INTRODUCTION The purpose of this book is to document the descendants of James Mulder Thornton, born 1842, in Carroll County, Georgia. I began collecting this information in 1984, mainly by word of mouth, from many conversations with those who attend the family reunion each year. My original purpose was to locate our living relatives, in order to inform them of the annual family reunion. Information has increased each year, and I have made available revised copies of this book from time to time since 1984. Although I have confined my efforts to the descendants of James Mulder Thornton, there are many in the family who would like to know more about his ancestry. It has long been rumored that he is a direct descendant of Matthew Thornton, who was the last person to sign the United States Declaration of Independence in 1776. A search is under way to determine the validity of this idea. No proof or disproof has yet been determined, but considerable progress has been made, thanks to the faithful work of Roy F. Thornton and Jim H. Thornton. The following information was summarized by myself from the fruits of their work: James Mulder Thornton was one of several children of David William Thornton and Mary E. Edwards. David William Thornton was born about 1809 in Spartanburg, South Carolina, and died some time after 1889 in Bowdon, Carroll County, Georgia. Mary E. Edwards was born about 1817 in South Carolina. They were married on Sep 18 1836, in Troup County Georgia. This family had nine children, all believed to have been born in the vicinity of Bowdon, Georgia. The 1840 census places them in Heard County, with two children under the age of 5 years. In 1842, David William Thornton was appointed Postmaster of Houston, in the Liberty Hill District of Troup County, Georgia. The 1850 Census locates them in Benton, Alabama (Calhoun County), where David William served as Justice of the Peace. The Census of 1860, 1870, and 1880 places them in Bowdon, Georgia. David William owned 1000 acres in Carroll County, which is now known as the Wiley Wilson Farm. He was a very religious man, a Hardshell Baptist. His father was from Oxford, England, and is said to have ordered a mail-order bride from Ireland. Children of David William Thornton and Mary E. Edwards: Infant son, born 1837-1839. Died in early childhood, no further record. George H. Thornton, born 1840. Enlisted in Cobbs Legion of the Confederate Army at Bowdon, Georgia on Jul 30 1861 by Captain McDaniel. George was listed as missing in action at Crampton's Gap, Maryland on Sep 14 1862. He appears Sep 26 1862 on a list of wounded prisoners that were paroled after the Battle of Crampton's Gap by order of General Franklin. The U. S. Field Hospital in Burkittsville, Maryland listed him as "Wounded Hip - Dangerously", and later shows him in a list of wounded prisoners who died in the hospital and were buried there by order of Asst. Surgeon H. A. Dubois. A pension claim was filed on Feb 27 1863 by David Thornton, Jr. George left no wife or children. James Mulder Thornton, born 1842. Enlisted in Cobbs Legion of the Confederate Army at Bowdon, Georgia on Jul 30 1861 by Captain McDaniel. James was a 20 year old farmer of the Bowdon District. He was captured and paroled at Vicksburg on Jul 4 1862. He surrendered along with General Robert E. Lee to General U. S. Grant at Appomattox Courthouse on Apr 9 1865 (see also John F. Thornton below). James attended Bowdon College after the war on the "GI Bill". He married Matilda Florence Bridges on Dec 15 1867. She was born in 1849, and appears on the 1850 and 1860 census for Carroll County. The 1870 census shows James Mulder as 28 year old, works farm, wife Matilda (age 21), and daughter Gertrude (age 1). They were at that time apparently living with Matilda's parents, the Bridges. America F. Thornton, born 1843. John F. Thornton, born 1846 in Troup County, Georgia. Enlisted in the Confederate Army on Mar 4 1864 at Newnan, Georgia, by Colonel Griffin (another record states March 15 at Greenville, Tennessee). Aug 8 and 26 1864 he was listed at Jackson Hospital, Richmond, Virginia with "Hemoptsis". Oct 23 1864 he was listed at CSA General Hospital, Charlottesville, Virginia as "diarrhea chronic", and returned to duty. His pension application states that he surrendered at Appomattox. John was reported as prisoner of war belonging to to the Army of Northern Virginia, which was surrendered by General Robert E. Lee to Lt. General U. S. Grant, Commanding Army of The United States, at Appomattox Court House, Virginia on Apr 9 1865. He was one of four Company "B" men who surrendered with General Lee. Why these men were not with their unit, which was captured at Sailor's Creek on May 6 is not known. They possibly could have escaped after being surrounded by Federal infantry and cavalry, or they could have been on detached duty or straggling. All officers were captured at Sailors Creek. John returned to Carroll County in 1910. Fabius Thornton, born 1847. Reuben Thornton, born 1849. Lucinda Thornton, born 1853. Married for the first time at age 65, she remained at home and attended to David William and Mary during their twilight years. Alice Thornton, born 1861, died about 1881 in Atlanta, Georgia. She was murdered under unusal circumstances. To summarize what we know about David William Thornton and his family, the following tree shows his children and grandchildren: __David William Thornton, b 1809 \m Sep 18 1836 to Mary E. Edwards, b 1817 | |__son, b 1838 | |__George H. Thornton, b 1840, d Sep 1862 | |__James Mulder Thornton, b 1842, d 1898 | \m Dec 15 1867 to Matilda Florence Bridges, b 1849, d 1886 | |__Roxie White (Gertrude), b Jul 28 1869, d Jul 25 1931 | |__Robert Lee Thornton (Pap), b May 13 1872, d Nov 26 1935 | |__James McLaus Thornton (Jim), b Feb 17 1872, d Sep 15 1958 | |__Mary Ellen Thompson (Molly), b Mar 4 1875, d Oct 13 1957 | |__Martha Jane Fleniken (Matt), b Nov 24 1876, d Aug 4 1950 | |__David Thornton, b 1879 | | | \m to Eliza Martha Jane Carlile, b Sep 8 1851, d Sep 16 1931 | |__Paul Frankland Thornton (Buster) b Oct 20 1892, d Apr 8 1952 | |__America Florence (Fanny) Smith, b 1843 | \m Jun 9 1900 to William R. Smith | |__John F. Thornton, b 1846 | \m to Julia Jenisha Baggett, b 1849 | |__Mary Alice Thornton, b 1880 | |__Fabius M. Thornton, b 1847 | \m to Lidda Yates, b 1848 | |__Ira Eugene Thornton | |__Benjamin Terrell Thornton | |__Reuben Thornton, b 1849 | |__Lucinda Huckbea, b 1853 | \m to Thomas Huckbea | |__Alice Thornton, b 1861 - David Alan Carter January 2000