Genealogies Of
VIRGINIAFAMILIES
From the William and MaryCollege
Quarterly Historical Magazine
Volume V
Thompson - Yates
(and Appendix)
Indexed by Robert and Catherine Barnes
Baltimore
Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc.
1982
William and MaryCollege Quarterly Historical Magazine, Vol. 4, No. 2. (Oct., 1895), and Vol. 5, No. 1. (Jul., 1896).
THE THORNTON FAMILY.
BY W. G. STANARD.
Though there have been in Virginia several different families of this name, the largest and most prominent has been that which originally settled in Gloucester county, spread to Stafford, King George, Richmond, Northumberland, Essex, Caroline, Spotsylvania, Orange, Culpeper, Madison, Brunswick, and other counties, and has now representatives in almost every State in the Union.
The first of the name of whom there is any record is said to have come from Yorkshire. On May 11, 1646, William Thornton obliged himself, by a paper recorded in York county (including Gloucester), to care for the cattle of John Liptrot until the latter came of age. On February 16th, 1665-'66, as "Mr. William1 Thornton", he had a grant of 164 acres of land, in Petsworth parish, Gloucester, adjoining the land where he lived, and that of Mr. Richard Barnard. He was a vestryman of Petsworth parish in 1677. There is on record in Essex a power of attorney, dated September, 1673, from William[1] Thornton, of Gloucester, to James Kay, of Rappahannock county, concerning 2,000 acres of land in the freshes of Rappahannock, on the north side of the river, adjoining the lands of Andrew Buckner, Col. Wm. Ball, and Mr. Richard Whitehead, and Muddy Creek, a tract of land which he had bought from Mott. There is also recorded in Essex, in 1708, a deed, dated July 16, 1675, from William Thornton, of Gloucester, gentleman, to Francis and Rowland, "two of his sons", conveying 2,000 acres in Rappahannock county, and also a power of attorney, dated 1708, from Wm1 Thornton, formerly of Gloucester, but now of Stafford, authorizing the confirmation of said deed. So in his old age Wm. Thornton removed from Gloucester to Stafford. It is not known whom he married, but he had issue:
1. William2, Jr.; 2. Francis2; 3. Rowland2; was witness to a will in Rappahannock, 1686. There is a deed, Richmond county, 1692, from Rowland Thornton, of Rappahannock county, planter, and his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Alexander Fleming, to Francis Thornton, of the same county, gentleman. Elizabeth Thornton, daughter of Captain Alexander Fleming, sold land in what was afterwards King George, in 1699. In May, 1701, the bond of Elizabeth Thornton, as administratrix of Rowland Thornton, of Richmond county, deceased, was recorded. There is no evidence that they had issue.
1. WILLIAM2 THORNTON, JR., of Gloucester county, was born March 27, 1649, and died February 15, 1727 (Family Bible). He was married three times, viz., on August 24, 1671; April 11, 1688; and October 20, 1720; but the name of none of his wives is known. On April 26, 1704, as "William Thornton the younger", he received a grant of 110 acres of land in Petsworth parish, Gloucester, adjoining the land of "Mr. William Thornton the elder". He was a vestryman of Petsworth. Issue (1st m): 4. Elizabeth3, born August 26, 1672; 5. Margaret3, born August 14, 1674; 6. Mary3, born May 11, 1676; 7. Esther3, born January 6, 1677; 8. Sarah3, born August 17, 1679; 9. Jane3, born August 10, 1681; 10. Judith3, born October 22, 1683; 11. Anna3, born June 15, 1685; 12. William3, born September 11, 1686; (2d m.): 13. Susan3, born June 11, 1686; 14. Francis3; 15. Seth3, born October 13, 1694 (vestryman of Petsworth); 16. and 17. William3 and Prudence3 (twins), born March 31, 1699; 18. John3, born April 17, 1701; 19. Johanna3, born December 3, 1703.
2. FRANCIS2 THORNTON, born Nov. 5, 1651, settled in Stafford county, probably before the year 1700. He married first, Alice, daughter of Captain Anthony Savage, of Gloucester county (who was a justice of Gloucester in 1660, and had considerable landed estates on the Rappahannock), and secondly Jane, widow of John Harvey, of Stafford. He had no issue by the second marriage. In 1706 Francis Thornton, of Stafford, and his wife, Jane, widow of John Harvey, made a deed of 684 acres in Stafford and Westmoreland to Anthony, son of the said Francis Thornton, with reversion to his other sons, Francis, Rowland, and William. (Westmoreland and Stafford Records). In 1715-'16, Anthony Thornton, of Stafford, petitioned the proprietors of the Northern Neck for a regrant of this land, which he stated had been left to Mrs. Jane Thornton, by her former husband, in 1700; that the said Jane died without heirs; but being "an imperfect deed" gave the land to him (A.T.) in 1706. The grant requested was issued. It is not known when Francis2 Thornton died, unless he was the Francis Thornton whose will was presented to King George County Court for probate, by his widow Anne, in 1726. (This appears from the order-book. The will-book covering this period was carried off by Federal soldiers during the late war. About ten years ago some person in the State of New York wrote to the authorities of the county offering to sell them this book. Unfortunately, the offer was not acted on, and it is not now known where the book is. It is to be hoped the present possessor will make its existence known, as possibly arrangements may be made to purchase it).
Issue (first marriage only): 20. Elizabeth3, born January 3, 1674; 21. Margaret3, born April 2, 1678, married Wm. Strother, who was sheriff of King George in 1726. There is re-corded in King George a deed, dated 1727, from Margaret Strother, widow, for land deeded by her grandfather, Anthony Savage, gentleman, to her father, Francis Thornton, and Alice his wife; 22. William3 (twin with Sarah); 23. Sarah3, born December 17, 1680 (twin), married Laurence Taliaferro; 24. Francis3; 25. Rowland3; 26. Annie3, born March 22, 1689; 27. Anthony3.
It is probable that there were many descendants of the various sons of Wm3 Thornton, of Gloucester, especially in Gloucester county; but of these we have, at present, only disconnected notes, which will be given later in this account.
14. FRANCIS3 THORNTON (William2, William1), of Gloucester county, was born June 7, 1692, and died February 6, 1737. He was a vestryman of Petsworth parish. He married _____, who died August 1, 1741. Issue: 28. William4.
22. WILLIAM3 THORNTON, born December 14, 1680; settled in that part of Richmond county which was afterwards in King George; was sheriff of Richmond in 1709 and 1717, one of the first justices of King George in 1720, and member of the House of Burgesses from that county in 1723 and 1726. (Virginia Historical Register). He married Frances _____, and died in 1742 or 1743. In 1742 they made a deed for land in King George, and in 1743 Frances Thornton, widow of Francis Thornton, late of King George, gentleman, made a deed to William Thornton, only son and heir of her husband, Wm. Thornton, deceased. The will of Wm. Thornton was dated Nov. 3, 1742, and was in the missing will-book.
Issue: 29, William4. He cannot be identified with any other Wm. Thornton who made a deed or will in King George between 1750 and 1800. I cannot trace him further. Perhaps he lived in that portion of King George which was made part of Stafford. A more complete examination of the records of King George might show.
24. FRANCIS3 THORNTON, born January 4, 1682; according to a deposition made in 1733, in relation to the dispute over the boundary of the Northern Neck (printed in Slaughter's St. Mark's Parish, in the deposition he is styled "Francis Thornton, of Caroline county, gentleman"), he settled at Snow Creek, near the present Fredericksburg, about 1703. There is recorded in Essex a deed, dated March, 1703-'4, from Francis Thornton, of Stafford, conveying to Francis Thornton, Jr., then of Essex, a tract of about 700 acres at Snow Creek. In May, 1719, Francis Thornton, Jr. and Mary his wife, of St. Mary's parish, Essex, conveyed to Augustine Smith and John Taliaferro, church wardens, for a consideration of five shillings, 300 acres in the fork of Snow Creek, for a glebe. Francis Thornton was one of the first justices of Caroline. There is a deed, recorded in Spotsylvania, dated 1722, by which Mary and Winifred Thornton relinquish the right of dower in 400 acres of land sold by Francis and Anthony Thornton. Francis Thornton, a justice of Essex, was Burgess for Spotsylvania in 1723 and 1726. (Virginia Historical Register). Though I have not been able to ascertain the fact with absolute certainty, yet I have no doubt that this Francis Thornton, Jr., who settled at Snow Creek in 1703, was the Francis Thornton who was Burgess from Spotsylvania, as above stated, and who was the first of what are generally called, from their seat, the "Fall Hill" Thorntons. The only thing to cause a doubt is that the Francis3 Thornton here treated of calls himself, in 1733, "of Caroline county". Probably he lived at various times on estates in both Caroline and Spotsylvania. It will, in this account, be assumed, tentatively, that he was the first of the "Fall Hill" Thorntons.
Issue: 30. Francis4; 31. Reuben; 32. John.
25. Rowland3 Thornton, of "Crowes", King George county, born August 1, 1685, died 1748; was vestryman of Hanover parish, King George, 1723, and was appointed a justice of King George in 1722. He was alive in 1733. Married Elizabeth (born Sept. 6, 1689, died 1751), daughter of Col. John Catlett, of Essex. Issue: 33. Francis4; 35. Alice4, married John Fitzhugh, of "Bellair", Stafford county (and perhaps other issue).
27. ANTHONY3 THORNTON, of St. Paul's Parish, Stafford county, born ___ 27, 1695, died 1757. He was a justice of Stafford, and, having been for a time out of the commission, was restored in 1733. He married Winifred, daughter and heiress of Col. Peter Presley (note 1) of "Northumberland House", Northumberland county. His will was dated January 3d, and proved November 8, 1757, in Stafford county. He gives his son Presley Thornton the several negroes which he (Presley) had in possession, and which the testator had a title to in right of his wife, except one negro woman and her children, which he had before given to his son Francis; to son Anthony Thornton, all the land he (the testator) had at the mountains; to daughter Winifred Bernard, a tract of land on Wash Run, in Spotsylvania, containing 650 acres; to son Peter Thornton, a tract of land on Mattapony River, containing 1313 acres, with all the negroes, cattle, horses, etc., and all other things on said land; also ten head of young cattle from the plantation where he (the testator) lived, and four other negroes; to wife Winifred, a tract of low ground where William Conner then lived, this to go after her death to his son Anthony; also to his wife four negroes, which are to go after her death to his son Peter; gives remainder of negroes, not otherwise disposed of, to his wife, with his stock of horses, cattle, and sheep, and remainder of estate to be equally divided between wife and son Peter, and appoints the latter his executor.
Issue: 37. Presley4; 38. Francis4; 39. Peter4; 40. Anthony4; 41. Winifred4, married _____ Bernard.
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William and MaryCollege 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. FRANCIS4 THORNTON (Anthony3, Francis2, 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. Winifred5, married Col. Daniel McCarty, of Pope's Creek, Westmoreland county; 75. Elizabeth5, married her cousin Presley Thornton; 76. Lucy5, married John Brooke, of Essex county; 77. Alice5, died November 12, 1811, aged 52; married in 1759 her first cousin Capt. Presley Thornton; 78. John5, of King George county, d. s. p. in 1800; 79. William5.
39. PETER4 THORNTON (Anthony3, Francis2, Wm.1) of "Rose Hill", Caroline county, married Ellen Bankhead. Issue: 80. James Bankhead5; 81. Peter5; 82. Winifred5, married Sterling Thornton; 83. Elizabeth5, married Joseph Pollard.
40. ANTHONY4 THORTON (Anthony3, Francis2, Wm1), 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. Anthony5; 85. Peter5; 86. Charles5, 87. Page 59. George5; 88. Reuben5; 89. Presley5; 90. Judith Presley5, 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. Henry5; 92. Thomas Griffin5; 93. John5.
54. PETER5 PRESLEY THORNTON (Wm 4, Francis3, Wm.2, Wm1), 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 Horsley6, born March 7, 1793, died June 24, 1842; 95. Wm. Sterling6, born November 9, 1794, died February, 1805; 96. Roderick McCulloch6, born August 28, 1796, died June 24, 1842; 97. Jane Clark6, born August 24, 1798, died June 1, 1863; 98. Isabella McCullough6, born November 9, 1800, died unmarried September 11, 1823; 100. Peter Presley6, born February 28, 1805, died July 3, 1836; 101. James Francis, born October 24, 1807, died about 1880; 102. Robert Horsley6; 103. Belinda Ann6, born November 23, 1811, married Francis E. Quarles, of King and Queen county, and died July 20, 1835.
55. FRANCIS5 THORNTON (Francis4, Francis3, Francis2, 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 Spotsylvania 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 £500 each in specie; to daughter Francs Buckner a mourning ring; daughter Mildred Washington Maury £100 in specie.
Issue: 104. Francis6; 105. Elizabeth Gregory6, married Robert Dunbar, a Scotch merchant, of Falmouth, Va.; 106. Mary6, married Dr. Voss, of Madison county; 107. Frances6, married Dr. Horace Buckner, of Culpeper county (she probably married 2d. Strother Jones); 108. Mildred Washington6 married Col. Abraham Maury, of Madison county; 109. Dorothea married Samuel Washington, of Culpeper county.
56. GEORGE THORNTON5, (Francis4, Francis3, Francis2, William1) was left an estate in Orange county. He was a member of the 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. Reuben6; 112. George Washington6.
57. Col. William5 Thornton (Francis4, Francis3, Francis2, William1) of "Montpelier", in that portion of Orange which is now Rappahannock; married Mary or Martha, daughter of John Stuart.
Issue: 113. John6, 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. William6; 116. George6; 117. Philip6; 118. Stuart6, married Adelaide Stuart, of Fairfax county, and had many children, one of whom married Dr. Horace Ashton, of King George county; 119. Howard6, married Charlotte Norris, of Charlestown, Jefferson county (West Virginia), and had Frances7, who married Isaac Tyson, of Baltimore, and Jane7; 120. Martha6 married Thos. Fitzhugh, of Fauquier county; 121. Maria6 married Charles Stuart; 122. Lucy6 married Philip Rootes Thompson.
[To be continued]
58. John5 Thornton (Francis4, Francis3, Francis2, William1), of “Thornton Hill,” Madison county, was born ___, and died in 1822. At the beginning of the Revolution he commanded a company of minute men from Culpeper county; was commissioned captain in third Virginia regiment, Continental Line, February 12, 1776; major of Grayson’s additional Continental regiment March 20, 1777; lieutenant-colonel November 15, 1778; retired April 2, 1779; commanded a regiment of Virginia militia at Yorktown. Between 1833 and 1855 the State of Virginia issued to his heirs land-bounty warrants for 7,666 2/3 acres for his services. The names of his children are given in the warrants. He married Jane, daughter of Augustine Washington, and niece of President Washington.
Issue: 123. Mary,6 married. Dr. James (or Isaac) Winston; 124. Jane W.,6 married Rev. Francis Thornton; 125. Frances Gregory,6 married George Thornton; 126. Caroline R.,6 married ___ Thompson; 127. George w.,6 married Mildred, daughter of Aris Buckner, of Prince William county, and had an only child, Jane Washington6 Thornton, who married James B. Beck, U. S. Senator from Kentucky; 128. Augustine,6 said to have died s.p., not named among his father's heirs.
65. William5 Thornton (Francis,4 Rowland,3 Francis,2 Wil1), of “Crowes,” King George county, married, in 1757, Elizabeth Fitzhugh (Parish Register), and died in 1779, when his will was proved in King George:
Issue: 129. Susannah6, married ___ Courts; 130. Francis6; 131. Elizabeth6; 132. Anne.6; Francis6 Thornton may have left issue, but I have no information concerning him.
Peter Presley5 Thornton (Presley4, Anthony3, Francis2, William1), of “Northumberland House,” Northumberland county, was born in St. Stephen’s parish, Northumberland, August 10, 1750 (Parish Register); member of the House of Burgesses for that county in 1772 and. 1774, and of conventions of July and December, 1775; appointed colonel of a regiment of minute men in 1775, but afterwards resigned, to accept a position as aide-de-camp to General Washington (Virginia Gazette), to which position he was appointed September 6, 1777. (Ford's Writings of Washington, XIV., 433.) On August 5, 1777, General Washington wrote from Germantown to John A. Washington: “I have taken Col. P. P. Thornton into my family as an extra aid. This, I dare say, his own merit, as well as the great worth of his father, well entitles him to.” (Ford.) P. P. Thornton married, in 1771, Sally Throckmorton, of Gloucester county. (Virginia Gazette.) She was the daughter of Major Robert Throckmorton. It is believed that Peter Presley Thornton died before 1781. The records of Northumberland county will probably show whether he left issue. It is probable that he did not.
Presley5 Thornton (Presley4, Anthony3, Francis2, William1) was born March 2, 1760, in St. Stephen’s parish, Northumberland county (Parish Register), and was taken to England in boyhood by his mother. Judge John Tayloe Lomax, son-in-law of Captain Presley Thornton, said, in a letter dated October 1, 1858, writing of Mrs. Thornton and her sons: "Not many years after Colonel Thornton’s death in 1769, the loyalty of this lady to her king at ‘home’ was much disturbed at the signs of the times, foreboding the political change in the relations between the colonies and the English government. She, in consequence thereof, shortly before the war, left this country and removed. to England with all her children, and among them her three sons, Presley Thornton, John Tayloe, and Charles Wade Thornton. This lady’s loyalty was very favorably remunerated after her arrival in England, for she was allowed by the king a pension, and her sons Presley and Wade were, while very young, placed in the army, and Tayloe in the navy. It seems there was an understanding that they should not be employed in service against the colonies. They all three distinguished themselves in the British service. Presley was wounded at the siege of Gibraltar, where he displayed, much gallantry.” (DeBow's Review, XXVI.) He returned to Virginia immediately after the Revolution, and, under an act passed October, 1783, was restored to all rights as a citizen of Virginia, on condition of taking the oaths of allegiance. When an army was raised in 1798-’99, in view of expected war with France, Washington wrote, March 31, 1799, to Major-General C.C. Pinckney: “I have very little more knowledge of the captains in the Virginia Line, as arranged by us at Philadelphia, than what was derive from the source of information then laid before us. I have no hesitation, however, in mentioning the name of a gentleman (conditionally) to whom, under my present view of them, I should give a decided preference. It is Presley Thornton, son of one of the most respectable gentlemen, now deceased, of the same name in this State. He is thirty or thereabouts, amiable in his character. He was a British officer during our Revolution, but would not fight against his country, and therefore went to Gibraltar, and was in Garrison there during the siege by the Spaniards, where, it is said, he distinguished himself by his gallant behaviour.” He also says that he will probably appoint Mr. Thornton one of his staff. (Ford’s Writings of Washington.) Presley Thornton was captain in the 8th U. S. Infantry in 1799, and was honorably discharged June 15, 1800. About this time he sold his Northumberland estate, “Northumberland House,” and removed to Genesee, New York, where he died in 1807. He married, soon after his return to Virginia, his cousin Elizabeth, daughter of Col. Francis Thornton, of “Society Hill.” Issue: 133. Charlotte6, married, July 25, 1805, at “Mannsfield,” Spotsylvania county, Judge John Taloe Lomax, of Caroline county; 134. Arthur Witham6; 135. Presley6, died unmarried.