Individual Details
Francis Thornton III
(1711 - 1749)
Frances III was born in 1711. In 1736 Francis II conveyed 41 acres of land in Spotsylvania County at the falls of the Rappahannock River to his son, Francis III. This was the nucleus of the estate that was his home, called “Fall Hill,” located higher up the hill from Francis II’s home “The Falls.” This estate grew to more than 400 acres. Francis III also acquired multiple other tracts of land in the Virginia colony. He was a merchant as well as a plantation owner, was elected to the House of Burgesses from Spotsylvania County in 1744 and 1745, was a justice of the county, and was a colonel of the Spotsylvania militia. He died at “Fall Hill” in 1749 at only age 38 years.
In 1731 he was granted 1,000 acres of land in what is now the lower part of F. T. Valley by King George II. The tract was called “Sherif Moor” and the purchase price was 5 pounds (about $175 today). In 1735 he was granted 300 acres adjacent to this land for 30 shillings (about $53 today). He added to these tracts by receiving grants for 250 acres, 221 acres, 674 acres and 186 acres from Thomas Lord Fairfax in 1747.
Francis III thus owned 2,631 acres of land in what is now Rappahannock County, extending along today’s F. T. Valley Road from Buckner’s Corner at the north end of Jobbers Mountain to Revercombs Corner. The land included much of the Hazel River and the multiple streams feeding into the river. Like his father, it is very doubtful that he ever lived on this land, but he may have rented it.
Francis III and his wife Frances Gregory had six children under the age of 13 years when he died in 1749, including sons Francis IV, William, George and John and daughters Mildred (who married Charles Washington, brother of President George Washington) and Mary. In his will recorded in Spotsylvania County, Francis III made bequests to his wife and to all his children.
In 1731 he was granted 1,000 acres of land in what is now the lower part of F. T. Valley by King George II. The tract was called “Sherif Moor” and the purchase price was 5 pounds (about $175 today). In 1735 he was granted 300 acres adjacent to this land for 30 shillings (about $53 today). He added to these tracts by receiving grants for 250 acres, 221 acres, 674 acres and 186 acres from Thomas Lord Fairfax in 1747.
Francis III thus owned 2,631 acres of land in what is now Rappahannock County, extending along today’s F. T. Valley Road from Buckner’s Corner at the north end of Jobbers Mountain to Revercombs Corner. The land included much of the Hazel River and the multiple streams feeding into the river. Like his father, it is very doubtful that he ever lived on this land, but he may have rented it.
Francis III and his wife Frances Gregory had six children under the age of 13 years when he died in 1749, including sons Francis IV, William, George and John and daughters Mildred (who married Charles Washington, brother of President George Washington) and Mary. In his will recorded in Spotsylvania County, Francis III made bequests to his wife and to all his children.
Events
| Birth | 1711 | Virginia, British America | |||
| Death | 1749 | ||||
| Marriage | Frances Gregory |
Families
| Spouse | Frances Gregory ( - ) |
| Child | Francis Thornton IV ( - 1795) |
| Father | Colonel Francis Thornton Jr. (1682 - 1758) |
| Mother | Mary Taliaferro (1686 - ) |
| Sibling | Mildred Thornton (1721 - ) |
| Sibling | Reuben Thornton ( - 1768) |
| Sibling | Colonel John Thornton ( - 1777) |