Charles G. Turk, BiographyPorter County biographical sketches . . . .
Transcribed biography of Charles G. Turk
CHARLES G. TURK. Porter county's rank as one of the best agricultural counties of Indiana has been secured through the individual efforts of its farmers and stockmen. As a representative of this class of valued citizens there is probably no one more deserving of mention in this work than Charles G. Turk, one of the large land owners in Liberty township and trustee of that township.
He came to the United States thirty-one years ago and has been a resident of Porter county, Indiana, almost the whole of that period. His capital with which to begin life in this country consisted not of money but of more valuable and certain assets, character, ability and a large stock of energy and determination. With these concomitants he has waged his contest for success and has won, for he is not only reckoned as one of the substantial men of his community, but what is of infinitely more value he has attained a high standing among his fellow citizens as a man of honor and true worth.
Charles G. Turk was born in Saxony, Meininger, Germany, May 18, 1856, a son of John and Anna (Tol) Turk, both of whom were natives of the Fatherland and spent their entire lives there. Of the nine children of these parents five are now living (1912) and are as follows: Charles G. of this sketch; Maurice and George, still residents of Germany; Henry, a farmer in Liberty township, Porter county; and Anna, now Mrs. George Otto, of Wisconsin.
Mr. Turk was reared to young manhood in his native land and from 1876 to 1878 received the military discipline required of all German youths. Three years later, or in 1881, he immigrated to the United States, landing at Castle Square Garden, New York City, on January 31. From there he came to Chicago and thence to Porter county, Indiana. The first year here he worked out by the month, receiving as his wages ten dollars per month. The next two years were spent as an employe on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad.
On the 15th of April, 1884, he was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Brock, a daughter of John Brock, a well known farmer of Liberty township. The next year, or in 1885, he began business life in an independent way by taking up farming on a rented farm in Liberty township. Two years later he bought one hundred acres of land adjoining the farm on which he now resides. Prosperity attended his efforts from the first, but the key to that prosperity was industrious, intelligent and persevering effort and sagacious management. As the years have passed he has made additional purchases until today his holdings aggregate 485 acres of fine land, all in Liberty township. While pursuing a personal success he has at the same time accepted the responsibility of true citizenship by taking an active interest in the public life of his community and lias become whole-heartedly an American. In politics he is aligned with the Republican party. He was at one time road supervisor of Liberty township and in 1908 was elected township trustee, which office he has filled most acceptably and of which he is the present incumbent.
To the union of Mr. and Mrs. Turk have come five children, the eldest of whom was Clara, now deceased. The other four children are Charles H., Julius, Edward and Mary, all of whom are at home. Mr. Turk and his family are members of the German Lutheran church in Valparaiso.
Source: Lewis Publishing Company. 1912. History of Porter County, Indiana: A Narrative Account of its Historical Progress, its People and its Principal Interests. Chicago, Illinois: Lewis Publishing Company. 881 p.
Page(s) in Source: 713-714
This biography has been transcribed exactly as it was originally published in the source. Please note that we do not provide photocopies or digital scans of biographies appearing on this website.
Biography transcribed by Steven R. Shook