Founder of the New York State Inebriate Asylum
January 1 through December 31, 1858
January 13 - Called on Mr. Studson of the Aster House. He told me to call next time and he would get a thousand dollars subscribed to the Asylum.
February 25 - Held meeting at Albany at 2 P.M. Trustees present at 12 o'clock. (Meeting of the Asylum Trustees in Albany, New York.)
March 2 - Mr. Perrey call on me in the evening. (Name is misspelled, referring to Asylum architect Isaac G. Perry).
March 6 - Called on Perrey.
March 10 - (In Albany). Call on Senator Stow. He approved of the Asylum.
March 11 - (In Albany) Called on Gov. Hunt and obtained his subscription of ten dollars.
March 15 - Called on Perrey.
March 30 - Called on J.H.Ransom and obtained the board as security for the New York State Inebriate Asylum.
April 1 - Wrote to B.F.Butler(?) that fifty thousand two hundred and eighty dollars were subscribed to the fund of the N.Y.State Inebriate A. Paid for advertising 2.20, paid for boots 3.50.
April 2 - Paid 1.00 for plan of the As.
April 13-16 - (Turner visited Binghamton, explored possible sites for the asylum with Judge Bascom and the Binghamton locating committee. Held nightly meetings with the committee at his hotel).
April 19-22 - (Back in Binghamton, continued to explore sites with Mr. Phelps and the committee. Tea with Mr. Dickinson, Dinner with Mr. Hitchcock. Meetings at the hotel).
April 28-29 - (Turner traveled back to Binghamton with Mayor Lambert to visit possible sites).
May 12 - Spent the day on the Lyon's farm. (The eventual site of the Asylum in Binghamton).
May 24 - Rec'd a letter from Mr. Waterman of Binghamton, also a description of land given by the citizens of Binghamton 252 acres 117 rods. (See "1858 Land Donation" in this section of the website).
May 25 - Left for Binghamton at 6 o'clock A.M. arrived at B. at 2:20 P.M. Visit the site with Dr. Gardiner.
May 27 - Visited the site with Geo. Folsum. Rode up to the site in carriage. Committee met at 5 o'clock.
May 28 - The committee visited the site. Hamilton Murry met with Geo Folsum, Sherman D. Phelps and J.E.Turner as a committee in Binghamton. (The Building Committee).
May 29 - Visited the Asylum with Mr. Perry, expense .60
June 3 - Committee of location met at the Exchange Hotel. It was decided, and collected two hundred dollars.
July 7 - Wrote Perry.
August 10 - Building committee met at the Lewis House, present Murry, Phelps and Turner.
August 12 - Paid board for I.G.Perry 6.00
August 18 - Called on Mr. W... and stated that the job of stone cutting should commence immediately.
September 8 - Paid Isaac G. Perry 20.50
September 18 - Made a bargain with E.G.Williams for his tent at $125 to be sent on Tuesday (in preparation for the laying of the cornerstone ceremony September 24).
September 24 - Ceremony. Rained "cats & dogs".
September 25 - Paid for tin box 2.25 (presumably used for the cornerstone time capsule). Paid Pery (sic) 6.50
December 4 - Paid Mr Perry 9.00
December 31 - Wrote Mother 731. Paid Perry 20
Courtesy Broome County Historical Society
Transcription
Wrote A.L.U.
Dept with J.H.Ransom $150.00
Called on Mr. Wadsworth
Called on Schummacher
Called on M.C.
The citizens of Binghamton
had a meeting on the
subject of a site for the Asylum
also Dr. Cheivers
Wrote Mother the 633d letter
Sent A.L.U. a pamphlet.
committee appointed by
the citizens of B. to look-
for a site for the
institution
at 6 O'clock AM.
Arrived at B. at 4 PM
Met Judge Balcom
at the carrs.
Expense of Carriage $1.00
had another meeting
upon the subject of a
site. Daniel L. Dunhum(?)
presided.
During the year 1858, Joseph Edward Turner spent much of his time traveling throughout New York State selling ten-dollar subscriptions and otherwise collecting money for construction of the Inebriate Asylum. The daily entries in his diary indicate where he traveled, the names of contributors and the amounts of their donations. Turner wrote to his mother often, noting the number in sequence of each letter. Following are some interesting entries during the year 1858. Notes of explanation are enclosed within parentheses.