Matthew Turner (shipbuilder) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Matthew Turner
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| Born | June 17, 1825 |
| Died | February 10, 1909 (aged 83) |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Shipbuilder, sea captain |
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Matthew Turner (June 17, 1825 – February 10, 1909) was a famous American sea captain and ship designer. He built an amazing 228 ships during his life. Most of these, 154 to be exact, were made at his own shipyard in Benicia. Matthew Turner built more sailing ships than almost anyone else in America. People even called him the "grandaddy" of wooden shipbuilding on the Pacific Coast.
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Early Life and First Ships
Matthew Turner was born in Geneva, Ohio, on June 17, 1825. He was the fourth child of George and Emily Turner. His father owned a sawmill near Lake Erie. In 1839, his dad built his first ship, a sloop named Geneva. This ship was used to carry lumber and building stones.
Matthew watched his father build the Geneva and another ship, the Philena Mills. This inspired him to design his very first ship, a schooner called G.R. Roberts. His father was so impressed that he built the boat, and it was launched in 1848. Matthew became the captain of the G.R. Roberts.
Later that year, Matthew married Amanda Jackson. Sadly, Amanda passed away during childbirth. In late 1849, Matthew traveled down the Mississippi River. He heard exciting news about the California Gold Rush. So, in 1850, he headed west to California. He spent three and a half years mining for gold in Calaveras County, California, and he was very successful.
Adventures as a Sea Captain
After his gold mining days, Turner went to New York. He bought a schooner called the Toronto. He then sailed it all the way back to California. There, he teamed up with Captain Richard Thomas Rundle. They started a business shipping timber to San Francisco from the Mendocino coast.
Soon, they were able to buy a bigger schooner, the Louis Perry. A few years later, they bought a brig called Temandra. When Turner sailed this larger ship to the Sea of Okhotsk, he noticed lots of cod fish. Cod was selling for a high price in San Francisco. So, he bought another ship, the Porpoise, to start fishing for cod. Turner also started a company to trade goods with Tahiti.
Matthew Turner was known for his bravery as a captain. He received special awards from other countries. Queen Victoria of England gave him a gold spyglass. This was to thank him for saving the lives of British sailors. The Norwegian government gave him a silver service (a fancy set of dishes). This was for rescuing a Norwegian ship that was about to sink near Honolulu.
Building Ships in Benicia
In 1868, Matthew Turner designed his first ship meant for the ocean. It was a brig called Nautilus. He wanted a faster ship for his trips to Tahiti. The Nautilus had a unique design. It was "long and sharp" at the front and "lean and full" at the back. Some people thought it would be a bad design and make for a very wet ride. But the Nautilus was a huge success!
This success made Turner want to build more ships. He opened a shipyard near Hunter's Point with his brother Horatio. In 1876, he married for a second time to Ashbeline, who was Captain Rundle's widow. His first shipyard did so well that he looked for a bigger place. In 1883, he started the Matthew Turner Shipyard in Benicia with his brother and John Eckley. This shipyard built at least 154 wooden ships.
Other shipbuilders admired Turner's designs. Henry Hall, from the Hall Brothers shipyard, spoke highly of the "Turner Model" of sailing. This model used the Bermudan sail, which was a large triangular sail without a gaff. Removing the gaff made it much easier to lower the sail quickly during sudden storms in the Pacific Ocean.
A Prolific Shipbuilder
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Matthew Turner designed and built 228 ocean-going ships. He did this over 37 years, from 1868 to 1905. He built more sailing ships than any other American shipbuilder. Even though many of his ships were smaller, his record is likely unmatched. He also built more ships for foreign owners than almost any other American since the Revolution.
Turner had many business interests in the South Sea Islands. Many of his ships were built for owners in that area. He also specialized in ships used for hunting seals in the open ocean. Turner even built some of the fastest racing yachts in the world. These yachts proved their speed in famous races held by the San Francisco Yacht Club. Turner was one of the first members of this club.
Later Life and Legacy
Matthew Turner became ill around 1904. However, in 1906, at 81 years old, he was still overseeing work at his shipyard. After the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, his shipyard suddenly had a lot of work. Despite this, he decided to retire. Matthew Turner passed away on February 10, 1909, at 83 years old. He died after a short illness at his home in Oakland.
Turner's influence on ships in the South Seas lasted for many years. As late as 1941, a two-masted schooner named Benicia arrived in San Francisco. It was built in Tahiti by a shipwright who had worked in Turner's yard.
Honoring Matthew Turner Today
A new wooden tall ship has been built to honor Matthew Turner. This 132-foot Brigantine Schooner is named Matthew Turner. It was inspired by Turner's classic ship, the Galilee.
The Matthew Turner is part of the "Call of the Sea" fleet. This is a non-profit group started by Captain Alan Olson. "Call of the Sea" is based in Sausalito, California. Their goal is to keep maritime traditions alive. They teach sailing skills and teamwork through their programs.
The new Matthew Turner is designed to be very eco-friendly. It uses no fossil fuels for its normal operations. Wind power provides the main way to move the ship. Wind power also creates electricity for the ship's electric motors. These motors are used when there isn't enough wind. The new Matthew Turner is considered the "greenest" wooden tall ship ever built. Every part of its construction was chosen to be environmentally friendly. This includes using certified wood and non-toxic paints.
The Matthew Turner was finished in March 2017. It was built entirely by volunteers and funded by donations. It is mainly used for educational programs. The ship was officially launched on April 1, 2017, in Sausalito.
Notable Ships Built by Turner
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- Anna – A schooner that made a very fast trip from Honolulu to San Francisco in just ten days in 1886.
- Amaranth – A four-masted barquentine that set a record for the trip from Astoria, Oregon, to Shanghai (23 days). It was wrecked at Jarvis Island in 1913.
- Ariel – A four-masted schooner built in 1900. It was wrecked in Japan in 1917.
- Benicia – A barquentine that made a quick trip from Newcastle, New South Wales, to Kihei, Hawaiʻi, in 35 days.
- Equator – A schooner that was rented by author Robert Louis Stevenson. It helped inspire his book The Wrecker.
- Emma Claudina – A 126-foot, 266-ton brigantine. It was the first ship of the Matson Line.
- Galilee – A brigantine that holds the record for the fastest trip from Tahiti to San Francisco for a wooden sailing ship (22 days). It was later used as a magnetic observatory.
- Geneva – A brigantine that made a very fast trip of 2 days between Launceston, Tasmania, and Newcastle, New South Wales.
- John D. Spreckels – A 266-ton brigantine that made at least three ten-day trips between San Francisco and the Hawaiian Islands.
- HMCS Karluk – A brigantine whaler bought by the Canadian government. It was the main ship for the Canadian Arctic Expedition.
- Lurline – A 135-foot brigantine built in 1887. It was later sold and lost in 1915.
- Nautilus – A 173-ton brig that made a fast trip from Tahiti to San Francisco in 20 days.
- Papeete – A schooner that made a 17-day trip from San Francisco to Tahiti.
- Pitcairn – A schooner built by Turner for the Seventh-day Adventists.
- Solano – Made a fast trip from Shanghai to Port Townsend, Washington, in 24 days in 1902. It was wrecked in 1907.
- William G. Irwin – A ship built in 1881. It made fast trips from San Francisco to Kahului, Hawaiʻi (8 days, 17 hours), and Honolulu to San Francisco (9 days).
- W.H. Dimond – A brigantine that made a 9-day, 10-hour trip from San Francisco to Honolulu.
