Georgia and Georgians - the Digital Library of Georgia

3038 GEORGIA AND GEORGIANSmoned to eternal rest on the 15th of April, 1915, a devoted member of theBaptist Church and a woman of most gracious personality. She is survivedby three children, whose names and respective years of birth are here entered:Herbert A., Jr., 1903; Mcnard B., 1905; and Louis A., 1907.ALBERT EDWARDS THORNTON. One of Georgia's most masterful and forceful personalities was the late Albert Edwards Thornton, who died at his homein Atlanta, April 2, 1907. Mr. Thornton touched, and left the impress of hischaracter upon the business life not only of his home state but of the entireSouth. He was one of the pioneers and one of the most capable executorsand organizers in the great cottonseed industry, and built the first cottonseedoil mill in the City of Atlanta. While his work in that field constitutes hisclaim to recognition among Georgia's prominent business men, he is alsoremembered for the charm of his individuality and his high social connections and relations.He came of distinguished ancestry, and some account of the family canbe given a very appropriate place at the beginning of this article. TheThornton family is a very old one in England. There are at least twenty-nineplaces in that country which bear the name of which sixteen are in Yorkshire,which was the principal seat of the Thorntons. In the Domesday Book, theseplaces are called Turentun. In the Hundred Rolls of 1273, the name wasput down as de Thornetoii in Yorkshire and de Thorntone in Cainbridgshire.The family is now most numerous in Northumberland, though largely represented in Yorkshire, Rutland, Lancashire and Leicestershire. The originalmeaning of the name was the "tun," homestead, enclosed by or situated nearhawthorns, and the surname was given the one who had his residence at sucha '' thorn tun.''About 1640, William Thornton, gentleman, of Yorkshire, England, settledin York County, Virginia. From there he moved to Gloucester County, andfour miles northwest of Gloucester Point established his home called "TheHills," after the ancestral home in England. He had large landed estatesin Stafford County, where he died at a ripe old age. He is buried in StaffordCounty and his arms are emblazoned on his tomb. He founded a large andinfluential family, destined to take a prominent part in the building up ofthe Old Dominion, and spreading over many of the Southern and Westernstates, notably Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana,. Georgia, Alabama and California,where in the different generations they have stood as examples of the highesttype of citizenship.John Thornton, sixth in descent from the first William, moved with hiswife, Lee, to Wilkes County, Georgia. His son, William Thornton,married, in 1807, Mary Carter and they became the grandparents of the subjectof this sketch. William Thornton was the seventh in descent from the firstWilliam. William and Mary Carter settled in Wilkes County, Georgia, andafterward moved to Harris County. Thomas Thornton, son of William andMary (Carter) Thornton, was the father of the late Atlanta business man,and was thus connected with many of the best families of old Virginia, including the Carters, the Lees, the Washingtons. Thomas Thornton married MarthaCulberson. She was the granddaughter of Governor Stephen Heard, andwas related with many of Georgia's most prominent families, and also withthe Culbersons, father and son, who have for thirty years represented Texasin Congress and filled the gubernatorial chair of the Lone Star State. ThomasThornton and wife moved to Troup County, and he became a leading citizenof La Grange, and was the largest slave owner in that wealthy county.The late Albert Edwards Thornton was born at La Grange, Georgia,October 3, 1853, and was named for his maternal uncle-in-law, Gen. J. W. B.Edwards, a distinguished soldier in the Mexican war. Mr. Thornton waseducated at the University of Georgia, a member of the class of 1873. On