The Thornton Family; Continued, Wm. and Mary Qrtly., Vol. 5, No. 1 Transcribed by Kathy Merrill for the USGenWeb Archives Special Collections Project ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net *********************************************************************** The Thornton Family W. G. Stanard William and Mary College Quarterly Historical Magazine, Vol. 5, No. 1. (Jul., 1896), pp. 58-60. THE THORNTON FAMILY. By W. G. STANARD. (Continued from page 157 of Vol. IV). 38. FRANCIS(4) THORNTON (Anthony(3), Francis(2), Wm.(1), of "Society Hill," King George county, was J.P. and Colonel of militia in that county. He married in 1747, Sarah Fitzhugh (Parish Register), and died in 1784, in which year his will was recorded in King George. From about 1752 Col. Thornton was prominent on the turf in Virginia and Maryland. The American Turf Register, vol. VI., p. 57, in a note, says: "Col. Francis Thornton, of Society Hill, in King George county, a gentleman of great respectability and proverbial for his great knowledge of pedigrees." Issue 74, Winifred(5), married Col. Daniel McCarty, of Pope's Creek, Westmoreland county; 75, Elizabeth(5), married her cousin Presley Thornton; 76, Lucy(5), married John Brooke, of Essex county; 77, Alice(5), died November 12, 1811, aged 52; married in 1759 her first cousin Capt. Presley Thornton; 78, John(5), of King George county, d. s. p. in 1800; 79, William(5). 39. PETER(4) THORNTON (Anthony(3), Francis(2), Wm.(1) of "Rose Hill", Caroline county, married Ellen Bankhead. Issue, 80, James Bankhead(5); 81, Peter(5); 82, Winifred(5), married Sterling Thornton; 83, Elizabeth(5), married Joseph Pollard. 40. ANTHONY(4) THORTON (Anthony(3), Francis(2), Wm(1), of "Ormesby", Caroline county. This estate was acquired by Anthony Thornton, the elder, who it is stated, about 1715 built the oldest portion of the present house, and gave the estate to his son Anthony. He was sheriff of Caroline in 1767, and was alive in 1778. He married, first, Sarah Taliafero, and secondly, in 1764 (Parish Register) Susannah Fitzhugh. Issue (1st m), 84, Anthony(5); 85, Peter(5); 86, Charles(5), 87, Page 59. George(5); 88, Reuben(5); 89 Presley(5); 90, Judith Presley(5), married Aylett Buckner, and had issue, Col. Thornton Buckner, Richard Buckner, M.C., from Ky., James Buckner, Elizabeth, who married Mr. Taylor, of Ky., and Louisa, married Tho. Buckner; (2d m.) 91, Henry(5); 92, Thomas Griffin(5); 93, John(5). 54, PETER(5) PRESLEY THORNTON (Wm(4), Francis(3), Wm.(2), Wm.(1), born November 12, 1765 in Brunswick county, died August 6, 1856; married March 9, 1792, Elizabeth McCulloch (born February 25, 1771, in Amherst county, died September 19, 1851). Issue 94, Elizabeth Horsley(6), born March 7, 1793, died June 24, 1842; 95, Wm. Sterling(6), born November 9, 1794, died February, 1805; 96, Roderick McCulloch(6), born August 28, 1796, died June 24, 1842; 97, Jane Clark(6), born August 24, 1798, died June 1, 1863; 98, Isabella McCullough(6), born November 9, 1800, died unmarried September 11, 1823; 100, Peter Presley(6), born February 28, 1805, died July 3, 1836; 101, James Francis, born October 24, 1807, died about 1880; 102, Robert Horsley(6); 103, Belinda Ann(6), born November 23, 1811, married Francis E. Quarles, of King and Queen county, and died July 20, 1835. 55. FRANCIS(5) THORNTON (Francis(4), Francis(3), Francis(2), Wm.(1) of "Fall Hill," Spotsylvania county, married in 1759 Ann, daughter of Rev. John Thompson, by his wife Butler Brayne, widow of Governor Spotswood. The will of Francis Thornton was dated Feb. 13, 1794, and proved in Spot- sylvania April 8, 1795; gives his wife Ann all of his negroes, horses, cattle, sheep, household furniture, &c., and 200 acres of land for her life; to son Francis the remainder of his land where he lived, and the reversion of estate left his wife to daughters Elizabeth Gregory Thornton, Mary Thornton and Dorothea Thornton L500 each in specie; to daugher Francs Buckner a mourning ring; daughter Mildred Washington Maury L100 in specie. Issue: 104, Francis(6); 105, Elizabeth Gregory(6), married Robert Dunbar, a Scotch merchant, of Falmouth, Va.; 106, Mary(6), married Dr. Voss, of Madison county; 107, Frances(6), married Dr. Horace Buckner, of Culpeper county (she probably married 2d. Strother Jones); 108, Mildred Washington(6) married Col. Abraham Maury, of Madison county; 109, Dorothea married Samuel Washington, of Culpeper county. 56. GEORGE THORNTON(5), (Francis(4), Francis(3), Francis(2), William(1) was left an estate in Orange county. He was a member of the Page 60. Convention of 1776 from Spotsylvania, and of the House of Delegates in 1777, and perhaps other years. He is said to have been a Major in the Continental Line (though I can find no record of it) and to have died in service April 30, 1781. He married Mary, daughter of John Alexander. Information in regard to this Geo. Thornton is conflicting, and there may possibly be error in this account. Issue: 110, Lucy F.(6), married Captain John Posey (and was doubtless mother of Col. Thornton A. Posey, of the U.S. Army); 111, Reuben(6); 112, George Washington(6). 57. Col. William(5) Thornton (Francis(4), Francis(3), Francis(2), William(1) of "Montpelier", in that portion of Orange which is now Rappahannock; married Mary or Martha, daughter of John Stuart. Issue: 113, John(6), who is stated to have married Mrs. Susan Gordon, granddaughter of Charles Lee; but Dr. Edmund J. Lee's "Lee Family" shows no such person; 114, Frances married Dr. Aylett Hawes; 115, William(6); 116, George(6); 117, Philip(6); 118, Stuart(6), married Adelaide Stuart, of Fairfax county, and had many children, one of whom married Dr. Horace Ashton, of King George county; 119, Howard(6), married Charlotte Norris, of Charlestown, Jefferson county (West Virginia), and had Frances(7), who married Isaac Tyson, of Baltimore, and Jane(7); 120, Martha(6) married Thos. Fitzhugh, of Fauquier county; 121, Maria(6) married Charles Stuart; 122, Lucy(6) married Philip Rootes Thompson. [To be continued]