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Dictionary of Miramichi Biography

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TURNBULL, JOHN (1808-1881)

TURNBULL, JOHN, Presbyterian minister, Blackville, 1840-52; b. Bonhill parish, Dunbartonshire, Scotland, 17 Oct 1808, s/o John Turnbull Sr and Mary MacNair; m. Marion - ; d. Dumbarton, Scotland, 2 Jun 1881.

John Turnbull was probably the man by that name who married Marion Pae at Perth, Scotland, in 1839. He was ministering at Perth before coming to New Brunswick in 1840 as the first resident Presbyterian minister of Blackville. The land on which St Andrew's Church was erected there was a gift from Alexander MacLaggan, and the construction contract was awarded in September 1840 to William Murray. Turnbull arrived a month later in the ship Marchioness of Queensbury, and after delivering sermons in Newcastle and Chatham, was inducted into the Blackville charge.

With his wife's help Turnbull undertook an ambitious program of missionary work all along the Southwest Miramichi, preaching mostly in schoolhouses, in Nelson, Blackville, Blissfield, and Ludlow parishes, and encouraging the establishment of Sunday schools. After three years he had his mind made up to resign from what he called "the most unwieldy charge in the province," but since other Miramichi pulpits were empty at the time, and there was a demonstrable need for his services, he agreed to stay one more year. In June 1844 he took a holiday in Britain without committing himself to continue at Blackville after his return. He came back to the charge, however, and imbued with the spirit of reform which had disrupted the Church of Scotland in 1843, he joined with two other New Brunswick ministers in creating a New Brunswick presbytery of the Free Presbyterian Church. Although the members of his congregation would have thought of themselves as adherents of the Established Church, they did not openly oppose his action.

On 25 April 1847 Turnbull conducted the opening service in a not-yet-completed Presbyterian chapel at Derby. This was the church which was later known as Ferguson Church. In all, he spent twelve years as the only Presbyterian minister in the entire Southwest district. During much of this time he also served as a parish school trustee. Blackville church records indicate that he departed in 1852. In 1854 he was inducted as the minister of St James parish in Charlotte County. After serving there for twenty years he resigned in 1874 and returned to Scotland. Seven years later he died at his residence in Dumbarton. His wife predeceased him by two years. They left no family.

Sources

[b] LDS-IGI [d] Advance 23 Jun 1881 / Advocate 24 Sep 1879; Betts (FF); Gleaner 28 Jul 1840, 13 Oct 1840, 12 Jun 1844, 21 Jun 1845, 18 May 1847; Hist. UC Blackville; Telegraph 22 Jun 1881


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