185:"Mrs. Bertha Turner of 920 Worcester St., Pasadena, was a charming hostess on Monday evening when she gave a delightful dinner in honor of Mesdames L. Robinson, E. Lewis and Misses B. King and L. Thompson, all of New York. The Table was a dream of perfect beauty and the dainty table appointments of silver candelabras and silver baskets filled with choice pink nodding rose buds and large bows of delicate pink ribbon was a sight too beautiful to have been true, the transformation being so effective that those present thought of only fairy land where the fairies flitted here and there and the five course dinner was enjoyed to each heart's content and was only that will linger long in the memory of those bid to sup with such charming visitors as these ladies from New York. Besides the hostess and her husband the following were the dinner guests: Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Corbin, Mr. and Mrs. Chas. D. Conner, Mesdames Nolie Murray, Maude Stallings and Miss Estelle Everette."
139:
Bertha married James Turner on
December 6, 1891, when she was 24 years old. By 1895, they had their one and only son, Raymond. By 1900, Raymond was living with his grandparents, while Bertha and James worked in the home of a man named Sterling R. Scott, an ice manufacturer. Bertha was a servant while
494:“Hollywood Bowl Tea Garden Under the Direction of Bertha Turner” from the Program for the Hollywood Bowl Symphonies Under The Stars August 16, 18, 19 & 20, page 13, Hollywood. Los Angeles Philharmonic Archives, 1932. Courtesy of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Archives, retrieved by Meredith Reese.
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In 1924, Turner and her husband moved from 920 Worcester Avenue to a "palatial residence of 10 rooms, consisting of every modern convenience" at 725 Winona Avenue. In 1925, when Turner's daughter-in-law, Elsie Dalton Turner, was involved in a car accident that resulted in the death of a young girl,
503:“Hollywood Bowl Tea Garden” advertisement from the Program for the Hollywood Bowl Symphonies Under The Stars August 2, 4, 5 & 6, page 7, Hollywood. Los Angeles Philharmonic Archives, 1932. Courtesy of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Archives, retrieved by Meredith Reese.
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178:. The cookbook opens with a poem to modern housewives answering the perennial question of "what's for dinner" and also states that Turner was a State Superintendent of Domestic Science and private caterer.
174:, a cookbook to preserve black culinary identity and celebrate the culinary success of local housewives. The cookbook assembled recipes from cooks living in and around Pasadena, most probably from the
356:
noted her philanthropy and faith. She employed many residents of
Pasadena, and provided scholarships for promising students. She was a member and trustee of The African Methodist Episcopal Church.
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Around 1917, Turner began to cater for various clubs in
Pasadena, including Club No. 2 and the Shakespeare Club, a charitable organization. She contributed to the Shakespeare Club's 1936 Cookbook
244:"There are no words to employ that might measure the extent of the loss that California sustains now and forever after: for hers was a niche that she alone could fill." - George Garner,
109:. Turner was one of four children born to Squire (Henry) Lee and Sophia Mitchell. Her siblings' names were Benjamin, Sally, and Leander. Turner's father, Squire, was a veteran of the
263:, Los Angeles County. At the time of her death she was reported to be, "California's wealthiest colored citizen" and to have employed hundreds of people during the summer season.
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234:. Turner died on February 4, 1938. Her death was a shock to the Pasadena community, who reported solely on her death as the social news of the week in the
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In
Pasadena, Turner became very involved in business and community affairs. Turner established a catering business in Pasadena, and joined the
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481:“Mrs. B. Turner Makes Statement,” California Eagle (Los Angeles, California) 24 April 1925, p. 3, c. 4-5; digital images, Newspapers.com (
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societies. She employed many residents of
Pasadena, and provided scholarships for promising students. She was a member and trustee of The
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447:“Fifty Years of Freedom,” California Eagle (Los Angeles, California) 27 February 1915, p. 8, c. 2; digital images, Newspapers.com (
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136:. Her mother, doing laundry to support the family, married her second husband, Edward Dupree, also a veteran of the Civil War.
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when he enlisted. After the end of the war, by 1870, Squire was working as a farm hand while Sophia ran the home in
Kentucky.
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The
Federation Cook Book; a Collection of Tested Recipes, Contributed by the Colored Women of the State of California
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She was known as a skilled cook and hostess, as evidenced by newspaper coverage of a dinner she held in
October 1917:
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The
Federation Cookbook: A Collection of Tested Recipes Compiled by the Colored Women of the State of California
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The
Federation Cookbook: A Collection of Tested Recipes Compiled by the Colored Women of the State of California
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437:. University of California Libraries, Shakespeare Club (Pasadena, California). Shakespeare Club.
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300:"World Archives Project: Descriptive Lists of Colored Volunteer Army Soldiers 1864 - Rootsweb"
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Garner, George, “Pasadena and Los Angeles Society,” 5 September 1937, 9.12; digital images,
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193:. Turner was a patroness to the arts, sponsoring many events, including a 1915 play about
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In 1937, Turner suffered a sudden health collapse. It was eventually diagnosed as
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in Pasadena, with an estimated 1500 people in attendance. Turner is buried at
89:(1867–1938) was an American caterer, cookbook author, and community leader in
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194:
391:"BERTHA TURNER & TIGER WOODS: EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED | The Jemima Code"
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Los Angeles, California) 6 October 1917, p. 3, c. 3; digital images,
464:(Los Angeles, California) 30 May 1924, p. 8, c. 2; digital images,
330:"Mrs. Turner's Old Pacific Slope Punch (1910–Pasadena, California)"
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From 1931 to 1934, Turner ran concessions of the Tea Garden at the
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611:"Mountain View Cemetery, Altadena, California - Surnames Thr-Tyu"
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Mountain View Cemetery and Mausoleum, Altadena, California, U.S.
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Solomon, Matt W., “Pasadena People Acquire Valuable Property,”
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U.S. Descriptive List of Colored Volunteer Army Soldiers, 1864
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Dainties That Are Bred in a Book: Shakespeare Club Cook Book
516:(https:www.newspapers.com : accessed 13 August 2021)
587:"U.S., Find a Grave Index, 1600s-Current - Ancestry.com"
93:, in the early 1900s. She is most famous for compiling
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American caterer, cookbook author, and community leader
105:Bertha Lee Turner was born Bettie Lee, in 1867, in
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143:Between 1900 and 1906, Turner and James moved to
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643:. February 12, 1938 – via Newspapers.com.
132:By 1880, when Turner was 13, she had moved to
170:In 1910, Turner collected recipes and edited
670:19th-century African-American women writers
64:Caterer, cookbook author, community leader
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636:"Noted Coast Cateress Is Laid To Rest"
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532:"Angeles Society...Pasadena and Los"
529:Garner, George (February 10, 1938).
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176:National Federation of Colored Women
157:National Federation of Colored Women
700:20th-century American women writers
695:20th-century African-American women
680:19th-century American women writers
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472: : accessed 3 September 2021)
253:African Methodist Episcopal Church
165:African Methodist Episcopal Church
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431:Murray, Jean Howell, ed. (1936).
251:Turner's funeral was held at the
730:People from Pasadena, California
485: : accessed 25 August 2021)
282:Turner; L, Bertha (2014-08-20).
191:Dainties that are Bred in a Book
705:African Americans in California
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685:19th-century American writers
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371:legacyquiltproject.mofad.org
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575:– via Newspapers.com.
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725:Deaths from bladder cancer
483:https://www.newspapers.com
470:https://www.newspapers.com
449:https://www.newspapers.com
419:https://www.newspapers.com
367:"Bertha L. Turner - MOFAD"
720:American cookbook writers
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561:"Mrs. Bertha L. Turner"
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140:James was the butler.
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409:“Fairy Tale Dinner,”
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203:Letter to the editor
145:Pasadena, California
91:Pasadena, California
328:Erin (2021-09-14).
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119:Lexington, Kentucky
411:California Eagle (
111:American Civil War
615:www.interment.net
304:wiki.rootsweb.com
259:and Mausoleum in
232:death certificate
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654:Categories
620:2022-02-08
596:2022-02-08
572:2022-02-10
545:2022-02-10
396:2022-02-08
376:2022-02-08
339:2022-02-08
309:2022-02-08
267:References
115:Union Army
101:Early life
33:Bettie Lee
261:Altadena
127:enslaved
107:Kentucky
77:Children
205:of the
151:Career
125:, was
69:Spouse
222:Death
45:Died
36:1867
29:Born
117:in
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