There's a discussion of North Carolina Thortons in Family Puzzler, 1997

(page 3)

Smith's Creek, Warren Co., NC
1784 THOMAS, [Reverend] DOZIER, MARK THORNTON III all received land grants in Wilkes Co., GA
1785 THOMAS, DOZIER, MARK THORNTON in Wilkes Co., tax digest
Reverend Dozier Thornton established Van's Creek Baptist Church in then Wilke's Co. (now Elbert Co.) Constituting members included Rev. Thornton, his wife Lucy Elizabeth Hill Thornton, and their dau. Elizabeth Thornton, "Jr.".
He served as Van's Creek pastor from 1785-1828.
1797 THOMAS THORNTON and wife Molly sold land in Elbert Co., GA , which had been cut off from Wilkes Co.
MARK THORNTON and wife Mary sold land in Elbert Co., GA. Van's Creek Church minutes 12-9-1797
1798 THOMAS THORNTON Van's Creek Church minutes - excluded

"According to HISTORY OF ELBERT COUNTY, GEORGIA 1790 - - 1935, these are the first three generations of Thornton family members in Elbert Co . Source of the information was not cited.

Progenitor MARK THORNTON, planter, married SUSANNAH DOZIER, dau. of LEONARD DOZIER, in Lunenburg Co., VA. Among their children were: (1) REUBEN THORNTON d . 1810 Elbert Co, m. ELIZABETH ALLEN
(2) DOZIER THORNTON, Revolutionary soldier and Baptist minister, b. 4-4-1755 Lunenburg Co., VA, d. 9-1843 GA, m 1st LUCY HILL of NC, 2nd MRS. JANE PULLAM 4-1826 [Buried near Royston, GA]

The late GEORGE H. S. KING of Fredericksburg, VA. wrote me in 1968, commenting on a copy of the Thomas Thornton ledger, then in possession of Mr. Frank Warren at Tignall, GA.
"W.W. Thornton (now deceased) in his 32 page mimeographed booklet A GLIMPSE OF THE THORNTONS THROUGH THE CENTURIES" gives an imperfect account of the family of Mark and Susannah Dozier Thornton; their eldest son Dozier (b. 1755) moved to N.C. and he then gives an account of the Thorntons later in Elbert Co., GA

[page 4]

Without citation to authority, author mentions Thomas Thornton as a younger brother of Dozier, but does not detail him

This group was of the Richmond County [VA] Thorntons descended from the Luke Thornton group, and they moved out of the Northern Neck (of VA) into Lunenburg Co., VA, long before the revolution and thence into North Carolina and on to Georgia

It may be that this Thomas Thornton is the father of Thomas Thornton (1782-1820) of your record book; at least the generation would be falling right, and other things seem to fit.

Mr. Thornton mentions Jeremiah Thornton (1777-1848) who was born in N.C. and died in Muscogee Co., GA and his brother Benjamin Thornton (1781-1854) who was born in N.C. and died in Elbert Co., GA. where his will remains of record. He says the records of Wilkes, Elbert, Franklin Cos. GA areas are full of Thornton records....

I do not have at hand R.K. Smith's book, ''IN THE DAYS OF MY YOUTH'' (1951), but there is considerable about this group of Thorntons therein. Also I see from some scattered notes, that Mark and Thomas Thornton, brothers, and sons of Mark and Susannah ( Dozier ) Thornton, were on the records of Bute Co., N.C. in 1767. I see, too, that another writer says that the above mentioned brothers Mark and Thomas were sons of Mark Thornton by an unknown first wife, and that he m. 2nd ca. 1754 Susanna Dozier, and had Dozier b. 1755. If this be so , this Thomas Thornton in Bute Co., N.C. 1767 could well be the man who had children born 1768 - 1782 per your ledger.

D.A.R Patriot Index, page 676: Thomas Thornton (1755-1840) m. Elizabeth Robertson, private N.C. "From Mr. Gene Maughan, P.O. Box 92, Miami, OK 74354:" The following is notes copied from the old Thornton family Bible which was published 1793 . The Bible itself is in such fragile condition that it can no longer be handled and read; however, these notes constitute all notations added by ink and pencil into the pages.

Front fly-leaf: Thomas Thornton his hand and John Thornton, Pryer Thornton, Mark Thornton

Next Page: Thomas Thornton, his book and harte shall never parte. Thomas Thornton was born April the 8th day in the year of our Lord 1782 on Monday morning at about 10 o'clock
Mark Thornton his pa's book written by Mark Thornton and this was his pa's book
Next Page: April 11, 1805, mare stood Luke

Between Old and New Testaments:
Sally born Sept. 2, 1768
Pryer born April 27, 1770
John born Dec . 14 , 1775 Patty born Dec . 22 , 1777 Thomas bom April 8 , 1782 Polley bom Feb . 5 , 1787

Elizabeth Johnston the daughter of Alexander and Sally his wife was borne April 1, 1818
Elza Bad Thornton, son of Thomas and Lucy Kidd his wife was born Sept. 28 1806

Memory [ Memorable ) Thornton was bom January 1, 1810.
Memory Thornton departed this life October 30 , 1879.
Marey Thornton departed this life October 23 , 1828 , aged 87 years
Permelia ( or Permetia ] A . Thornton wife of  Memory Thornton was born Dec . 16 , 1814 by Mark Thornton 1838 Jarnes
A . Thornton son of Memory and Permelia A . Thornton was born Nov . 28 , 1832
William M . Thornton born Mar . 20 , 1834
Thomas B . Thornton born March 20 , 1836
Sarah Frances Thornton born Dec. 9, 1839
Jefferson Lebron Thornton born Feb. 20, 1844
Simeon C. Thornton born November 22, 1846
 Tinsley R . ( Rucker ? ] Thornton born May 22 , 1850
Seaborn J . Thornton died Aug . 21 , 1862
William M . Thornton died July 1 4 , 1863
James A . Thornton died Nov . 2 , 1872
Tinsley R . Thornton died Aug . 22 , 1892
Thomas B . Thornton died Nov . 28 , 1904
Sarah Frances ( Thornton ] Dolahite died Oct . 14 , 1913
S . P . Dolahite died Oct . 14 [Sarah Frances?]
Mary Dolahite died Feb. 15, 1914.


~page 6
The above lists of deaths concludes all the notes found in the Thornton Bible.
Everything else is copied with its original spelling
Now let me state what I have concluded from my studies of this Bible , " wrote Mr . Maughan , " three trips to the cemetery east of Coldwater ( Creek , Elbert Co . , GA ) which holds the graves of many of the Thorntons listed here , and my conversations with family members , some of whom are now deceased . As I have already noted, MAREY THORNTON is the oldest person we have record of. She was born in the year 1741 . We have no idea where she was born ; maybe in Europe , maybe in the colonies. Old newspaper clippings concerning this Bible and the Thornton family , tell of the Thornton migration to Mississippi from Georgia in 1843 was buried in Georgia before the move . I further believe that Mary was the mother of  the children listed as Sally , Pryer , John , Patty , Thomas and Polley. Thomas of this group was the original owner of the Thornton family Bible , according to the written statement by Mark in the Bible. Thomas was born in 1782 and became the original owner of the Bible printed in 1793. Thomas would have been 61 years of age at the time the Thornton move to Mississippi in 1843 , and we find no record indicating that he came to MS. Then , age 61 would compare to nearly 80 now , because the life expectancy was shorter.

We do know that the two sons of Thomas , Mark and Memory came to Mississippi in 1843.

Mark's children were William B., Thomas B., Sarah Frances [Dolahite], Jefferson Lebron, Simeon C., and Tinsley R. Thornton. Memory Thornton ' s children were James A . and Seaborn J . Thornton"

"THE THOMAS THORNTON LEDGER" Concordia, Ga. [Concord Methodist Church area, Elbert Co., GA]
Sarah Thornton was born September the 2nd 1768
Prior Thornton was born April the 17th 1770
Susannah Thornton was born April the 11th 1772
Elizabeth Thornton was born December the 4th 1773
John Thornton was born December the 14th 1775
Martha Thornton was born December the 22nd 1777
[reverse]
David Thornton was born December the 1st 1779
Thomas Thornton was born April the 8th 1782
Lucy K. (Key? White) Thornton wife of Thomas Thornton was bom February 23rd 1787
Elsabad Thornton was born Sept. 28th 1806
Betsy W . ( Elizabeth White ) Thornton was born Decr . 29th 1807
Memorable Thornton was born on Monday , Jany Ist 1810
Eppy White Thornton was born May 22nd 1811
[facing page]
John M . Thornton was born Oct . 10th 1814 Salley Thornton was born May 30th 1816 Mark Thornton was
born Der [ sic ] 31 , 1819 Lucy Amelia Warren daughter of this was lined out
Jeremiah Stanfield Warren and Elizabeth White (Betsy W .) Thornton was married October 14th 1823
Lucy Amelia Warren daughter Jeremiah S . and Elizabeth W . Warren was born Sept 30, 1824
(back of page)
Thomas Thornton and Lucy White was Married Dcr 26 , 1805 John M . Thornton departed this life Oct 10. 1857, sone (sic) of Thomas and Lucy K . Thornton
[facing page]
Ages of John Thornton ' s children
Middleton Thornton was born Novr 30th 1799
Sarah Thornton was born Jany 4th 1802 Polley (Mary?) Thornton was born April 9th 1804
Macajah Thornton
was born July 3rd 1809 Benajah Thornton was born Decr 15 , 1811 [
[no writing on back of this page]
[facing page]
Thomas Thornton departed this life May 20th 1820
Reuben White brother of Lucy Thornton departed this life Feby 22 1820
Lucy K . Thornton Departed this life January 25 1837
(remaining entries on this page are written by the same person:)

William H . Warren departed this life September 19 1857
Lucy Emely Adams departed this life oct 9 1857
Jeremiah S . Warren ( Jr . ) departed this life November 17 , 1857
(The) Children of Jeremiah and Elizabeth ( White ) Warren

Jer[e]miah S. Warren Departed this life September 20 , 1860 , age sixty four
Elizabeth W . [ White Thornton ] Warren departed this life February the 17th 1872 age sixty four

From Mrs . Ann C . Holloman, 2105 Acker Drive, Albany, GA 31707, 912/439-0540, e-mail: anncholl@juno.com
Begin ( above ) with " Memory Thornton was born January 1 , 1810 . "
appears that everything from there down on that page [through Mary Dolahite died Feb. 15, 1914] pertains to the family of Memory Thornton.
But Mr. Maughan's statement later "We do know that the two sons of Thomas (Thornton), Mark and Memory came to Mississippi in 1843..."

Mrs . Holloman sees some discrepancies: If Memory Thornton went to MS in 1843, he came back for at least a time, because Memory Thornton was in Elbert CO., GA 1850 census family 344


[page 4]
"Reuben Thornton purchased land in Franklin Co. 31 Mar 1813 which was adjacent to land owned by Thomas Thornton deceased. This was witnessed by Elijah Thornton . [Deed Book TT, p. 125] A Reuben was supposed to be the son of Mark, and brother of Mark, Thomas, and Dozier, but he is not mentioned in any of the North Carolina records. Is this the son of Dozier, or another Reuben? He was apparently a minister as he married (performed the ceremony) one of Elijah's daughters. No settlement of the estate of Thomas Thornton has been found in Franklin, Elbert, or Jackson. This would make you think that Elijah was the only child.

This can't be the "