Turnbull Clan Genealogy Collection

John Gordon Turnbull, Sr

M, #38751, b. 8 November 1891, d. 1 April 1953

Last Edited

17 December 2022

J. Gordon Turnbull - Civil Engineer

Parents

Father	Alexander Turnbull (b. 3 February 1848, d. 16 September 1924)
Mother	Margaret Gore ("Gwendolin") Noakes (b. 13 May 1850, d. 13 February 1936)

BMDB Events

Birth	John Gordon Turnbull, Sr, was born on 8 November 1891 in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States.¹
Marriage	He married Sue Vaughan ("Susan") Aycock on 9 April 1943 in Steuben, Indiana, United States. John Gordon Turnbull, Sr, was, age 51, Sue Vaughan ("Susan") Aycock was, age 30.^1,2
Death	He died on 1 April 1953 at age 61 in Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States.³
Burial	He was buried at Glen Haven Memorial Park in Sylmar, Los Angeles, California, United States.

Other Life Events

Note

John Gordon Turnbull, Sr. See: Who's Who - America 1951-1960 p865.

Biography

Biography appears on https://bratenahlhistorical.org/index.php/j-gordon-turnbull/. J. Gordon Turnbull - Civil Engineer11239 Lake Shore BoulevardJ. Gordon Turnbull
J. Gordon Turnbull was an internationally known civil engineer. His work as a consulting engineer in design and construction included extensive foreign and domestic industrial facilities in the automotive, aircraft, rubber, atomic energy, and hydro-electric development projects.
John Gordon Turnbull was born on November 8, 1891, in San Francisco to Alexander and Margaret Turnbull. He studied at Université Catholique de Louvain, Belgium, from 1907 to 1910.
At age 47, Gordon married Susan Aycock in 1938. She was born on November 12, 1912. They had three children: John Gordon Jr., Alexander, and Susan Gay.
He began his career in San Francisco in 1911 as a draftsman for the George H. Tay Company, where he gained experience with large industrial projects such as hydro-electric plants, waterworks, and power plants.
In 1913, Turnbull worked as a draftsman with Josiah C. Moore in Portland, Oregon, drafting power plants, sawmills, and paper mills. He worked with the supervising architect of the Seattle Public Schools. Within three years, he became a partner with the W. A. Kramer & Company in Portland.
In 1917, he moved his base to Detroit, Michigan. His first work there was with the Hudson Motor Company. Two years later be became the chief engineer for the Detroit firm of Albert Kahn Associates to work on the Burroughs Adding Machine Company plant.
Turnbull became the consulting engineer for Ford Motor Company’s River Rouge Complex, the largest integrated factory globally. The complex inspired the GAZ factory in the Soviet Union. From 1927 to 1932, Turnbull worked as a consulting engineer for the Soviet Union, designing the steel, foundry, tractor, and automobile factories.
From 1935 to 1940, Mr. Turnbull became a consulting construction engineer for the General Motors Corporation, working on constructing the Detroit Diesel, the Allison Engine, and the Electro-Motive plants.
Mr. Turnbull established J. Gordon Turnbull, Incorporated in August 1941 with the main office at 2630 Chester Avenue in Cleveland with branch offices in Dallas and Kansas City. In addition to his Bratenahl home, he had a summer home at Findlay Lake, New York.
JGT had a large hand in local industrial development. They designed the Fruehauf Trailer Company plant in Avon, the White Motor Bus plant, and the Lucas Machine plant when it moved from Bratenahl.
During World War II, the firm designed numerous military projects in the United States and abroad, including Wright Field (Wright-Patterson Air Force Base) in Dayton, the Naval Weapons Industrial Reserve Plant in Dallas, Texas.
During World War II, the U.S. Army purchased 640 square miles of land in Richland, Washington, and the now-vanished towns of White Bluffs and Hanford just upriver for the Manhatten Project. JGT planned and designed the “Atomic Town.”
Gordon died on April 1, 1953, after a long illness in his Los Angles home and was buried in Glen Haven Memorial Park in Sylmar, California. J. Gordon Turnbull, Inc. continued to operate after its founder’s death. On March 20, 2006, Susan died and was buried in Oak Hill Cemetery in Ballard, California.

Family: Sue Vaughan ("Susan") Aycock (b. 24 November 1912, d. 20 March 2006)

Son	John Gordon Turnbull, Jr
Daughter	Susan Gay Turnbull (b. 13 March 1947, d. 10 May 2014)

Citations

[S2] TURNBULL, S.J. (deceased), File T-0467 ABBR TURNBULL, S.J
[S2132] FamilySearch, online https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K3L5-VRW. Hereinafter cited as FamilySearch.
NameJohn G TurnbullSexMaleResidence PlaceWarren, , OhioBirth Date08 Nov 1890BirthplaceSan Francisco, , CaliforniaNumber of Previous Marriages1Father's Name Alexander TurnbullFather's SexMaleMother's Name Margarett NoakesMother's SexFemaleSpouse's NameSue V AycockSpouse's SexFemaleSpouse's Residence PlaceMenton, , OhioSpouse's Birth Date24 Nov 1912Spouse's Birth Year (Estimated)31Spouse's BirthplaceSnyder, , OklahomaSpouse's Previous Marriage Number1Spouse's Father's Name Clay AycockSpouse's Father's SexMaleSpouse's Mother's Name Myrtle MossOfficiator's Name N E SmithMarriage PlaceSteuben, IndianaMarriage License Date09 Apr 1943Marriage License PlaceSteuben, Indiana, United StatesEvent TypeMarriage LicensePage526Number of Images1
[S2132] FamilySearch, online https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPW3-LQPR. Hereinafter cited as FamilySearch.
NameJ Gordon TurnbullSexMaleAge61Death Date1 Apr 1953Death PlaceLos Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United StatesBirth Year (Estimated)1892Father's NameAlexander TurnbullMother's Name Margaret NoakesSpouse's Name Susan A TurnbullEvent TypeDeathDocument Number6142

Birth	Sue Vaughan ("Susan") Aycock was born on 24 November 1912 in Snyder, Kiowa, Oklahoma, United States.
Marriage	She married John Gordon Turnbull, Sr, on 9 April 1943 in Steuben, Indiana, United States. Sue Vaughan ("Susan") Aycock was, age 30, John Gordon Turnbull, Sr, was, age 51.^1,2
Death	She died on 20 March 2006 at age 93 in United States.
Burial	She was buried at Oak Hill Cemetery in Ballard, Santa Barbara, California, United States.

Birth	William Garfield Turnbull, Sr, was born on 11 September 1880 in Contra Costa, California, United States.^1,2
Marriage	He married Bernice Vivian Beal on 3 September 1925 in Seattle, King, Washington, United States. William Garfield Turnbull, Sr, was, age 44, Bernice Vivian Beal was, age 22.³
Death	He died on 3 July 1949 at age 68 in Seattle, King, Washington, United States.
Burial	He was buried at Lake View Cemetery in Seattle, King, Washington, United States. A ge 68 son of Alexander Turnbull and Margaret Noakes In 1900 Seattle, Alexander Turnbull (Feb 1850, Scotland, married 31 years, immigration 1853) was with wife Maggie (May 1851, Wales, immigration 1859, mother of 10 children, 9 living)and sons Alexander (Feb 1876, California), Willie (Sep 1880, California), David (Nov 1883, California) , Gordon (Nov 1886, California), Lester (Nov 1888, WA), Floyd (June 1891, WA In 1910 Seattle, William G Turnbull (29, CA, father from Scotland, mother from Wales) was with wife Olive M Turnbull (26, NC, parents from NC) and sons William G Turnbull (6, WA) and Alexander H Turnbull (3, WA) son William Garfield Turnbull Jr married Bernice Vivian Beal in Trinity Parish Church, Seattle, on 3 Sep 1925⁴

Birth	John Turnbull was born in 1849 in Middlesex Co., Ontario, Canada.¹
Marriage	He married Janet Hay Porteus about 1882. John Turnbull was, age ~33, Janet Hay Porteus was, age ~29.²
Death	He died on 14 June 1893 at age ~44 in Windsor, Ontario, Canada.¹

Birth	Janet Hay Porteus was born on 4 February 1853 in Glascow, Lanarkshire, Scotland.¹
Marriage	She married John Turnbull about 1882. Janet Hay Porteus was, age ~29, John Turnbull was, age ~33.²

Living	Janet Hay Porteus was living in 1871 in Ontario, Canada.¹
Immigration	She immigrated on 28 April 1911 to Detroit, Wayne, Michigan, United States.¹

Father	John Turnbull (b. 1849, d. 14 June 1893)
Mother	Janet Hay Porteus (b. 4 February 1853)

Birth	Andrew Blair Turnbull was born on 26 February 1884 in London, Ontario, Canada.¹
Marriage	He married Susan Elmira Doyle about 1912.¹
Death	He died on 17 October 1960 at age 76 in Green Bay, Wisconsin, United States.^2,3

Living (fam)	Andrew Blair Turnbull was living in 1920 in Brown, Wisconsin, United States.⁴
Living (fam)	He was living in 1940 at 916 So Monroe Avenue in Brown, Wisconsin, United States.⁵
Note	He. See: Who was Who - America 1961-1968 p956.

Daughter	Catherine Elizabeth Turnbull (b. 13 February 1915, d. 28 November 1990)
Daughter	Janet Turnbull (b. 23 February 1915, d. 1961)

Father	John Dunstan (b. 17 November 1803, d. 29 July 1876)
Mother	Elizabeth Turnbull (b. 17 November 1819, d. 19 August 1899)

Birth	Maria Ann Dunstan was born on 5 July 1850.¹
Marriage	She married Ralph Turnbull, IV, about 1872. Maria Ann Dunstan was, age ~22, Ralph Turnbull, IV, was, age ~26. Redfern, NSW^1,2
Death	She died on 11 April 1939 at age 88 in Windsor, New South Wales, Australia.^1,3,4
Burial	She was buried on 12 April 1939 at St John's Church of England Cemerery in Wilberforce, New South Wales, Australia.

Daughter	Amy Amelia Dunstan Turnbull+ (b. 19 April 1873, d. 26 October 1958)
Son	Willie Dunstan Turnbull (b. 26 June 1874, d. 20 November 1946)
Daughter	Edith Alice Dunstan Turnbull (b. 18 June 1877, d. 16 January 1962)
Son	John Dunstan Turnbull (b. 19 June 1879, d. 19 June 1879)
Daughter	Fanny Dunstan Turnbull+ (b. 13 March 1881, d. 22 April 1967)
Son	Harry Dunstan Turnbull (b. 28 March 1884, d. 6 December 1884)
Daughter	Jessie Dunstan Turnbull+ (b. 26 March 1885)
Daughter	Harriett Dunstan Turnbull (b. 12 January 1888, d. 13 January 1888)
Daughter	Minnie Dunstan Turnbull (b. 24 November 1889)
Daughter	Gladys Dunstan Turnbull (b. 25 January 1892, d. 31 January 1983)
Daughter	Dulcie Dunstan Turnbull+ (b. 11 July 1894, d. 13 August 1972)

Marriage	Susan Elmira Doyle married Andrew Blair Turnbull about 1912.¹
Death	She died on 9 August 1944 in Green Bay, Wisconsin, United States.^2,3

Living (fam)	Susan Elmira Doyle was living in 1920 in Brown, Wisconsin, United States.⁴
Living (fam)	She was living in 1940 at 916 So Monroe Avenue in Brown, Wisconsin, United States.⁵

Father	Henry Rutherford Turnbull
Mother	Elizabeth Ristean Grason

Father	David Dunstan (b. about 1777)
Mother	Mary Mullender (b. about 1782)

Birth	John Dunstan was born on 17 November 1803 in Parramatta, New South Wales, Australia.¹
Marriage	He married Elizabeth Turnbull on 7 September 1835 in Wilberforce, New South Wales, Australia. John Dunstan was, age 31, Elizabeth Turnbull was, age 15.^2,3
Death	He died on 29 July 1876 at age 72 in Wilberforce, New South Wales, Australia.¹

Son	John William Dunstan (b. 9 April 1836, d. 7 June 1836)
Son	Stephen John Dunstan+ (b. 5 April 1837, d. 16 June 1898)
Son	Ralph Dunstan (b. 5 March 1840, d. 25 September 1841)
Daughter	Mary Ann Dunstan+ (b. 14 August 1842, d. 19 September 1884)
Son	William Dunstan (b. 15 May 1845)
Daughter	Grace Dunstan+ (b. 12 September 1845, d. 17 September 1885)
Daughter	Blanche Selina Dunstan+ (b. 11 March 1848, d. 29 December 1931)
Daughter	Maria Ann Dunstan+ (b. 5 July 1850, d. 11 April 1939)
Daughter	Elizabeth Dunstan+ (b. 24 December 1852, d. 5 October 1917)
Daughter	Christina Dunstan+ (b. 25 May 1855, d. 19 September 1926)
Daughter	Louisa Dunstan+ (b. about 1856, d. 21 June 1919)
Daughter	Emma Dunstan+ (b. 28 November 1857, d. 4 August 1894)
Daughter	Harriett Dunstan+ (b. 21 January 1860, d. 17 November 1933)
Daughter	Amy Amelia Dunstan (b. 15 August 1865, d. 24 September 1951)

Birth	John William Turnbull was born about 1829 in Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland.¹
Death	He died about 1902 at age ~73.¹

Note	John William Turnbull. See: South African Extracts, p384.
Occupation	About 1888 John William Turnbull was a Judge of the Natal Supreme Court in Southern Africa.

Turnbull Clan Genealogy Collection

John Gordon Turnbull, Sr

Parents

BMDB Events

Other Life Events

Family: Sue Vaughan ("Susan") Aycock (b. 24 November 1912, d. 20 March 2006)

Citations

Sue Vaughan ("Susan") Aycock

BMDB Events

Family: John Gordon Turnbull, Sr, (b. 8 November 1891, d. 1 April 1953)

Citations

William Garfield Turnbull, Sr

Parents

BMDB Events

Family: Bernice Vivian Beal (b. 9 October 1902, d. 2 November 1958)

Citations

John Turnbull

BMDB Events

Family: Janet Hay Porteus (b. 4 February 1853)

Citations

Janet Hay Porteus

BMDB Events

Other Life Events

Family: John Turnbull (b. 1849, d. 14 June 1893)

Citations

Andrew Blair Turnbull

Parents

BMDB Events

Other Life Events

Family 1: Susan Elmira Doyle (d. 9 August 1944)

Family 2: Susan Doyle (b. 28 February 1886, d. 9 August 1944)

Citations

Maria Ann Dunstan

Parents

BMDB Events

Family: Ralph Turnbull, IV, (b. 8 June 1846, d. 3 June 1935)

Citations

Susan Elmira Doyle

BMDB Events

Other Life Events

Family: Andrew Blair Turnbull (b. 26 February 1884, d. 17 October 1960)

Citations

Henry Rutherford Turnbull

BMDB Events

Family: Elizabeth Ristean Grason

Citations

Elizabeth Ristean Grason

BMDB Events

Family: Henry Rutherford Turnbull

Citations

Henry Rutherford Turnbull

Parents

BMDB Events

Other Life Events

Citations

John Dunstan

Parents

BMDB Events

Family: Elizabeth Turnbull (b. 17 November 1819, d. 19 August 1899)

Citations

John William Turnbull

BMDB Events

Other Life Events

Citations

Janet Mitilda Turnbull

BMDB Events

Family: John Ballantyne (b. about 1784, d. October 1846)

Citations

John Ballantyne

BMDB Events

Family: Janet Mitilda Turnbull (b. about 1784, d. 26 April 1870)

Citations

Thomas Ballantyne

Parents

BMDB Events

Citations

William Ballantyne

Parents

BMDB Events

Citations

Birth	Janet Mitilda Turnbull was born about 1784 in Roxburghshire, Scotland.¹
Marriage	She married John Ballantyne on 13 May 1808 in Selkirk, Selkirkshire, Scotland. Janet Mitilda Turnbull was, age ~24, John Ballantyne was, age ~24.¹
Death	She died on 26 April 1870 at age ~86 in Bandera Co., Texas, United States.¹

Daughter	Ellen (Helen) Ballantyne (b. 10 May 1809)
Son	Thomas Ballantyne (b. 12 December 1810, d. 1842)
Daughter	Jeanette Ballantyne (b. 1814)
Son	Andrew Ballantyne (b. 13 September 1815, d. 28 November 1878)
Daughter	Mary Ballantyne (b. 17 August 1817, d. 28 November 1878)
Daughter	Margaret Ballantyne (b. 27 August 1819, d. 31 August 1884)
Daughter	Jane V. (Jessie) Ballantyne (b. 1822, d. 25 March 1852)
Son	William Ballantyne (b. 1824)
Son	James A. Ballantyne (b. 26 October 1826, d. 22 February 1895)
Son	Robert Ballantyne (b. 1829, d. 1844)

Birth	John Ballantyne was born about 1784 in Roxburghshire, Scotland.¹
Marriage	He married Janet Mitilda Turnbull on 13 May 1808 in Selkirk, Selkirkshire, Scotland. John Ballantyne was, age ~24, Janet Mitilda Turnbull was, age ~24.¹
Death	He died in October 1846 at age ~62 at Mountain Valley in Austin, Travis, Texas, United States.^1,2

Father	John Ballantyne (b. about 1784, d. October 1846)
Mother	Janet Mitilda Turnbull (b. about 1784, d. 26 April 1870)

Birth	Thomas Ballantyne was born on 12 December 1810 in Selkirk Parish, Roxburghshire, Scotland.^1,2
Christening	He was christened on 20 February 1811 in Selkirk Parish, Roxburghshire, Scotland.²
Death	He died in 1842 at age ~32 in Nauvoo, Illinois, United States.

Birth	Ellen (Helen) Ballantyne was born on 10 May 1809 in Roxburghshire, Scotland.¹
Marriage	She married William Bell on 14 November 1843 in Nauvoo, Illinois, United States.

Birth	Jane V. (Jessie) Ballantyne was born in 1822 at Sunderland in Selkirk Parish, Roxburghshire, Scotland.
Death	She died on 25 March 1852 at age ~30 in Burnet Co., Texas, United States.