History of Matthew Turner (shipbuilder) in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: March 21, 2025

Matthew Turner was a prolific American sea captain, shipbuilder, and designer, responsible for the construction of 228 vessels. A significant portion, 154, were built at his Matthew Turner shipyard in Benicia. Turner holds the distinction of building more sailing vessels than any other shipbuilder in America. He is considered a pivotal figure in the history of wooden shipbuilding on the Pacific Coast.

Sections (1)

Full Timeline

1904: Health Decline

Matthew Turner became an invalid from 1904. Despite his health, he remained involved in his shipyard.

1905: End of Shipbuilding Career

In 1905, Matthew Turner concluded his 37-year career as a shipbuilder, during which he designed and built 228 sea-going vessels, more than any other American shipbuilder. He also built numerous ships for foreign entities.

1906: Turner Supervises Work After Earthquake

In 1906, at the age of 81, Matthew Turner was still personally supervising work at his shipyard and found himself swamped with work after the San Francisco earthquake before deciding to retire.

February 10, 1909: Matthew Turner's Death

On February 10, 1909, Matthew Turner died at the age of 83 after a short illness at his home in Oakland. He was an accomplished sea captain and shipbuilder.

1941: Influence on Schooner Design

As late as 1941, the influence of Matthew Turner's ship designs was evident when a two-masted schooner, Benicia, built in Tahiti by a shipwright who had worked in Turner's yard, arrived in San Francisco under the French flag.

2016: New Tall Ship Construction

In 2016, construction of a new wooden tall ship bearing Matthew Turner's name, a 132-foot Brigantine Schooner inspired by his classic vessel "Galilee", was set to launch.

March 2017: Matthew Turner Completion

In March 2017, the Matthew Turner ship was completed, built entirely by volunteer workers and funded by private donations. It was intended for use primarily as an educational aid.

April 1, 2017: Matthew Turner Launched

On April 1, 2017, the Matthew Turner ship was launched in Sausalito, marking a significant milestone in its construction and purpose as an educational aid.

September 19, 2019: Collectors Weekly Article Republished

On September 19, 2019, Ben Marks' article "Wind Power: How the 19th-Century’s Greatest Shipbuilder Opened the Pacific," about Matthew Turner, was republished online by Collectors Weekly.