Born February 19, 1853 in Lincoln, Maine, Turner spent his early years engaged as a logger with his older brother Hiram. In 1885, he established a cattle ranch between Indian and Cottonwood Creeks and ran cattle with his neighbor. They called their ranch, the Dug Out Ranch. This partnership would establish the beginnings of a cooperative operation of Indian and Cottonwood Creek stockmen that would become known as the Indian Creek Cattle Co. Turner married Gretchen Margaret Rohwer Dresser on July 9, 1901 in Telluride, Colorado and at least one son, Willard Howard “Bill” Turner was born in 1903, who would grow up to be a sound engineer for over 30 years for RKO Studios. The 1910 US Census reports that Mel Turner was living on a farm he owned in Paradox, Colorado and that he was employed as a Grocer. His wife and son are not listed as living with him at that time. Turner passed away in Fowler, Colorado on September 6, 1932.