Turner County was created in 1905 from parts of Dooly, Irwin, Wilcox and Worth counties. Georgia’s 143rd county was named after Henry Gray Turner, a captain in the Confederate Army who was captured at Gettysburg and later served in the state legislature, on the State Supreme Court, and in the U.S. Congress.

Rebecca was named for the daughter of a prominent local family, while Sycamore was named for the tree. Ashburn was named for W.W. Ashburn who, in 1890, purchased a portion of the future town site for ten dollars.