TURTON, HENRY HANSON (1818-87) was born at Bradford, Yorkshire, the son of the Rev. Isaac Turton, a Wesleyan minister. In 1839 he also was ordained to the Wesleyan ministry and, having married Susannah Lindsay, daughter of J. Kirk, he sailed for New Zealand in the missionary ship Triton, with a number of other missionaries, including J. Skevington, G. Smales and C. Creed. They arrived in Hokianga on 7 May 1840, and Turton remained during that year at Mangungu. In 1841 he opened the station at Aotea, where he remained for four years. He arrived in Taranaki in 1845 to succeed the Rev. C. Creed as missionary at Ngamotu and was there until 1856. An accomplished Maori scholar, Turton was employed by Governor FitzRoy in negotiations with the Maori. He was a keen controversialist also, and defended the Wesleyan cause in the discussion of missionary spheres with Bishop Selwyn. In 1848 Governor Grey established, on a crown grant at Ngamotu, an industrial school for Maori students on the lines of the Three Kings Institution. Turton took charge of it, and superintended the education of natives of both sexes until the outbreak of hostilities necessitated the closing of the school. His wife, who was highly cultured and musical, taught the girls until her death (1849). In 1857 he was transferred to Kawhia, and in 1858 to Manukau. In that year he retired from the Methodist ministry and commenced business in New Plymouth as a house and general agent. He then became an interpreter in the government service. In 1862 he was appointed warden at Coromandel. He represented New Plymouth in Parliament from the end of 1863 to late in 1864, and resigned in order to act as commissioner to investigate native titles under the New Zealand settlements act. From 1874 till his retirement (1883) he was employed in the Native department in Wellington. He died on 18 Sep 1887.

A son, GIBSON KIRKE TURTON (1841-91), was born in Auckland and practised law at Dunedin with J. Hyde Harris. He represented Dunedin City in the Otago Provincial Council (1873-75).

Family information; Cycl. N.Z., vi; Turner; G.B.O.P. 1845; Wesleyan Meth. Mag., 1845; Pratt; W. L. Williams; Buller; W. Brown, New Zealand and Its Aborigines (1845); Wells; Morley; R. Young; Taranaki Herald and Budget, 18 Dec 1926 (p); Evening Post, 19 Sep 1887, 3 Jul 1891.

Reference: Volume 2, page 207

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