Fortescue Turberville

Fortescue Turberville

Male - 1710

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  • Name Fortescue Turberville 
    Died 04 Jul 1710  Charleston, South Carolina Find all individuals with events at this location  [1
    Person ID I01172  Eliots of Port Eliot
    Last Modified 16 Jun 2021 

    Father John Turberville,   d. 1681 
    Mother Elizabeth Fortescue,   d. Aft 1697 
    Family ID F00354  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Wife Bridget Fortescue,   d. Bef 10 Nov 1709 
    Children 
     1. Bridget Turberville,   b. Abt 1705,   d. Bef 27 Oct 1727  (Age < 22 years)
    Last Modified 16 Jun 2021 
    Family ID F00389  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Notes 

    • --- Sir Peter Fortescue's will states that he is the Godfather of Fortescue Turberville, his grandson.

      --- www.carolana.com
      On March 17, 1708/09 Henry Somerset, 2nd Duke of Beaufort, appointed Fortescue Turberville as his deputy.

      --- "Collection of the South Carolina Historical Society" Vol. 1, 1857, page 178-9:
      Papers in State Paper Office, London.
      1709, April 19. Craven House.] A commission to be prepared for Fortescue Turberville, Esq., to take probates of wills, grant letters of administration, &c., in South Carolina; . . .

      1709, May 26. Craven House.] Signing of commission to Fortescue Turberville, Esq., giving him jurisdiction in parliamentary affairs in South Carolina; . . .

      --- "The South Carolina Encyclopedia Guide to the Governors of South Carolina" edited by Walter Edgar, Univ. of S. Carolin Press, 2012:
      Governor Tynte's instructions provided that the other deputies should choose one of their number as interim governor. On a morning soon after Tynte's death, the three deputies (Gibbes, Thomas Broughton, and Fortescue Turberville) chose Broughton, but by afternoon Gibbes had bribed Turberville with the promise of "£100 and three places besides." Turberville changed his vote. Gibbes's misdeed was discovered after Turberville's death in the sickly colony on July 4, 1710, and only Broughton's forbearance prevented civil war between his supporters and those of Gibbes.

      --- "Charleston: The Place and the People" by Harriott Horry Ravenel, 1906, page 59:
      The law ran that if any Governor should die in office, the deputies of the Proprietors should choose one of themselves to act until their Lordships' pleasure could be known. It so happened that Colonel Tynte, who had superseded Sir Nathaniel, died after a few months' incumbency when there were only three deputies in the Province. They were Colonel Thomas Broughton, Governor Johnson's son-in-law, Mr. Robert Gibbes (both "Goose Creek men"); and Mr. Fortescue Turbeville, a late arrival. There were two sessions on the same day for the election; practically Turbeville was the sole elector. At the second (afternoon) session, he gave his vote for Gibbes, who was proclaimed Governor. Turbeville was then struck by apoplexy and died. It was discovered that in the morning he had voted for Broughton, had been bribed during the recess, had changed his vote accordingly, and had then met his fate. It reminds one of Earl Godwin choking on the consecrated wafer, and Earl Godwin was thought to have been smitten by the vengeance of the Lord.

      Thereupon Colonel Broughton claimed the office as having received the honest, unbought (morning) vote of the dead man. The quarrel was sharp and threatened to by bloody.

      --- "The History of South Carolina Under the Proprietary Government, 1670-1719" by Edward McCrady, 1897, page 489-90:
      . . . It happened that at this time there were but three deputies in the province; to wit, Robert Gibbes, Colonel Thomas Broughton, and one Fortescute Turbeville. The last-named person had just come out as the deputy of the Duke of Beaufort, and had been commissioned also to take probate of wills, and to grant letters of administration. Upon the meeting of these for the purpose of choosing a Governor, there had been a recess taken from the morning until the afternoon, when it was declared that Robert Gibbes was chosen and was proclaimed Governor. Strangely, it happened that Turbeville also died suddenly, and upon his death it was discovered that at the morning session Turbeville had voted for Colonel Broughton, but during the recess had been induced by bribery to change his vote to Gibbes. Upon this Broughton claimed the government, alleging Turbeville's primary and uncorrupted vote in his favor. To this Gibbes would not yield. Each persisted in his claim, and thereupon ensued a most discreditable controversy, ending in riot. Many of the people sided with Broughton, but more with Gibbes.

  • Sources 
    1. "The South Carolina Encyclopedia Guide to the Governors of South Carolina" edited by Walter Edgar, Univ. of S. Carolin Press, 2012.