son of Julian Roy Thornton - Martha Muckelroy
Olney attorney, E.G. "Judge" Thornton was born on a farm near Beeville, the youngest of three sons. When he was nine years old, he saw the Galveston flood. In 1906, the family moved to a farm near Eddy and Thornton worked on the farm and in his uncle Ed Muckleroy's store in Eddy. He attended Beicheck Academy in Eddy and while there he saw something that made an profound impression on him - the entire US Army Air Corps flew over his school - one air plane.
Judge Thornton attended the University of Texas Law School from 1912-1916 and paid his way through college by working as a night clerk in the Menger Hotel in Austin.
He met Anne McMulty Renfro in 1915 when she was a student at the University of Texas. He joined the National Guard while in law school and was called up in 1916 to help in controlling Pancho Villa. His military company was stationed near the Mexican border for three months.
In 1916, Judge Thornton joined the US Army and was sent to Kelly Field in San Antonio to train as a pilot in the Army Air Corps - something he had wanted to do since the entire Air Corps flew over his school. His first solo flight was almost his last when in the process of landing the plane, he noticed a large sow and her litter on the landing strip. Realizing that he would wreck if he hit the sow, he swerved to the right and landed safely. The instructor chewed Thornton for endangering the safety of the aircraft, reminding him that they cost $10,000.
He received his flight wings and bars on 22 December 1917.
He married his wife on 23 December 1917 in the home of a Methodist minister, but getting her to San Antonio was no easy task. She was enroute by train but kept being stopped by troop trains and military supply trains. In the middle of nowhere, the civilian passengers were ordered off the train and replaced with soldiers. There was only one small one-room building heated by a coal burning stove and many more civilians than the building would hold. After 12 hours, an older train pulled up and the abandoned civilian passengers crowded in and she was 24 hours late, sooty, tired and hungry.
By the time she arrives, Thornton's 24 hour pass had expired, she he rushed to the minister's home for the ceremony, then to St. Anthony's hotel for a wedding meal. With time running out, he rented her a room near Kelly Field and rushed back before his time was up. A few week's later, she joined him in officer's quarters at the field.
Their first child, Elizabeth was born in 1918 at Kelly Field. In 1919, Thornton mustered out. They moved to Wichita Falls where he worked for a law firm and served as assistant city attorney. John Edwin Thornton and Agnes Clare Thornton were born in Wichita Falls.
In 1926, he was appointed to fill the unexpired term of Allen Montgomery as judge of the 30th Judicial District [Wichita, Archer and Young counties] and the family moved to Archer City. He was re-elected to a second term. Robert E. Thorton was born in Archer City.
Judge Thornton returned to private practice at the request of Wilbur Hunt and Mabry Wolverton [presidents of the two banks in Olney] and opened his office on the second floor of the old First National Bank [Lunsford Insurance] building. Dr. Robertson had an office next to Thornton's.
Thornton served on the Olney School Board and as president. He was past president of the Rotary Club, Chamber of Commerce and director of Olney Savings Association. He was he Olney city attorney until 1951. He was active in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.
Benjamin Harrison was President of the United States when Thornton was born. He has lived under 18 Presidents of this nation.
Each day, you could find Judge Thornton at work every morning in his office, which was moved in the 1960s to a building across the alley north of the bank building.
Thanks to Dorman Holub for this information.
Olney attorney, E.G. "Judge" Thornton was born on a farm near Beeville, the youngest of three sons. When he was nine years old, he saw the Galveston flood. In 1906, the family moved to a farm near Eddy and Thornton worked on the farm and in his uncle Ed Muckleroy's store in Eddy. He attended Beicheck Academy in Eddy and while there he saw something that made an profound impression on him - the entire US Army Air Corps flew over his school - one air plane.
Judge Thornton attended the University of Texas Law School from 1912-1916 and paid his way through college by working as a night clerk in the Menger Hotel in Austin.
He met Anne McMulty Renfro in 1915 when she was a student at the University of Texas. He joined the National Guard while in law school and was called up in 1916 to help in controlling Pancho Villa. His military company was stationed near the Mexican border for three months.
In 1916, Judge Thornton joined the US Army and was sent to Kelly Field in San Antonio to train as a pilot in the Army Air Corps - something he had wanted to do since the entire Air Corps flew over his school. His first solo flight was almost his last when in the process of landing the plane, he noticed a large sow and her litter on the landing strip. Realizing that he would wreck if he hit the sow, he swerved to the right and landed safely. The instructor chewed Thornton for endangering the safety of the aircraft, reminding him that they cost $10,000.
He received his flight wings and bars on 22 December 1917.
He married his wife on 23 December 1917 in the home of a Methodist minister, but getting her to San Antonio was no easy task. She was enroute by train but kept being stopped by troop trains and military supply trains. In the middle of nowhere, the civilian passengers were ordered off the train and replaced with soldiers. There was only one small one-room building heated by a coal burning stove and many more civilians than the building would hold. After 12 hours, an older train pulled up and the abandoned civilian passengers crowded in and she was 24 hours late, sooty, tired and hungry.
By the time she arrives, Thornton's 24 hour pass had expired, she he rushed to the minister's home for the ceremony, then to St. Anthony's hotel for a wedding meal. With time running out, he rented her a room near Kelly Field and rushed back before his time was up. A few week's later, she joined him in officer's quarters at the field.
Their first child, Elizabeth was born in 1918 at Kelly Field. In 1919, Thornton mustered out. They moved to Wichita Falls where he worked for a law firm and served as assistant city attorney. John Edwin Thornton and Agnes Clare Thornton were born in Wichita Falls.
In 1926, he was appointed to fill the unexpired term of Allen Montgomery as judge of the 30th Judicial District [Wichita, Archer and Young counties] and the family moved to Archer City. He was re-elected to a second term. Robert E. Thorton was born in Archer City.
Judge Thornton returned to private practice at the request of Wilbur Hunt and Mabry Wolverton [presidents of the two banks in Olney] and opened his office on the second floor of the old First National Bank [Lunsford Insurance] building. Dr. Robertson had an office next to Thornton's.
Thornton served on the Olney School Board and as president. He was past president of the Rotary Club, Chamber of Commerce and director of Olney Savings Association. He was he Olney city attorney until 1951. He was active in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.
Benjamin Harrison was President of the United States when Thornton was born. He has lived under 18 Presidents of this nation.
Each day, you could find Judge Thornton at work every morning in his office, which was moved in the 1960s to a building across the alley north of the bank building.
Thanks to Dorman Holub for this information.
son of Julian Roy Thornton - Martha Muckelroy
Olney attorney, E.G. "Judge" Thornton was born on a farm near Beeville, the youngest of three sons. When he was nine years old, he saw the Galveston flood. In 1906, the family moved to a farm near Eddy and Thornton worked on the farm and in his uncle Ed Muckleroy's store in Eddy. He attended Beicheck Academy in Eddy and while there he saw something that made an profound impression on him - the entire US Army Air Corps flew over his school - one air plane.
Judge Thornton attended the University of Texas Law School from 1912-1916 and paid his way through college by working as a night clerk in the Menger Hotel in Austin.
He met Anne McMulty Renfro in 1915 when she was a student at the University of Texas. He joined the National Guard while in law school and was called up in 1916 to help in controlling Pancho Villa. His military company was stationed near the Mexican border for three months.
In 1916, Judge Thornton joined the US Army and was sent to Kelly Field in San Antonio to train as a pilot in the Army Air Corps - something he had wanted to do since the entire Air Corps flew over his school. His first solo flight was almost his last when in the process of landing the plane, he noticed a large sow and her litter on the landing strip. Realizing that he would wreck if he hit the sow, he swerved to the right and landed safely. The instructor chewed Thornton for endangering the safety of the aircraft, reminding him that they cost $10,000.
He received his flight wings and bars on 22 December 1917.
He married his wife on 23 December 1917 in the home of a Methodist minister, but getting her to San Antonio was no easy task. She was enroute by train but kept being stopped by troop trains and military supply trains. In the middle of nowhere, the civilian passengers were ordered off the train and replaced with soldiers. There was only one small one-room building heated by a coal burning stove and many more civilians than the building would hold. After 12 hours, an older train pulled up and the abandoned civilian passengers crowded in and she was 24 hours late, sooty, tired and hungry.
By the time she arrives, Thornton's 24 hour pass had expired, she he rushed to the minister's home for the ceremony, then to St. Anthony's hotel for a wedding meal. With time running out, he rented her a room near Kelly Field and rushed back before his time was up. A few week's later, she joined him in officer's quarters at the field.
Their first child, Elizabeth was born in 1918 at Kelly Field. In 1919, Thornton mustered out. They moved to Wichita Falls where he worked for a law firm and served as assistant city attorney. John Edwin Thornton and Agnes Clare Thornton were born in Wichita Falls.
In 1926, he was appointed to fill the unexpired term of Allen Montgomery as judge of the 30th Judicial District [Wichita, Archer and Young counties] and the family moved to Archer City. He was re-elected to a second term. Robert E. Thorton was born in Archer City.
Judge Thornton returned to private practice at the request of Wilbur Hunt and Mabry Wolverton [presidents of the two banks in Olney] and opened his office on the second floor of the old First National Bank [Lunsford Insurance] building. Dr. Robertson had an office next to Thornton's.
Thornton served on the Olney School Board and as president. He was past president of the Rotary Club, Chamber of Commerce and director of Olney Savings Association. He was he Olney city attorney until 1951. He was active in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.
Benjamin Harrison was President of the United States when Thornton was born. He has lived under 18 Presidents of this nation.
Each day, you could find Judge Thornton at work every morning in his office, which was moved in the 1960s to a building across the alley north of the bank building.
Thanks to Dorman Holub for this information.
Olney attorney, E.G. "Judge" Thornton was born on a farm near Beeville, the youngest of three sons. When he was nine years old, he saw the Galveston flood. In 1906, the family moved to a farm near Eddy and Thornton worked on the farm and in his uncle Ed Muckleroy's store in Eddy. He attended Beicheck Academy in Eddy and while there he saw something that made an profound impression on him - the entire US Army Air Corps flew over his school - one air plane.
Judge Thornton attended the University of Texas Law School from 1912-1916 and paid his way through college by working as a night clerk in the Menger Hotel in Austin.
He met Anne McMulty Renfro in 1915 when she was a student at the University of Texas. He joined the National Guard while in law school and was called up in 1916 to help in controlling Pancho Villa. His military company was stationed near the Mexican border for three months.
In 1916, Judge Thornton joined the US Army and was sent to Kelly Field in San Antonio to train as a pilot in the Army Air Corps - something he had wanted to do since the entire Air Corps flew over his school. His first solo flight was almost his last when in the process of landing the plane, he noticed a large sow and her litter on the landing strip. Realizing that he would wreck if he hit the sow, he swerved to the right and landed safely. The instructor chewed Thornton for endangering the safety of the aircraft, reminding him that they cost $10,000.
He received his flight wings and bars on 22 December 1917.
He married his wife on 23 December 1917 in the home of a Methodist minister, but getting her to San Antonio was no easy task. She was enroute by train but kept being stopped by troop trains and military supply trains. In the middle of nowhere, the civilian passengers were ordered off the train and replaced with soldiers. There was only one small one-room building heated by a coal burning stove and many more civilians than the building would hold. After 12 hours, an older train pulled up and the abandoned civilian passengers crowded in and she was 24 hours late, sooty, tired and hungry.
By the time she arrives, Thornton's 24 hour pass had expired, she he rushed to the minister's home for the ceremony, then to St. Anthony's hotel for a wedding meal. With time running out, he rented her a room near Kelly Field and rushed back before his time was up. A few week's later, she joined him in officer's quarters at the field.
Their first child, Elizabeth was born in 1918 at Kelly Field. In 1919, Thornton mustered out. They moved to Wichita Falls where he worked for a law firm and served as assistant city attorney. John Edwin Thornton and Agnes Clare Thornton were born in Wichita Falls.
In 1926, he was appointed to fill the unexpired term of Allen Montgomery as judge of the 30th Judicial District [Wichita, Archer and Young counties] and the family moved to Archer City. He was re-elected to a second term. Robert E. Thorton was born in Archer City.
Judge Thornton returned to private practice at the request of Wilbur Hunt and Mabry Wolverton [presidents of the two banks in Olney] and opened his office on the second floor of the old First National Bank [Lunsford Insurance] building. Dr. Robertson had an office next to Thornton's.
Thornton served on the Olney School Board and as president. He was past president of the Rotary Club, Chamber of Commerce and director of Olney Savings Association. He was he Olney city attorney until 1951. He was active in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.
Benjamin Harrison was President of the United States when Thornton was born. He has lived under 18 Presidents of this nation.
Each day, you could find Judge Thornton at work every morning in his office, which was moved in the 1960s to a building across the alley north of the bank building.
Thanks to Dorman Holub for this information.
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
See more Thornton memorials in:
Advertisement
