Turner, William Wadden (23 October 1810–29 November 1859), philologist and librarian, was born in London, England, the son of Robert Wadden Turner, a contractor and lumber merchant, and Elizabeth Jamison. Turner came with his family to New York City in 1818. His love of languages started early when he determined to study Hebrew at the age of six. He received a liberal preliminary education in the New York public schools and was apprenticed to a carpenter. His father died in 1821 and his mother in 1828. Turner studied printing, took up that trade, and hired a young German to “roll” the hand presses, then in use, and to teach him German....
