Francis Marion Turner was named in honor of an American Revolutionary War hero. Francis’ father fought to protect his values in the Civil War, but in the wake of the battle, he was left an orphan. As a teenager in the late 1870s fighting to survive, he drove 2,700 head of cattle hundreds of miles on the western trail for just $30 a month. He became a well-respected cowboy, and in 1898 he signed an “X” on the dotted line to claim his Texas homestead because he couldn’t read or write. His wife Annie and their family lived in a half-dugout until a flood washed it away, forcing him to build a home in what is now Oklahoma. As he chased the American dream and worked hard to create something from nothing, he had no idea he was building a legacy for future Turner men.

Fifty years later, his two grandsons became University of Oklahoma graduates. One, Billy Vessels, received the Heisman Trophy, while another, Jack, returned to the homestead, which Francis had doubled from its original acreage. Jack’s dad and his uncle made it a family affair as they expanded the family cattle ranch through the purchase of more acreage and cattle.

Jack needed work. He knew the Turner brothers’ small business of selling fuel to farmers and hauling cattle needed help. Luckily, he had good references, so his dad and uncle hired him. “I’d take any job, any chance to make money,” he recalled. As proof, he started breaking his back baling and hauling hay in the dead of summer.

The Turner entrepreneurial spirit had fueled this small business in the fiercely competitive oilfield trucking industry, but they soon felt the pains that big government and big labor can inflict on small companies. In the 1960s, businesses that needed automobiles relied heavily on General Motors whose vehicles regularly had to be replaced or repaired after 25,000 miles. Jack saw firsthand how innovation in the automobile industry was being stifled by the demands of union bosses. Even though cars were essential to the operation of the family business, because of the skyrocketing costs, they struggled to make the necessary investment. Jack laughed, “We could have borrowed money. Instead, we struggled for seven years without buying a new truck, because we didn’t know if we’d be able to repay a loan.”

One morning during the GM labor disputes, Jack heard GM had agreed to all of the auto union’s demands. He remembers saying to himself, “Jack, you’re a fool to worry. GM and their executives won’t be penalized by giving in; they will just pass along the new union costs to you by increasing their car prices and eventually the other car manufacturers will do the same.”

“But, once automobile competition increased, costs decreased.” said Jack, looking back. “We struggled less because our guys could get more than a 100,000 miles out of a car.”

For years, Jack and the Turner brothers were devoted to their company. By the 1980s, the business had expanded into five states with 800 employees and 400 trucks, headquartering near the historic Oklahoma City Stockyard where the free market thrived. Jack also served on the Hereford Research Foundation (HRF) board since its inception, identifying valuable genetic research projects. From personal experience, Jack developed an appreciation for the economic growth the free enterprise system created.

He also learned early on that making money alone isn’t success, but it did provide an avenue to financially support and serve on community boards. Through his philanthropy he has shown the benefit of people coming together voluntarily, because not all problems need big government solutions.

Sadly, he also experienced and witnessed pain and suffering within his own family caused by alcohol and drug abuse. He has spent the majority of his life working to help others through his involvement in Faith Partners and by serving on the Governor’s Task Force on Substance Abuse.

“I came to believe God has a purpose for each of us while we reside on earth. We must become aware of our purpose, accept it as our purpose, and work to bring God’s purpose for our life to fruition.” For more than 30 years, Jack has been a tireless advocate, as he accepted his purpose: “To do all I can to prevent substance abuse from happening in the lives of others; and, if it does, help them to find sobriety.”

Through his support of the SPN network, Jack has added protecting his family’s values to his own legacy. “Washington has become too powerful. They’re getting away with too much, but by working to give the states back more control, it will help place the power back with people where it belongs.”

Today he sees in government the same phenomenon he observed in the automobile industry: the coercive power of government unions is hurting and stifling innovation of core government services and the education of our children. SPN’s strategy to take on government unions and return power to the people is one of the important programs in which he invests.

“The most sickening part is those powerful unions want more money. Even when the evidence clearly shows that kids get a better education with charter schools, the unions oppose them.”

Coming from humble beginnings, Jack feels “it shouldn’t matter if kids’ families are poor or live in poor neighborhoods —we still have an obligation to provide our kids with a quality education.” That’s one of the reasons he supports SPN’s strategy. He thinks it’s imperative to leave a legacy for freedom by investing in strong infrastructures that supports the fight for liberty in every state—including the improvement of educational options for our children.

Love of country, the protection of free enterprise, and the pursuit of freedom is a Turner family affair. Today, the fourth and fifth generations of Turners are looking to leave their mark on their family’s legacy. Jack’s grandsons have advanced degrees and love spending time at the ranch together. Michael Turner was elected to the Oklahoma state legislature in 2012 at 25 and became a friend of the Oklahoma Council for Public Affairs, an organization Jack has long supported.

At 87, Jack is proud to be the third generation to expand the original family homestead and become a nationally respected registered Hereford breeder. He can be found in his new office on the historic Stockyard grounds—most days by 7 a.m. Jack continues to carry out his grandfather’s legacy through his courage to take risks and explore new opportunities, his passion for the free market of the cattle trade, and the willingness to work hard to build something from nothing.