Scott Turner (engineer)

Scott Turner (July 31, 1880 – July 30, 1972)^[1] was an American mining engineer. He served as the 5th Director of the United States Bureau of Mines from 1926 to 1934 and was the 18th recipient of the Hoover Medal.^[2][3]

Scott Turner
Photograph of Turner in 1925
5th Director of the U.S. Bureau of Mines
In office 1925 – August 16, 1934
Preceded by	H. Foster Bain
Succeeded by	John W. Finch
Personal details
Born	(1880-07-31)July 31, 1880 Lansing, Michigan, U.S.
Died	July 30, 1972(1972-07-30) (aged 91) Greenwich, Connecticut, U.S.
Resting place	Mount Hope Cemetery Lansing, Michigan, U.S.
Spouse	Amy Prudden Jenison ​ ​ (m. 1919; died 1972)​
Parent	James Munroe Turner (father)
Alma mater	University of Michigan (AB) Michigan College of Mines (EM)
Occupation	mining engineer
Awards	Hoover Medal
Military career
Allegiance	United States
Branch	U.S. Navy
Battles / wars	World War I Sinking of the RMS Lusitania

Early life

Turner was born in 1880 in Lansing, Michigan, son of James Munroe Turner and Sophie (Scott) Turner.^[1][4] His father owned a 1,200 acre Springdale Farm in Lansing, a property known for its prize beef at the time. His grandfather James Madison Turner built the Turner-Dodge House in Lansing.^[4] He obtained his Bachelor of Arts in geology from the University of Michigan in 1902, and his EM from the Michigan College of Mines, now Michigan Technological University, in 1904.^[1]

Career

Turner started his career as mining engineer, developing mineral deposits in Alaska, Panama, Canada and 14 other countries. For a time he managed the Arctic Coal Company in Spitsbergen (now Svalbard).^[5]

In World War I he served in the U.S. Navy, and in 1915 he survived the sinking of the RMS Lusitania. He was on the Lusitania to assess a coal discovery in Spitsbergen, Norway.^[5][4]

From 1926 to 1934 he was director of the United States Bureau of Mines.^[3] He resigned in July 1934, but did not leave office until August 16, 1934.^[6]

In 1932, he served as president of the American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers (AIME).

Personal

Turner married Amy Prudden Jenison in 1919. She died on February 6, 1972.^[4][7][8]

Turner sold Springdale Farm to the city of Lansing after World War II. From a portion of the property, the city built Arboretum Park in its place in the 1950s.^[4][7]

Death

Turner died on July 30, 1972, in Greenwich, Connecticut. He was buried in Mount Hope Cemetery in Lansing.^[4]