E.L. Thornton, owner of "A City Within Itself", came to Texas and the Big Country in 1919 from Arkansas. [His father had died on 10 May 1918 in Boone Co., AR, leaving a widow and several young children.] E.L. had an honorable discharge from the U.S. Army, a new wife, and no money when he arrived in Texas. That same year, 1919, he bought a fruit stand for $350 and sales grew. Soon E.L. and his family were able to add produce, meats, and everyday items to the store. He also had a car dealership as well as his department store. Thornton, the oldest of seven, found a place for his brothers to work in his store as well as sisters and brothers-in-law.
E.L. was actually the next to oldest, in the family that included seven full siblings. E.L. and Shella also had several other half-siblings from prior marriages of both his mother and father.
E.L.'s siblings played important roles in the development and management of the Chain. As an example, E.L.'s brothers: Denver, was company Vice President, in 1951 and later served as President; Shella served as Secretary - Treasurer. Also, in some cases, the siblings and others operated separate businesses, such as Beauty Shops, within Thornton's Stores.
Shella and Cleon's son, Dr. William Elt "Bill" Thornton was elected Mayor of San Antonio, Texas in 1995.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Parents:
Isaac M. THORNTON
Della M. RUCKMAN THORNTON
Full Siblings:
1. Lou Etta THORNTON [23 Sep 1894 - 23 Aug 1979]
2. Elt Lee THORNTON
3. Cynthia Ella THORNTON [23 Dec 1898 - 16 Sep 1968]
4. Troy Jefferson THORNTON
5. Denver Colorado THORNTON
6. Shella THORNTON
7. Okla Jewel THORNTON RAMEY
E.L. was actually the next to oldest, in the family that included seven full siblings. E.L. and Shella also had several other half-siblings from prior marriages of both his mother and father.
E.L.'s siblings played important roles in the development and management of the Chain. As an example, E.L.'s brothers: Denver, was company Vice President, in 1951 and later served as President; Shella served as Secretary - Treasurer. Also, in some cases, the siblings and others operated separate businesses, such as Beauty Shops, within Thornton's Stores.
Shella and Cleon's son, Dr. William Elt "Bill" Thornton was elected Mayor of San Antonio, Texas in 1995.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Parents:
Isaac M. THORNTON
Della M. RUCKMAN THORNTON
Full Siblings:
1. Lou Etta THORNTON [23 Sep 1894 - 23 Aug 1979]
2. Elt Lee THORNTON
3. Cynthia Ella THORNTON [23 Dec 1898 - 16 Sep 1968]
4. Troy Jefferson THORNTON
5. Denver Colorado THORNTON
6. Shella THORNTON
7. Okla Jewel THORNTON RAMEY
E.L. Thornton, owner of "A City Within Itself", came to Texas and the Big Country in 1919 from Arkansas. [His father had died on 10 May 1918 in Boone Co., AR, leaving a widow and several young children.] E.L. had an honorable discharge from the U.S. Army, a new wife, and no money when he arrived in Texas. That same year, 1919, he bought a fruit stand for $350 and sales grew. Soon E.L. and his family were able to add produce, meats, and everyday items to the store. He also had a car dealership as well as his department store. Thornton, the oldest of seven, found a place for his brothers to work in his store as well as sisters and brothers-in-law.
E.L. was actually the next to oldest, in the family that included seven full siblings. E.L. and Shella also had several other half-siblings from prior marriages of both his mother and father.
E.L.'s siblings played important roles in the development and management of the Chain. As an example, E.L.'s brothers: Denver, was company Vice President, in 1951 and later served as President; Shella served as Secretary - Treasurer. Also, in some cases, the siblings and others operated separate businesses, such as Beauty Shops, within Thornton's Stores.
Shella and Cleon's son, Dr. William Elt "Bill" Thornton was elected Mayor of San Antonio, Texas in 1995.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Parents:
Isaac M. THORNTON
Della M. RUCKMAN THORNTON
Full Siblings:
1. Lou Etta THORNTON [23 Sep 1894 - 23 Aug 1979]
2. Elt Lee THORNTON
3. Cynthia Ella THORNTON [23 Dec 1898 - 16 Sep 1968]
4. Troy Jefferson THORNTON
5. Denver Colorado THORNTON
6. Shella THORNTON
7. Okla Jewel THORNTON RAMEY
E.L. was actually the next to oldest, in the family that included seven full siblings. E.L. and Shella also had several other half-siblings from prior marriages of both his mother and father.
E.L.'s siblings played important roles in the development and management of the Chain. As an example, E.L.'s brothers: Denver, was company Vice President, in 1951 and later served as President; Shella served as Secretary - Treasurer. Also, in some cases, the siblings and others operated separate businesses, such as Beauty Shops, within Thornton's Stores.
Shella and Cleon's son, Dr. William Elt "Bill" Thornton was elected Mayor of San Antonio, Texas in 1995.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Parents:
Isaac M. THORNTON
Della M. RUCKMAN THORNTON
Full Siblings:
1. Lou Etta THORNTON [23 Sep 1894 - 23 Aug 1979]
2. Elt Lee THORNTON
3. Cynthia Ella THORNTON [23 Dec 1898 - 16 Sep 1968]
4. Troy Jefferson THORNTON
5. Denver Colorado THORNTON
6. Shella THORNTON
7. Okla Jewel THORNTON RAMEY
Family Members
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