Individual Details
Francis Thornton
(5 Nov 1651 - Aft May 1726)
Maureen Harris wrote in an article exploring all the Francis Thorntons in early Virginia, "Francis I, son of William Sr., was born in Gloucester County in 1651 and settled in Stafford County, which was created in 1664. He died there in 1726. He was the sire of what became one of Virginia’s distinguished colonial families. He married Alice Savage, daughter of Capt. Anthony Savage of Gloucester County, and they are known to have had four sons and four daughters between 1674 and 1695. Their sons were Francis, who was our second Francis Thornton (Francis II); William and Rowland, named after their uncles; and Anthony. All four of these sons had children named Francis, undoubtedly after their grandfather Francis I, but only Francis II became a part of our Francis Thorntons."
Events
| Birth | 5 Nov 1651 | Gloucester, Virginia, British America |  | ||
| Marriage | 13 Apr 1673 | Gloucester, Virginia, British America - Alice Savage | | ||
| Will | 10 May 1726 | King George, Virginia, British America |  | | |
| Death | Aft May 1726 | King George, Virginia, British America | | ||
| Marriage | Ann |
Families
| Spouse | Alice Savage (1653 - 1695) |
| Child | William Thornton (1673 - ) |
| Child | Elizabeth Thornton (1675 - 1732) |
| Child | Elizabeth Thornton (1675 - ) |
| Child | Anthony Thornton (1674 - ) |
| Child | Sarah Thornton (1674 - ) |
| Child | Rowland Thornton (1674 - ) |
| Child | Margaret Thornton (1678 - 1727) |
| Child | Colonel Francis Thornton Jr. (1682 - 1758) |
| Spouse | Ann ( - 1726) |
| Father | William Thornton Sr. (1620 - 1708) |
| Mother | Elizabeth Rowland ( - ) |
| Sibling | William "Jr." Thornton (1649 - 1727) |
| Sibling | Rowland Thornton (1654 - 1701) |
Notes
Will
King George County, Virginia Will Book A-11721-1752 And Miscellaneous; page 48
Notes, Compiled and published by George Harrison Sanford King; Fellow,
American Society of Genealogists; Fredricksburg, Virginia.
Will of Francis Thornton
In the Name of God Amen. I Francis Thornton of the County of King George considering the frailty of this mortal life and being sick and weak in Body but of sound and perfect sense and memory praised be God for the same doe make and Ordain this my last Will and Testament in manner and form following.
Imprimis: I give to two sons Francis Thornton and Rowland Thornton all my tract of Land at the foot of the Lower Falls of Rappahannock River containing Eight Hundred & Odd acres which I purchased of Mr. John Hawkins, my son Francis to have the upper part and my son Rowland the lower part of the said land by equal portions as it is already divided. The said Land with all its appurtenances doe I give and bequeath to my said two sons Francis and Rowland to them or either of them their heirs forever.
Item: I give and bequeath to my son Rowland Thornton the moiety or half of a tract of land containing one thousand acrew which I purchased of Mr. John Wright as by deed of sale recorded in Richmond County Court may appear the said moiety or half which I do give and bequeath to my son Rowland beginning on the line(s of) John Hawxford and Thomas Tippett and running the full breadth of the said land on both sides Crowes Swamp upwards to a division line already made by my son Anthony Thornton by my consent which said five hundred acres I doe give and bequeath to my said son Rowland Thornton his heirs and behoofs forever.
Item: I give and bequeath the other moiety or half of the said Thousand acres of land purchased of John Wright to my Loving Wife Ann Thornton in full dower and satisfaction of all my Lands before given and bequeathed that she shall claim no right, title, interest or claim in or to any of my other lands before bequeathed which said five hundred acres of land I give to my said Wife during her natural life and after her decease that is to say after the death of said wife Ann then the said five hundred acres of land I give and bequeath unto George Riding, the son of my wife Ann Thornton, to him the said George Riding his heirs and behoofs forever.
Item: I give and bequeath to George Riding the son of my Wife Ann Thornton, one tract or tenement of land containing one hundred and seventy odd acres which I purchased of Capt. John Washington lying and being in the County of King George, the said land I do give and bequeath unto the above named George Riding to him and his heirs forever.
Item: I give and bequeath unto my eldest son William Thornton Five pounds of Sterling.
Item: I give and bequeath unto my son Francis Thornton Five pounds Sterling.
Item: I give and bequeath unto my eldest daughter Elizabeth Gibson Five pounds Sterling.
Item: I give and bequeath unto my daughter Sarah Taliaferro Five pounds Sterling.
Item: I give and bequeath unto my daughter Margaret Strother Thirty pounds Sterling. I having Ninety pounds Sterling now due to me from my son Anthony Thornton, my will is that these above named legacies to all my
children above named be paid out of the said Ninety pounds and the remainder of the said ninety pounds after all the above said Money Lagacies are paid, I give and bequeath unto my son Anthony Thornton.
Item: I give and bequeath unto my grandson Francis Conway one mulatto girl named Bess.
Item: I give and bequeath unto the within named George Riding, son of my Wife Ann, five slaves by name - Mullato James, Negro Dick, Negro Jane, Negro Nanny and a Negro boy named Samuel.
Item: The rest of my Negroes I give and bequeath unto my Loving Wife Ann Thornton during her natural life and after her decease I will and bequeath all my said Negros to be divided by equal portions between George & Margaret Riding, son & daughter of my now wife Ann Thornton.
Item: I give all my personal estate unto my Loving Wife Ann Thornton during her widdowhood and in case she marrieth my said personal estate to be equally divided between my said wife and her two within named Children George & Margaret Riding by three equal portions.
And I do hereby make constitute and ordain my loving wife Ann Thornton my whole and sole Executrix of this my Last Will & Testament. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seale this 10th day of may 1726.
Frans Thornton *Seale*
Signed Sealed and Acknowledged in presence of us
T: Turner
Thomas Moore
his
John [I] Kendall
mark
At a Court held for King George County on Friday ye. 7th day of October 1726. This last Will & Testament of Francis Thornton, deceased, was presented into Court by Ann Thornton, his Widdow & Executrix, who made oath thereto and the same was proved by the oaths of Thomas Turner, Thomas Moore, and John Kendall the Evidences thereto and Admitted to Record.
Copy Teste T: Turner Cl:Cur:
Endnotes
1. William Armstrong Crozier, Howard Randolph Bayne, The Buckners of Virginia: and the allied families of Strother and Ashby (New York: Genealogical Association, 1907), 281; digital images, Google Books (http://books.google.com : accessed 21 December 2010.
2. Maureen Harris, "Will the real Francis Thornton please stand up!," RappNews, eEdition, Page 142, 893 (July 2, 2015); (http://rappnews.com/2015/07/02/will-the-real-francis-thornton-please-stand-up/142893/).
3. William Armstrong Crozier, Howard Randolph Bayne, The Buckners of Virginia: and the allied families of Strother and Ashby (New York: Genealogical Association, 1907), 281; digital images, Google Books (http://books.google.com : accessed 21 December 2010.
4. Jacey Shahmiri, "Hawkins of Virginia," , Chasing History @Janet Shahmiri 2012, 21 July 2012 (http://jaceychasinghistory.blogspot.com/ : accessed 12 August 2012).
5. William Armstrong Crozier, Howard Randolph Bayne, The Buckners of Virginia: and the allied families of Strother and Ashby (New York: Genealogical Association, 1907), 281; digital images, Google Books (http://books.google.com : accessed 21 December 2010.
6. Maureen Harris, "Will the real Francis Thornton please stand up!," RappNews, eEdition, Page 142, 893 (July 2, 2015); (http://rappnews.com/2015/07/02/will-the-real-francis-thornton-please-stand-up/142893/).