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William THORNTON
"The Immigrant"
ABT 1620 - ABT 1708
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William III THORNTON "the Immigrant"
ABT 1620 - ABT 1708
ID Number: I5495
RESIDENCE: Yorkshire, ENG and By 1646 In Gloucester and Stafford Cos. VA
OCCUPATION: Vestryman, Petswork Parish, Gloucester
BIRTH: ABT 1620, "The Hills", Yorkshire, England
DEATH: ABT 1708, Cod's Creek, Stafford Co. Virginia
BURIAL: "Fall Hill", Stafford Co. Virginia
RESOURCES: See:CONFLICT Notes [S273] [S539] [S618] [S714] [S1084] [S2231] [S2663] [S2860]
Father: WILLIAM II THORNTON of "The Hills"
Mother: Frances ROBINSON
Family 1 : Elisia (Elitia\Alicia) BELLINGTON
MARRIAGE: ABT 1641, Rappahannock Co. Virginia [523324]
+Luke THORNTON Sr.
Esther THORNTON
+Edward THORNTON
Family 2 : Elizabeth ROWLAND
MARRIAGE: 27 Mar 1648, York Co. VA
+William THORNTON III
+Francis THORNTON I
+Rowland THORNTON
Notes
William deeded 2,000 acres of land in Rappahannock Co. VA on 16 Jul 1675, to his sons, William, Francis and Rowland, and also mentions a daughter Esther. (Deed Book 6, p. 83, Rappahannock Co VA. William Thornton was in York Co., VA by 11 May 1646, when he obliged himself by a paper recorded in that county which included Gloucester, to care for the cattle of John Liptrot until the latter came of age.
1704 VA Rent Rolls:
Thornton Fran Essex County, 1704
Thornton Francis Norfolk County, 1704
Thornton Wm Junr Glocester, Petso Parish
Thornton Wm Senr Glocester, Petso Parish
Src LDS: (AFN:1QRN-KL)
CONFLICT: "He was from Royalty", coming from Yorkshire, England no later than 1646, and settled in Stafford County, VA. His plantation was called Fall Hill, located in Stafford Co., VA., where he was buried. Not Proven line to Royalty. "The Thorntons were originally fair-haired Norwegian Vikings. The family has been traced back to Firgot, about 13 generations before Rolla. The Norse spelled Thornton as Thurston. William, The Conqueror, from Normandy, was the great-grandson of Rolla. William, the Conqueror, was crowned King of England in 1066."
From: irxp500@iupui.edu Date: Fri, 15 Oct 1999 To: gen-medieval-l@rootsweb.com.
The THORNTON family of East Newton, Yorkshire, are also claimed as the ancestors of William THORNTON (d. 1708, Stafford Co., VA), founder of a prominent Tidewater clan that includes, among others, James Madison, Meriwether Lewis, and Zachary Taylor. It is in regards to this Virginia family that claims were made regarding the descent of Agnes ALDERBOROUGH/ALDBROUGH from Edward I and Isabel de GRAY from King Stephen. As far as I can tell, both claims first appeared in a book by George K. Mckenzie titled *Colonial Families of the US.*
There are, however, a number of problems with all of these claims. As far as I know, no one has ever really been able to prove (i.e. document) that the immigrant William THORNTON (d. 1708, Stafford Co., VA) really belonged to this family, or if he was a member of this family where he connects to the family. Also, the claim of a descent from Edward I through Agnes ALDERBOROUGH needs to be researched carefully -- it's been a long time since I looked into it, but my recollection is that the claim is made through the PLUMPTON, STAPELTON, GODARD, and NEVILLE families and that there are several chronological problems at the very least. The claims made for Isabel de GRAY are not known to me.
If anyone has any particular interest in this THORNTON family and the unsubtantiated claims for a connection to the East Newton family, I'll be happy to dig through my files and see if I can help -- just e-mail me directly rather than posting to the entire list.
Jeff Duvall irxp500@iupui.edu or jeffery@iquest.net
"Thornton b: Abt. 1620 in (Wm H) Yorkshire England at "The Hills"; 1640 on Ship" Mary Jane"-by 5-11-1646 in York/Gloucester Co., VA ?to Stafford Co at "The Hillls" d: Abt. 1708 in Cod's Creek, Stafford Co, VA A headright of William Pryor who received 1300 acres on the north side of Charles River in 1642 (York County, Va.?) ; see The Library of Virginia . Bible Records Collection; 29533, Thornton Family Bible Record, 1651-1758. Bible printed in 1672. VA home named after English home & abt 4 mi NW of Gloucester Pt. Family origianlly fair haired Norwegains. July 16, 1675 Gave 2000 acres in Rappahanock to 3 sons & daughter."
"William came to Virginia from Yorkshire, England around 1640 (not later than 1646). Termed by genealogists as "The Immigrant." On May 11, 1646, William Thornton was in possession of a paper recorded in York County (including Gloucester) to care for the cattle of John Liptrot until the latter came of age. On February 16, 1665/66 as "Mr. William Thornton" he had a grant of 164 acres of land in Petworth Parish, Gloucester, adjoining the land where he lived and that of Richard Barnard. He was vestryman of Petsworth Parish in 1677.
On record in Essex is a power of attorney, dated September 1673, from William Thornton of Gloucester, to James Kay of Rappahannock County concerning 2,000 acres of land in the freshes, a track of land which he had bought from Mott. There is also recorded in Essex in 1701, 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, formerly Gloucester, but now of Stafford, authorizing the confirmation of said deed." In 1649 he received a land grant of 164 acres in Gloucester County, the grant being awarded for the transfer of 4 persons from England, this being one of the first patents in Virginia (Virginia Land Patent Book 5, Page 573.) He traded in shipping on Mobjack Bay, which is across from the present city of Norfolk, near "Weromoco," stomping ground of Chief Powhatan, John Smith and Pocohontas fame. He operated the ship "Mary Jane" in shipping to Barbados, West Indies.
He died in 1708 at the home of his son, Col. Francis Thornton, in Stafford County, and it is stated that his tombstone bears his Coat of Arms, (See Crozier's "General Armory," 1904 edition, page 126, Burke's "General Armory," 1878 edition, page 1010.) Crozier, best considered of all of the plublished American heraldic authorities, records the above described coat and crest as authentic for descendants of William Thornton, of "The Hills", Yorkshire, England who came to America and settled in York County, Virginia, in the year 1646. Burke, British authority, records the same as authentic for the family of Thornton, of Scarborough, Yorkshire, which was the center of residence of this family. Kirkland Hall, in Lancaster, was the seat of one line. This line bore the lion's head of red. A line owning the estate of Birkin, in Yorkshire, England, bore the lion's head of purple, and placed the cornoet around the nect of hte lion rahter than under it. A Yorkshire line with branchess in Norfolk and Cambridgeshire, England, bore the same armsw, but changed the crest to a dragon's head nad wings of silver issuing from the ducal coronet of gold. O'Hart, in the 1923 edition of his "Irish Pedigrees," Volume 2, states that the Thorntons of England were among the twelve families among whom Queen Elizabeth divided 111,000 acres in the County of Limerick, in Ireland, which she had taken from the FitzGeralds, Earls of Desmond. This accounts for the branches of the family which settled in Ireland."
"An article written by Adelle Bartlett Harper published in the "Georgia Magazine, Dec 1967-Jan 1968" says a list made in 1675 shows Wm. to be 55; his eldest son Luke 33; Edward, 29; Wm. Jr, 26, Francis, 24; and Rowland, 21."
Gloucester The Hills, Gloucester County Home of the Immigrant William Thornton.
MAGAZINE OF VIRGINIA GENEALOGY
http://www.vgs.org/magazine.htm
The first of the name of Thornton was William Thornton((1)), who came from Yorkshire, England, settled in Gloucester Co., Va., in 1646, and was vestryman of Petsworth Parish in 1677. It is not known whom he married, but he had three sons:
I. William Thornton((2)).
II. Francis Thornton((2)).
III. Rowland Thornton((2)).
"Thorton Bn possessiion of Col. Lewis Bedford Thorton, Tuscaloosa, Alabama and later W.W. Thorton of Texarkana, Texas.
Title: Deed Book 6, p. 83, Rappahannock Co., VA Media: Official Document
Title: Virginia "Land Patent Book 5", Page 573. Media: Official Document
Title: Crozier's "General Armory," 1904 edition, page 126, Burke's "General Armory," 1878 edition, page 1010 Media: Book
Title: Rappahannock Co., VA "Deed Book 6, p. 83"
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Sources
[S273] Ancestors of American Presidents, compiled by Gary Boyd Roberts, Pub. 1989 by New Eng Hist. Gen. Soc., Boston, MA
[S539] From: "Dr. T. Petitt" Tricia Petitt, EMail: bonestwo@erols.com 19 Jul 1999 home page: http://members.tripod.com/~Bonestwo/index.html
[S618] Oscar Kraehenbuehl, EMail: oscark_fl@ibm.net 2/98
[S714] Vigallivan EMail: Vigallivan@aol.com 3/98
[S1084] Patsy Ransom, EMail: ransom2@erols.com 6/99 desc of Thomas Buckner (b 1723) married Judith Presley Thornton. www.geocities.com/Heartland/Fields/6881 Patsy Ransom, 11825 Hunting Ridge Court, Potomac, Maryland 20854
[S2231] "Thorntons in your database" 16 May 2002 detailed report from Fran EMail: franinma@attbi.com
[S2663] Vondemfange Family Tree Updated: May 3 2002; Contact: Karen Steely URL: http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/s/t/e/Karen-M-Steely/? Welcome=1043244079 Ancestry.com tree file: 16831 Updated: Aug 25 2001; Contact: Unknown EMail: celticlady@brick.net
[S2692] Virginia Prominent Families, Vol. 1-4; Volume II Chapter XVIII the Lewis Family.
Volume I Chapter V The Pickett Family.
Ancestry.com. Virginia, Prominent Families, Vol. 1-4. [database online] Provo, UT: Ancestry.com, 2001. Original data: Some Prominent Virginia Families, Vol. 1-4. By Louise Pecquet du Bellet. Lynchburg, VA: J.P. Bell Company, 1907.
[S2860] Descendants of William Thornton; Descendants of Richard Oldborough/Alberough by Anderson McLaney Family History Connection Pages EMail: kandiandi@msn.com from Helms toolbox. http://www.genealogytoolbox.com/people_cat4.cfm?ID=6604 http://www.mindspring.com/~kandiandi/thornton.htm
[S2231] Thorntons in your database" 16 May 2002 detailed report from Fran EMail: franinma@attbi.com
[S2663] Vondemfange Family Tree Updated: May 3 2002; Contact: Karen Steely URL: http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/s/t/e/Karen-M-Steely/? Welcome=1043244079 Ancestry.com tree file: 16831 Updated: Aug 25 2001; Contact: Unknown EMail: celticlady@brick.net
[S2692] Virginia Prominent Families, Vol. 1-4; Volume II Chapter XVIII the Lewis Family.
Volume I Chapter V The Pickett Family.
Ancestry.com. Virginia, Prominent Families, Vol. 1-4. [database online] Provo, UT: Ancestry.com, 2001. Original data: Some Prominent Virginia Families, Vol. 1-4. By Louise Pecquet du Bellet. Lynchburg, VA: J.P. Bell Company, 1907.
[523324] or m. 11 May 1646
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