1.  Leecel Lafate Thornton b. 1808(9) SC; died 1885(88) Giles Co, TN m. ca. 1833 Sarah Jane "Sallie" Austin b. 1812 Lincoln Co TN; d. aft 1889 Giles Co, TN

Children:

  Elizabeth F. [Betty J/Lizzie] (1834-after 1910), m. James J. Armstrong
  Sarah Jane (1838-?),
  John Richard (1839-?),
  Thomas L. (1841-aft 1900), m. Susan Alice Holt
  Andrew Washington [A. W.] (1846-1900/10), m. Harriet Frances
  Wright
  Mary Martha "Polly" (1847-1922), m. George Washington Peables
  William Silas [W. S.] (1850-1932), m. Alice E. McCowan
  Anna Malissa (1854-1934), m. Robert Nickles Mealer
  All the children were born in Elkton, Giles Co, TN

Census:

  1840-Giles Co TN: Leesel -- males: 1 under 5; 1 (30-40); females: 2 under 5, 1 (20-30)
  1850-Giles Co TN: Leicel 42, farmer, SC; Sarah, 38, TN; Elizabeth 15, Jane 12, John 11, Thomas 9, Washington 6, Polly 3, Silas ½; all born in TN
  1860-Giles Co TN: Leesel 51, farmer, $194 (personal estate), SC; Sarah 48, $720 (real estate), TN; Elizabeth 25; Jane 23; Thomas 18, wool carder; Washington 15, farm laborer;   Mary 12; Silas 9; Malissa 6 (the children all born in TN)
  1870-Giles Co TN: Leeson 61, farmer, $1,100 real estate, $610 personal estate, SC; Sarah 57, TN; Betty 34; Sarah J 32; Washington 24; Mary 23; William 21; Malisa 16; Sarah J. 7 (granddaughter); Thomas A. 27, farm laborer, married in Oct (1869)
  1880-Giles Co TN: L. 73, farmer, SC, SC, SC; Sallies 68, keeping house, TN, NC, NC; Lizzie Armstrong 44, daughter, TN SC, TN; two granddaughters: Sarah (16) Offie (11) and two grandsons Ea (5) and Hugh (7)

2.  Thomas L. (A.) Thornton b. Feb 1841, Giles Co, TN; d. after 1900, TX m. 28 Oct 1869, Limestone Co, AL, Susan Alice Holt b. 1 Aug 1851, Limestone Co AL; d. 26 Sept 1899 Nocona, Montague Co, TX

Children:

  Joseph W (1870-?) m Lizzie Porter
  A Lawrence (1872-?) m Lou Baker
  John [Jack] [Leecel] (1874-?) m R. Z. Shaw
  Thomas Preston (1876-1952) m Hattie Plemmons
  Fairy Bell (1878-1953) m Elmer Priddy
  Sallie Lou 1881-?) m Bill Roper
  Otho Ernest (1884-?) m Ethel
  Edward Eccleston [Kleston] (1888-?) m Ida Scott

Census:

  1850-Giles Co. TN: living with parents – Thomas 9 TN
  1860-Giles Co. TN: living with parents – Thomas 18, wool carder, TN
  1870-Giles Co. TN: listed with parents – Thomas A. 27, farm laborer, married in Oct (1869) -no wife listed
  1870-Limestone Co AL: Thomas 30, farm labor, $150 (personal estate), AL, married in Nov; Alice 20, keeping house, AL
  1880-Rockwell Co TX: Thomas, farmer, TN, NC, SC; Susan 29, keeping house, AL, AL, AL; Joseph 10; Lawrence 8; John 6; Preston 4; Farie 2; (all children born in AL); John Holt 20, brother-in-law, farming   1900-Nocona, Montague Co, TX: Thos. L. Feb 1842, 58, m, 30 yrs of marriage, TN, NC, SC, farmer, can read-write-speak English, owns free farm; Clara B dau, Mar 1878, 22, AL; Sallie L. dau. Sept 1882, 17, TX; Otho E. son, Aug 1884, 16, TX; Eccleston son, Feb 1888, 12, TX. (Son , Jack and family lived two dwellings "away")

Military: Thomas L. served in Co E, 32nd TN Inf. CSA Thomas L and family moved to TX ca. 1878-1880.

3.  Thomas Preston Thornton b. 12 October 1876, Limestone Co, AL; d. 13 Feb 1952, Murray Co, GA; buried in the Free Hope Cemetery, Murray Co GA. m. 26 Aug 1908, Gilmer Co, GA, Henrietta "Hattie" Louella Plemmons b. 21 Sept 1878 Gilmer Co, GA; d. 10 Feb 1954 Murray Co, GA; buried in the Free Hope Cemetery, Murray Co, GA

Children:

  Beulah Ida (1909-1989) m John Homer Luffman
  Ben Keith (1912-1998) m Pauline Luffman
  Eula May (1913-2001) m Henry Gartrell Elliott

US Census':

  1880-Rockwall Co TX; living with parents- Preston, 4, AL
  1900- (can not find him)
  1910-Murray Co GA; Presley I, 33, married 1 yr, AL, TN, AL, Teacher School; Hattie, 29, married 1 yr, 1 child, 1 living child, GA, NC, GA; unnamed son, 2/12, GA; Ben F. Plemmons, 73, single, boarder, NC, NC, NC; Sallie Plemmons, 74, widow, mother-in-law, GA NC, NC.
  1920-Murray Co GA, McDonald District-Chatsworth/Dalton Rd: Thomas P, 43, AL, TN, AL, farming-general, own home; Hattie, 31, GA, NC, GA; Beulah 10; Ben Keith 8 7/12; Ulah M 7 8/12. Birthplaces were GA for all the children.
  1930-Murray Co GA, Dist 824, Free Hope Rd: Thomas P, 53, AL, TN, AL, 32 age when married, farm operator-general farm; Hattie, 43, 21 when married, GA, NC, GA; Beulah, 20, teacher public school; Keith, 17, farm laborer; Eula M 16.

WWI Draft Card: Thomas Preston Thornton, age 42, Oct 12, 1876, ht. short, build medium, blue eyes, red hair, white, farmer, self employed, wife, Hattie Thornton.

4.  Beulah Ida Thornton b. 16 July 1909, Murray Co, GA; d. 17 Jan1989, Murray Co, GA; buried Murray Memorial Gardens, Murray Co, GA m. 18 Apr 1931 Murray Co, GA, John Homer Luffman b. 12 Nov 1910 Murray Co, GA; d. 18 Oct 1987 Whitfield Co, GA; buried Murray Memorial Gardens, Murray Co, GA

Children:

  James Edward;
  John Thomas;
  Janice Elaine;
  Jerry Lane;

*Continued in the Luffman Family

 

Murray County Families