Heathcock Genealogy Database - Person Sheet
Heathcock Genealogy Database - Person Sheet
NameSolomon Thornton 
, 5G Uncle
, 5G UncleBirthca 1745
Death1809, Wilkes Co GA Age: 64
FatherJohn Fitzhugh Thornton (1718-1787)
MotherAgatha Yancey
Notes for Solomon Thornton
The following was written by historian John Bennett Boddie:1041
Solomon Thornton, son of John Thornton and Agatha his wife, is said to have been born about 1745 and died in Wilkes Co., Ga. in 1809. Like his brothers, William and Samuel, he was a soldier in the Revolution (Smith "Story of Ga. and the Ga. People", p. 623).
His wife was named Sarah Acree, and she was probably a daughter of Isaac Acree and a niece of William Acree, both of whom appear Oct. 8, 1754 in Capt. Richard Coleman's Co. of Granville Co., N. C. Militia in the Great Muster for the French and Indian War (N. C. Colonial and State Records, Vol. 22, pp. 372 and 373). William Acree moved to Wilkes Co. , Ga., where he died in 1796. His will, dated Feb. 21, 1796 and probated April 7, 1796, mentions sons William, Sherrin and John Acree, and daughters Elizabeth, Jinny Acree, Susannah Woodall, Sarah Smith, Frances Meadows, Nancy Dismukes, and Priscilla Acree (Davidson, Vol.1, p. 52).
Solomon Thornton is probably identical with a Solomon Thornton, Sr. who is shown by the Sampson Co. N.C. taxlist of 1784 to have owned 15 acres there. He may be identical with a Solomon Thornton who deeded land in Granville Co., N. C. Feb. 25, 1791 (Granville Co. D. B. "N", p. 92), but it is more probable that this man was Solomon Thornton, Jr., eldest son of Solomon Thornton’s brother William. Solomon Thornton is shown in the 1785 tax-list of Wilkes Co., Ga. along with his brothers, William and Samuel (Davidson, Vol. II, p. 38), and was a Justice of Wilkes Co. in 1806 (same, p. 323).
His will, dated Jan. 18, 1809 and probated in Wilkes Co. Mar. 6, 1809 (Davidson, Vol. I, p. 90), mentions his sons William, Martin and John; daughters Nancy, wife of John W. Cooper, and Judy, wife of Samuel L. Hunter; grandsons Philip and Martin Thornton, sons of son John, a slave "now in the possession of Rachel Thornton"; the residue of the estate to wife Sally, then to be divided among the following children, Joshua, Polly, Betsy, Aggy, Cathy, and Samuel Thornton; wife Sally executrix; test: Matthew Talbot, Thomas Lastly, and William Thornton, Jr. The wife, Sarah Thornton, seems to have died about 1813, as on Jan. 5, 1814 the residuary legatees petitioned that the slaves be divided among them, and at the same court the daughter, Catherine Thornton, chose Elisha Reed her guardian, and the son Samuel Thornton was put under the guardianship of Matthew Talbot (Davidson, Vol. I, p. 185). The following is known of the children of Solomon and Sarah Thornton:
1. William Thornton, nothing further known, unless he was the William Thornton shown in the Lottery of 1819, instead of his cousin, William son of William.
2. Martin Thornton was appointed guardian of his brother Samuel Jan. 7, 1817 instead of Matthew Talbot (Davidson, Vol. I, p. 193).
3. John Thornton, from the way in which Solomon Thornton's will is written, may have predeceased his father, leaving a widow, Rachel Thornton, and two sons, Martin and Philip. He was certainly dead by the time of the Lottery of 1819, when "Rachel Thornton, widow of John" and "Orphans of John Thornton" are shown, each with 1 draw (Davidson, Vol. I, p. 333). John W. Cooper (his brother-in-law) and Augustine Cooper handed in an account of John Thornton's estate in 1820 (Davidson, Vol. II, p. 189). John Thornton's son, Philip Thornton, married Rebecca Huguley, daughter of John Huguley, Mar. 27, 1828 (Davidson, Vol. II, pp. 138 and 357).
4. Nancy Thornton was born in 1783, and married Rev. John Wilson Cooper, a Baptist minister, son of John and Elizabeth (Wilson) Cooper, prior to her father's death. John W. and Nancy (Thornton) Cooper were grandparents of the compiler's gr.-aunt Sarah Edna (Cooper) Holtzclaw, who wrote an account of the Cooper family, including the descendants of Nancy Thornton.
5. Judith Thornton m. Nov.21, 1806 Samuel Hunter (Davidson, Vol. II, p. 338).
6. Joshua Thornton may have died young, as he does not appear in the distribution of Solomon Thornton's estate in 1814 and 1819 (Davidson, Vol. II, p. 301).
7. Mary (Polly) Thornton m. Elisha Reed prior to Jan. 6, 1814 (Davidson, Vol. II, p. 301).
8. Elizabeth (Betsy) Thornton m. (1) prior to Jan. 6, 1814 Abraham Little, and (2) prior to Jan. 5, 1819 James P. Dozier (Davidson, Vol. II, p. 301).
9. Agatha (Aggy) Thornton m. prior to Jan. 6, 1814 Bernard H. Hughes (Davidson, Vol. II, p. 301).
10. Catherine Thornton was under the guardianship of Elisha Reed in 1814, but was married to William Henderson prior to Jan. 7, 1817 (Davidson, Vol. I, pp. 185 and
263; Vol. II, p. 301).
11. Samuel Thornton shared through his guardian, Matthew Talbot, in the division of his father's property in 1814 (Davidson, Vol. II, p. 301), was under the guardianship of his brother Martin in 1817 (Same, Vol. I, p. 193), but nothing further is known of him.
Solomon Thornton, son of John Thornton and Agatha his wife, is said to have been born about 1745 and died in Wilkes Co., Ga. in 1809. Like his brothers, William and Samuel, he was a soldier in the Revolution (Smith "Story of Ga. and the Ga. People", p. 623).
His wife was named Sarah Acree, and she was probably a daughter of Isaac Acree and a niece of William Acree, both of whom appear Oct. 8, 1754 in Capt. Richard Coleman's Co. of Granville Co., N. C. Militia in the Great Muster for the French and Indian War (N. C. Colonial and State Records, Vol. 22, pp. 372 and 373). William Acree moved to Wilkes Co. , Ga., where he died in 1796. His will, dated Feb. 21, 1796 and probated April 7, 1796, mentions sons William, Sherrin and John Acree, and daughters Elizabeth, Jinny Acree, Susannah Woodall, Sarah Smith, Frances Meadows, Nancy Dismukes, and Priscilla Acree (Davidson, Vol.1, p. 52).
Solomon Thornton is probably identical with a Solomon Thornton, Sr. who is shown by the Sampson Co. N.C. taxlist of 1784 to have owned 15 acres there. He may be identical with a Solomon Thornton who deeded land in Granville Co., N. C. Feb. 25, 1791 (Granville Co. D. B. "N", p. 92), but it is more probable that this man was Solomon Thornton, Jr., eldest son of Solomon Thornton’s brother William. Solomon Thornton is shown in the 1785 tax-list of Wilkes Co., Ga. along with his brothers, William and Samuel (Davidson, Vol. II, p. 38), and was a Justice of Wilkes Co. in 1806 (same, p. 323).
His will, dated Jan. 18, 1809 and probated in Wilkes Co. Mar. 6, 1809 (Davidson, Vol. I, p. 90), mentions his sons William, Martin and John; daughters Nancy, wife of John W. Cooper, and Judy, wife of Samuel L. Hunter; grandsons Philip and Martin Thornton, sons of son John, a slave "now in the possession of Rachel Thornton"; the residue of the estate to wife Sally, then to be divided among the following children, Joshua, Polly, Betsy, Aggy, Cathy, and Samuel Thornton; wife Sally executrix; test: Matthew Talbot, Thomas Lastly, and William Thornton, Jr. The wife, Sarah Thornton, seems to have died about 1813, as on Jan. 5, 1814 the residuary legatees petitioned that the slaves be divided among them, and at the same court the daughter, Catherine Thornton, chose Elisha Reed her guardian, and the son Samuel Thornton was put under the guardianship of Matthew Talbot (Davidson, Vol. I, p. 185). The following is known of the children of Solomon and Sarah Thornton:
1. William Thornton, nothing further known, unless he was the William Thornton shown in the Lottery of 1819, instead of his cousin, William son of William.
2. Martin Thornton was appointed guardian of his brother Samuel Jan. 7, 1817 instead of Matthew Talbot (Davidson, Vol. I, p. 193).
3. John Thornton, from the way in which Solomon Thornton's will is written, may have predeceased his father, leaving a widow, Rachel Thornton, and two sons, Martin and Philip. He was certainly dead by the time of the Lottery of 1819, when "Rachel Thornton, widow of John" and "Orphans of John Thornton" are shown, each with 1 draw (Davidson, Vol. I, p. 333). John W. Cooper (his brother-in-law) and Augustine Cooper handed in an account of John Thornton's estate in 1820 (Davidson, Vol. II, p. 189). John Thornton's son, Philip Thornton, married Rebecca Huguley, daughter of John Huguley, Mar. 27, 1828 (Davidson, Vol. II, pp. 138 and 357).
4. Nancy Thornton was born in 1783, and married Rev. John Wilson Cooper, a Baptist minister, son of John and Elizabeth (Wilson) Cooper, prior to her father's death. John W. and Nancy (Thornton) Cooper were grandparents of the compiler's gr.-aunt Sarah Edna (Cooper) Holtzclaw, who wrote an account of the Cooper family, including the descendants of Nancy Thornton.
5. Judith Thornton m. Nov.21, 1806 Samuel Hunter (Davidson, Vol. II, p. 338).
6. Joshua Thornton may have died young, as he does not appear in the distribution of Solomon Thornton's estate in 1814 and 1819 (Davidson, Vol. II, p. 301).
7. Mary (Polly) Thornton m. Elisha Reed prior to Jan. 6, 1814 (Davidson, Vol. II, p. 301).
8. Elizabeth (Betsy) Thornton m. (1) prior to Jan. 6, 1814 Abraham Little, and (2) prior to Jan. 5, 1819 James P. Dozier (Davidson, Vol. II, p. 301).
9. Agatha (Aggy) Thornton m. prior to Jan. 6, 1814 Bernard H. Hughes (Davidson, Vol. II, p. 301).
10. Catherine Thornton was under the guardianship of Elisha Reed in 1814, but was married to William Henderson prior to Jan. 7, 1817 (Davidson, Vol. I, pp. 185 and
263; Vol. II, p. 301).
11. Samuel Thornton shared through his guardian, Matthew Talbot, in the division of his father's property in 1814 (Davidson, Vol. II, p. 301), was under the guardianship of his brother Martin in 1817 (Same, Vol. I, p. 193), but nothing further is known of him.