Martha (Owen) Thornton was the eldest child of Barnett and Frances (Whitlow) Owen. She was called "Patsy." She married William Thornton I on May 5, 1786, in Lunenburg County, VA.
NOTE: Records repeatedly show Martha's name as "Patsy" (census records) or "Martha Patsy" (marriage record, her father's last will). In the past the DAR Patriot Index listed a William Thornton and wife "Ann." DAR has now clarified that this William is not among the William Thortons they list in that index. Apparently, Martha was a different person than Ann, who was married to a different William Thornton (which creates the question of whether this modern gravestone shows her name incorrectly based on the old interpretation of DAR records.). Some records (including her gravestone) list her death date as 1844. However, the 1850 Census shows Patsy Thornton living at age 86 with her son William II, his wife Sally, and three of their youngest children (Luke, Jeremiah, and Sally).
Neighbors are her grandsons Jeptha and family, Bakers, Kerns, Isaac Agee, John Thornton
[Written by R.J. Thornton:]
Because of the selection of a William in early editions of Patriot Index that was close to the birth and death dates of our William, there was a problem with the wife's name. The listing in the early editions (the one the DAR says is "in error") lists William's wife as "Ann." This myth was perpetuated in the headstone for William's wife in Clarksdale, Missouri, that showed her name incorrectly as "Ann Martha" to match the name in the Patriot Index. Several Thornton relatives have repeated the name "Ann" in listing William's wife in their history of the Thornton family. Official records are very clear: The marriage record says "Martha Patsy," census records list her name as "Patsy," and her name in her father's last will says: "Patsy Thornton." She named one daughter "Patsy Martha."
[Thanks to Dona Donaldson for providing the following information:]
"There are no William Thorntons listed as Patriots that match the records of our William.
Early Thornton family members said William was a bodyguard to General George Washington in the Revolutionary War. In their research they found a William Thornton who was a Private in the 4th Virginia Troops, First Regiment Light Dragoon, commanded by Col. Theodorick Bland. It was reported that our 16-year-old William fought with Washington in the battle of Yorktown in 1781.
"Early editions of Daughter's of the American Revolution Patriot Index listed about 50 William Thorntons. The one chosen as our William had some important differences in dates of birth and death and the name of his wife as "Ann." A special commemorative stone designating William as participating in the Revolutionary War was placed in the Thornton Cemetery in Clarksdale, MO. When the 1990 edition of Patriot Index was published that particular William was no longer included. In 1996 I wrote to the DAR to question the deleted reference. The DAR wrote that the earlier entry was incorrect; an error was made on that Thornton entry."
[Sources: Marriages of Lunenburg County, Virginia, 1746—1853; Thornton/Nelson Family History website; DAR Patriot Index; Richard Thornton website home.comcast.net/~rjthornton]
NOTE: Records repeatedly show Martha's name as "Patsy" (census records) or "Martha Patsy" (marriage record, her father's last will). In the past the DAR Patriot Index listed a William Thornton and wife "Ann." DAR has now clarified that this William is not among the William Thortons they list in that index. Apparently, Martha was a different person than Ann, who was married to a different William Thornton (which creates the question of whether this modern gravestone shows her name incorrectly based on the old interpretation of DAR records.). Some records (including her gravestone) list her death date as 1844. However, the 1850 Census shows Patsy Thornton living at age 86 with her son William II, his wife Sally, and three of their youngest children (Luke, Jeremiah, and Sally).
Neighbors are her grandsons Jeptha and family, Bakers, Kerns, Isaac Agee, John Thornton
[Written by R.J. Thornton:]
Because of the selection of a William in early editions of Patriot Index that was close to the birth and death dates of our William, there was a problem with the wife's name. The listing in the early editions (the one the DAR says is "in error") lists William's wife as "Ann." This myth was perpetuated in the headstone for William's wife in Clarksdale, Missouri, that showed her name incorrectly as "Ann Martha" to match the name in the Patriot Index. Several Thornton relatives have repeated the name "Ann" in listing William's wife in their history of the Thornton family. Official records are very clear: The marriage record says "Martha Patsy," census records list her name as "Patsy," and her name in her father's last will says: "Patsy Thornton." She named one daughter "Patsy Martha."
[Thanks to Dona Donaldson for providing the following information:]
"There are no William Thorntons listed as Patriots that match the records of our William.
Early Thornton family members said William was a bodyguard to General George Washington in the Revolutionary War. In their research they found a William Thornton who was a Private in the 4th Virginia Troops, First Regiment Light Dragoon, commanded by Col. Theodorick Bland. It was reported that our 16-year-old William fought with Washington in the battle of Yorktown in 1781.
"Early editions of Daughter's of the American Revolution Patriot Index listed about 50 William Thorntons. The one chosen as our William had some important differences in dates of birth and death and the name of his wife as "Ann." A special commemorative stone designating William as participating in the Revolutionary War was placed in the Thornton Cemetery in Clarksdale, MO. When the 1990 edition of Patriot Index was published that particular William was no longer included. In 1996 I wrote to the DAR to question the deleted reference. The DAR wrote that the earlier entry was incorrect; an error was made on that Thornton entry."
[Sources: Marriages of Lunenburg County, Virginia, 1746—1853; Thornton/Nelson Family History website; DAR Patriot Index; Richard Thornton website home.comcast.net/~rjthornton]
Martha (Owen) Thornton was the eldest child of Barnett and Frances (Whitlow) Owen. She was called "Patsy." She married William Thornton I on May 5, 1786, in Lunenburg County, VA.
NOTE: Records repeatedly show Martha's name as "Patsy" (census records) or "Martha Patsy" (marriage record, her father's last will). In the past the DAR Patriot Index listed a William Thornton and wife "Ann." DAR has now clarified that this William is not among the William Thortons they list in that index. Apparently, Martha was a different person than Ann, who was married to a different William Thornton (which creates the question of whether this modern gravestone shows her name incorrectly based on the old interpretation of DAR records.). Some records (including her gravestone) list her death date as 1844. However, the 1850 Census shows Patsy Thornton living at age 86 with her son William II, his wife Sally, and three of their youngest children (Luke, Jeremiah, and Sally).
Neighbors are her grandsons Jeptha and family, Bakers, Kerns, Isaac Agee, John Thornton
[Written by R.J. Thornton:]
Because of the selection of a William in early editions of Patriot Index that was close to the birth and death dates of our William, there was a problem with the wife's name. The listing in the early editions (the one the DAR says is "in error") lists William's wife as "Ann." This myth was perpetuated in the headstone for William's wife in Clarksdale, Missouri, that showed her name incorrectly as "Ann Martha" to match the name in the Patriot Index. Several Thornton relatives have repeated the name "Ann" in listing William's wife in their history of the Thornton family. Official records are very clear: The marriage record says "Martha Patsy," census records list her name as "Patsy," and her name in her father's last will says: "Patsy Thornton." She named one daughter "Patsy Martha."
[Thanks to Dona Donaldson for providing the following information:]
"There are no William Thorntons listed as Patriots that match the records of our William.
Early Thornton family members said William was a bodyguard to General George Washington in the Revolutionary War. In their research they found a William Thornton who was a Private in the 4th Virginia Troops, First Regiment Light Dragoon, commanded by Col. Theodorick Bland. It was reported that our 16-year-old William fought with Washington in the battle of Yorktown in 1781.
"Early editions of Daughter's of the American Revolution Patriot Index listed about 50 William Thorntons. The one chosen as our William had some important differences in dates of birth and death and the name of his wife as "Ann." A special commemorative stone designating William as participating in the Revolutionary War was placed in the Thornton Cemetery in Clarksdale, MO. When the 1990 edition of Patriot Index was published that particular William was no longer included. In 1996 I wrote to the DAR to question the deleted reference. The DAR wrote that the earlier entry was incorrect; an error was made on that Thornton entry."
[Sources: Marriages of Lunenburg County, Virginia, 1746—1853; Thornton/Nelson Family History website; DAR Patriot Index; Richard Thornton website home.comcast.net/~rjthornton]
NOTE: Records repeatedly show Martha's name as "Patsy" (census records) or "Martha Patsy" (marriage record, her father's last will). In the past the DAR Patriot Index listed a William Thornton and wife "Ann." DAR has now clarified that this William is not among the William Thortons they list in that index. Apparently, Martha was a different person than Ann, who was married to a different William Thornton (which creates the question of whether this modern gravestone shows her name incorrectly based on the old interpretation of DAR records.). Some records (including her gravestone) list her death date as 1844. However, the 1850 Census shows Patsy Thornton living at age 86 with her son William II, his wife Sally, and three of their youngest children (Luke, Jeremiah, and Sally).
Neighbors are her grandsons Jeptha and family, Bakers, Kerns, Isaac Agee, John Thornton
[Written by R.J. Thornton:]
Because of the selection of a William in early editions of Patriot Index that was close to the birth and death dates of our William, there was a problem with the wife's name. The listing in the early editions (the one the DAR says is "in error") lists William's wife as "Ann." This myth was perpetuated in the headstone for William's wife in Clarksdale, Missouri, that showed her name incorrectly as "Ann Martha" to match the name in the Patriot Index. Several Thornton relatives have repeated the name "Ann" in listing William's wife in their history of the Thornton family. Official records are very clear: The marriage record says "Martha Patsy," census records list her name as "Patsy," and her name in her father's last will says: "Patsy Thornton." She named one daughter "Patsy Martha."
[Thanks to Dona Donaldson for providing the following information:]
"There are no William Thorntons listed as Patriots that match the records of our William.
Early Thornton family members said William was a bodyguard to General George Washington in the Revolutionary War. In their research they found a William Thornton who was a Private in the 4th Virginia Troops, First Regiment Light Dragoon, commanded by Col. Theodorick Bland. It was reported that our 16-year-old William fought with Washington in the battle of Yorktown in 1781.
"Early editions of Daughter's of the American Revolution Patriot Index listed about 50 William Thorntons. The one chosen as our William had some important differences in dates of birth and death and the name of his wife as "Ann." A special commemorative stone designating William as participating in the Revolutionary War was placed in the Thornton Cemetery in Clarksdale, MO. When the 1990 edition of Patriot Index was published that particular William was no longer included. In 1996 I wrote to the DAR to question the deleted reference. The DAR wrote that the earlier entry was incorrect; an error was made on that Thornton entry."
[Sources: Marriages of Lunenburg County, Virginia, 1746—1853; Thornton/Nelson Family History website; DAR Patriot Index; Richard Thornton website home.comcast.net/~rjthornton]
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