner Family Tree Time-Line’ / 21-24
Around what year did Benjamin Turner move to the north? / 24
In conclusion of this document – answer the following 12 questions (from page 26) citing evidence from the document:
  1. Who was Benjamin Turner?
  2. When and how long did he live down by the creek?
  3. Was he married?
  4. Was he a slave?
  5. How did he obtain the land?
  6. What does history say about him?
  7. Was Benjamin Turner just a “squatter”?
  8. Are there any records of his existence other than this newspaper article?
  9. Are there any Turner descendants still alive in Westchester?
  10. Was Benjamin Turner a southerner like most African Americans living in Mount Vernon?
  11. What happened to Benjamin Turner?
  12. Why was his land so important to the city?

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