Turell Tufts (1770–1842)

Biography

“Turell , b. 1770; d. June 9, 1842.”

Charles Brooks, History of the Town of Medford (1855), Register of Families, p. 546. Page scan · Text (Perseus), among the children of Dr. Simon Tufts, jun., by his second wife, Elizabeth Hall

Turell Tufts was the eldest son of the second marriage of Dr. Simon Tufts (1727–1786). He was named for the Rev. Ebenezer Turell, Medford’s second minister, whose portrait he later left to the First Parish. His uncle Dr. Cotton Tufts described him to John Adams in 1798 as a man “bred in the Mercantile Line” who had been in business at Hartford, Connecticut, and had lost heavily through Georgia land speculation and French depredations. He recommended him as well qualified for a consulship.

“Turell Tufts, a Son of my Brother Dr. Tufts decd.”

Cotton Tufts to John Adams, June 1798, Adams Family Correspondence, vol. 13 (Adams Papers document ADMS-04-13-02-0057). MHS digital edition

“I have made Turell Tufts a Consul at Surinam.”

John Adams to Abigail Adams, 28 January 1799. MHS, Adams Family Papers

The Adams Papers editors note that Adams nominated him consul to Suriname on 10 January 1799 and that the Senate confirmed him on 14 January. He wrote from Paramaribo as “T. Tufts Consul USA” to Secretary of State James Madison on 28 January 1808, reporting the embargo of American vessels at Barbados (Papers of James Madison, Secretary of State Series; original in National Archives, RG 59, Consular Despatches, Paramaribo). His younger brother Hall Tufts died at Surinam in 1801 (Brooks, p. 546).

Back in Medford he became one of the town’s leading citizens. When General Lafayette visited, it was Turell Tufts, as chairman of the selectmen, who gave the address of welcome:

“the Selectmen of the town met the General and his cortege ; and they thus addressed him, by Turell Tufts, Esq., their Chairman”

Charles Brooks, History of the Town of Medford (1855), p. 141, in the account of Governor Brooks and Lafayette. Page scan (Internet Archive)

“Turell Tufts was selectman, 1820—1825 and 1827-1828. He served the town as its treasurer in 1827. In 1824 he was fence viewer, on the committee to audit the treasurer’s books, was chosen moderator in absence of Dudley Hall, who was first chosen, and was representative to the General Court.”

Eliza M. Gill, “Turell Tufts and His Family Connections,” Medford Historical Register, vol. XVIII (1915), p. 55. Text (Perseus)

He left Medford several bequests: five hundred dollars for roadside shade trees, five hundred dollars to the Medford Social Library, and communion plate and the portrait of Mr. Turell to the church.

“A legacy of five hundred dollars from Turell Tufts , Esq. , was expended, according to his directions, in planting ornamental trees on the roadsides.”

Charles Brooks, History of the Town of Medford (1855), p. 58–59. Text (Perseus)

“Turell Tufts , Esq. , bequeathed to it five hundred dollars, the interest of which must be expended annually for the purchase of valuable books.”

Charles Brooks, History of the Town of Medford (1855), p. 294. Text (Perseus), on the Medford Social Library

“1842, July.--The church received, from the hand of Dudley Hall, a bequest of the late Turell Tufts , Esq. ,--two pieces of plate for the communion-table; and a portrait of the Rev. Mr. Turell , one of the former pastors of this church.”

Charles Brooks, History of the Town of Medford (1855), p. 494. Text (Perseus)

He lived in the old family house at Medford Square, “successively the home of the elder and younger Drs. Simon, and Turell Tufts, Esq.” (“The Tufts Family Residences,” Medford Historical Register, vol. XVIII (1915), p. 67). See Places.

Service Record

Town: Medford, Mass. · Dates: 1770–1842

No military service. Civil offices: U.S. consul at Paramaribo, Surinam (nominated 10 Jan. 1799); Medford selectman 1820–25 and 1827–28, town treasurer 1827, and representative to the General Court in 1824 (Gill, p. 55).

Family Connection

“The children by this union were Turell , born 1770, died 1842, unmarried; Cotton, born 1772, died 1835, was insane for forty-four years; Hall , born 1775, died 1801, at Surinam ; Hepsibah, born 1777; Stephen, born 1779, died young.”

Eliza M. Gill, “Turell Tufts and His Family Connections,” Medford Historical Register, vol. XVIII (1915), p. 54. Text (Perseus), on the children of Dr. Simon Tufts, Jr. and Elizabeth Hall

Father: Dr. Simon Tufts (1727–1786). Mother: Elizabeth Hall (born May 15, 1743), daughter of Stephen Hall; she married secondly, on July 12, 1795, Capt. Duncan Ingraham of Concord, and died in 1830 aged 87 (Gill, pp. 54, 56). Grandfather: Dr. Simon Tufts (1700–1747). Uncle: Dr. Cotton Tufts. Half-brother: Simon Tufts (1750–1801) (Brooks, p. 546, lists “Simon, b. 1750” as the first son by Lucy Dudley; Gill, p. 54, says he died at the Cape of Good Hope in 1802).

Relatives with profiles on this site: father; grandfather; uncle; half-brother Simon; ancestor Peter Tufts the immigrant (Gill, p. 54: “fifth in the line of descent from Peter Tufts of Malden”).

Spouse(s)

“Turell , born 1770, died 1842, unmarried”

Eliza M. Gill, “Turell Tufts and His Family Connections,” Medford Historical Register, vol. XVIII (1915), p. 54. Text (Perseus)

Unmarried. Brooks (p. 546) records no marriage.

Authoritative IDs / Index Numbers

Only IDs confirmed against dates and family are given as matches. “Not yet checked” means the source has not been searched; “Checked, not found” means it was searched without a match.