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More Thornton Information Please Go to
Branches to Westward or the
Lineage
of John Thornton
The Early Thorntons of Hunt
and Rains Counties
by
RUBY
THORNTON RUDISILL
January
15, 1982
TO
THE MEMORY OF
MY GRANDPARENTS
HOMER AND JENNIE THORNTON
AUTHOR'S
NOTE: Many
people have helped in the writing of this work. The names of relatives and friends who were kind enough to
share their memories with me are listed in the footnotes. Without
their help, much history would have been lost and this work would
not have been.
Genealogy
is a continuous story that never ends. I have not attempted to
tell the story in full or given any part of a complete account of
the early Thorntons. In
the brief summary that follows, I have recorded the history which
I have found through research and documentation. Yet, I have not
begun to make a scratch on the surface of the times and history of
the early Thornton family who lived so long ago just South of Lone
Oak.
The
early Thorntons of Hunt and Rains Counties came to the area as
they Helped build the Katy Railroad from Missouri to Texas. Three brothers: William Lafayette, Joe and Jim Thornton
traveled in covered wagons along the railroad and brought their
families and parents.1
Their
father, whose given name is not known exactly (it is James,
Presley, or Joseph Harrison Thornton) was married to Martha
Roister. She was
listed on the Census of 1880 of Rains County as a widow, 66 years
old.2 The
couple originally came from Virginia, then lived in Missouri
before they traveled to Texas and settled near Lone Oak with the
three brothers.3 William
L. Thornton was born to the couple in Missouri 26 July, 1840.
The
Thornton families settled just South of Lone Oak on adjoining
farms only about seven miles apart.4 Their father built his house in the center of the land and
his sons' houses bordered on the corners.5
The
three brothers were Masons. William
L., Joe and Jim were Masons in Missouri and they moved their
membership to Shiloh Lodge No. 307 around 1867.6
They
were affectionately addressed with the titles of
"Uncles" by everyone. William L. was called "Uncle Bill", Joe was
called "Uncle Joe" and Jim was called "Uncle
Jim".7
Joe
Thornton had at least two children. Press or Presley was nicknamed
"Starchie" and other boy's name Ed.8
Jim
Thornton had four known children. His oldest daughter's name is unknown but she married a Mr.
Ogle. His other
daughter, whose name is also unknown, married Lane Hughes. Jim had two boys, Will or Bill and Tom or T.I.9
Mary
Jane Vaughan, William L.'s wife, was known as "Aunt
Puss".10 They were married 7 March, 1860 in Linn,
Osage County, Missouri. After
they moved to Texas, she returned to Missouri only once to visit.
That was after her third child was born.12
William
L. and Mary Jane had nine children. They were: James, born in 1861 in Missouri, Reuben, born in
Linn County Missouri in 1865, Evaline Kay, born 1867 in Texas,
George Presley, born 17 March, 1869 in Texas, Mattie, born in 1872
in Texas, Maggie Louise, born in 1874 in Texas, Coonie, born in
1876 in Texas and Burkes, whose birthdate in unknown. C.V. Chapman was adopted by William L. and Mary Jane.
She was born in 1863 in Missouri and her natural parents
are unknown.13
The
family of William L. and Mary Jane married into other early
families of Hunt and Rains Counties. Reuben married a Miss Boarman.14
George
Presley married Jamina Jane Merriman 16 July, 1887 in Emory,
Texas.15 Maggie
Louise married J.M. Boarman.16 Coonie married Babe
Reynolds.17 Evaline married a Mr. McMortie.18
William
L. owned two slaves, a married couple. Twin boys were born to the couple, Bill and Charles.
William L. raised them to adulthood and emancipated them. He gave them a start of their own and they took the name of
Thornton. They were
last seen in 1902.19 Charles Thornton is listed on the 1870 Census of Lone Oak
as a fourteen year old black male, a farm laborer unable to read
or write and his father listed as being of foreign birth.20
In
addition to farming, the early Thorntons raised cattle. On 24 January, 1880, William L. filed a description of his
cattle brand with the court clerk of Rains County. The ear-mark and brand are described as "...Crop and
two splits in the left and under slot in the right ear. Brand 18 on the right hip.21
Back
in 1880, the male citizens of' the county were responsible for
keeping the roads in condition. During the month of February, 1880, William L., Jim, and
Joe Thornton were designated as road workers for Precinct 24.22
Not only did they settle the land, they kept it In good
condition.
William
L. died 28 July, 1895.23 Mary Jane did not join him until 15 March, 1914.24
The early Thorntons are buried in Hooker Ridge Cemetery in
the land they loved.25 Railroad builders, farmers,
ranchers, conservationists, productive citizens, Masons. As they were in life, so they are in death.
Just a little South of Lone Oak.
ENDNOTES
1Information
in a letter to the author, in possession of the author from
Florence Boarman, daughter of J.M. Boarman and Maggie Louise
Thornton, located at Mineral Wells, Texas, 8 October, 1973.
2U.S.
Census of 1880, Precinct no. 4, County of Rains, State of Texas,
enumerated ZB June. 1680, p. 51.
3Information
in a letter to the author, in possession of the author from C.C.
Thornton, son of Reuben Thornton, dated at Liberty, Texas, 15
January, 1974.
4Information
in a letter to the author, in possession of the author, from
Nealie Bryan Thornton, wife of Jessee R. Thornton, dated at Lone
Oak, Texas,29 September, 1973.
5Boarman,
Florence, p. 1.
6Information
in a letter to the author, in possession of the author from the
Grand Lodge of Texas Library and Museum,
Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, dated at Waco, Texas, 19
April, 1979.
7Information
in a letter to the author, in possession of the author, from A.H.
May, dated at Lone Oak, Texas, 7 October, 1973.
8May,
A. H. p.2.
9May,
A. H. p.2.
10May,
A. H. p.2.
11Court
Records of Osage County, Missouri, marriage records of Osage
County of William L. Thornton and Mary Jane Vaughan, 7 March 1860,
filed for record 8 March, 1860, marriage Book A-1. p.312.
12Boarman,
Florence. p. 1.
13U.S.
Census, 1880, p. 52.
14May,
A. H. p.2.
15Court
Records, County of Rains, State of Texas, marriage record. of
George Presley Thornton and Jamina Jane Merriman, filed for record
25 July, 1887, Marriage Record Book 1, p, 203.
16Boarman,
Florence, p. 1.
17Information
in a letter to the author, in possession of the author, from A.H.
May, dated at Lone Oak, Texas, 6 January, 1974.
18Boarman,
Raymond, son of J.M. Boarman and Maggie Louise Thornton, of
Phoenix, Arizona, interview in Hobbs, New Mexico, 26 May, 1978
concerning marriage of Evaline Kay Thornton.
19Thornton,
Jennie Taylor, wife of Homer Almen Thornton, mother of Ralph H.
Thornton and paternal grandmother of Ruby Thornton Rudisill, of
Hobbs, New Mexico, interview in Hobbs, New Mexico, 24 August, 1961
concerning Bill and Charles Thornton.
20U.S.
Census of 1870 for Lone Oak, County of Rains, State of Texas, P.
30.
21Court
Records, County of Rains, State of Texas, Volume 1, Cattle Brands,
filed for record 24 January, 1880, P. 19.
22Rains
County Leader. "Everyman's Duty." One Hundredth Anniversary of
Rains County. Emory, Texas: Rains County Leader, 1970. no page no.
23Thompson,
Robert L. Hunt County Cemeteries. (Hunt County, Texas: Robert
Thompson, 1977), p. 43.
24Thompson,
Robert L., p. 43.
25Information
in a letter to the author, in possession of the author, from
Myrtle Thornton Robinson, daughter of George Presley Thornton and
Jamina Jane Merriman, Great Aunt of Ruby Thornton Rudisill. dated
at Ardmore, Oklahoma, 26 July, 1973.
