Jean Daniel TOURNEUR

                   The surname Turnure was originally Tourneur and is of Picard or French origin.  The Tourneur's of New York were one of some thirty French families, about a third of whom were from Picardy, who made their home in Harlem in the seventeenth century.  Of Picard descent the Tourneur's served as magistrates.  The Tourneur family has always played an influential part in the history of state and nation. Some of its members have been men of the highest repute in public, professional and commercial life.
    (Cuyler Reynolds, 1914 "Genealogy and Fmaily History of Southern NewYork"  Vol. 1, page 125)

    Arriving in America, Daniel Tourneur first lived at what is now Flatbush, where he served as corporal of a company formed April 7, 1654 for protection against marauders.  Soon after, he was granted a corner lot in New Amsterdam with a view to putting up a house; but a year or more passed before the timber was ready and he renewed his request April11, 1657, probably without success.  He later built a house on Prince's Graft, where he had bought a lot May 31, 1660.  On August 16 of the sameyear he was appointed magistrate for Harlem, where he had already built a house, into which he soon moved.  He served as a magistrate at verious periods and, for several years, as deputy sheriff.  He was repeatedly chosen deacon and was a delegate to the General Assembly of 1664, as well as being one of Nicolls Patentees.   (James Riker  1904  "History ofHarlem")

     Daniel was a man of high spirit who, according to old records, lost his temper magnificently when reminded that the proximate cause of his emigration had been judged a homicide.  The story is that while attending the funeral of a Huguenot friend in his native town of Amiens, he denied the King's command to stop a Protestant service; and, when an arrest was attempted by the officer of the guard, he drew his rapier, killed the officer, and put the soldiers to flight.   ("Dyckman House")

     The Tourneurs had been victims of repeated persecution in France andwere driven from home in the fruitful valley of the Somme in the wake of a relentless war.  Subsequent incidents indicated that their flight was not unaccompanied by violence.  In fact, Daniel Tourneur fled Amiensafter repeated accusations of having killed a man, although it was known that he only acted in self defense.