A few months ago I submitted a YDNA kit from my father to familytreeDNA.com for testing. I have been anxiously awaiting the results and they have finally arrived. We are descendants from a race of space aliens with a superior intellect. Actually we are just what I thought, a bunch of Brits, recently transplanted to the North American continent.
Our haplogroup is R1b1a2, this group is found predominantly in France, England, Ireland, and Wales. In a comparison chart on the website of all Thornton's who have had their YDNA tested we fall into a unmatched category. Interestingly, the Thornton's in Virginia and other southern states are mostly of a different group, I1 which ended up in Scandinavia.
What I need is for Thorntons who claim descent from James Thornton of Ireland, the father of Matthew Thornton, signer of the Declaration of Independence, to have their DNA tested. There are some southern Thorntons who claim descent from Samuel Thornton, son of James, and brother of Matthew. They think he migrated to the south and lived in South Carolina. This is the same Samuel who we say is our ancestor and that he lived in New Hampshire with the rest of his family.
A DNA test will not give you a list of ancestors but it can point you in the right direction. If a southern Thornton thinks they're are part of the New Hampshire family a DNA test could prove it. If you are a Thornton and have a few spare dollars, the Thornton DNA project could sure benefit from your DNA test.
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10 comments:
Hi My name is Debra Tucker and my mother was a Thornton. A Mary Jane Brown seems to have done a lot of research. My ancestors are from NC, GA, and Florida. I knew that James Thornton was my how ever many grandfather and the family story his son Matthew was a signer of the Declaration of Independence. It's all at Ancestry. She can go back to the 1200's. The ancestor in Ireland moving to England and basically staying there. I have done my ancestry DNA and I'm 78% English 20% Irish Scottish and 2% Swed/Norwegian.
Hi Debra, What is your Kit # on familytree?
I am mark thornton my father was Shannon n. thornton son of Alfred thornton I write under the name matthew thornton and submit letters of historic significance. find me under matthew thornton on redd it .com
Hello,
My name is Timothy Thornton. As I was researching my genealogy I stumbled across your website and believe we have several ancestors in common. This is what I have found thus far and am not sure how accurate it all is:
Samuel W. Thornton 1841-1912
Samuel W. Thornton 1819-1842
Samuel W. Thornton 1790-1860
James F Thornton 1743-1814
Samuel Thornton 1713-1783
James Thornton 1684-1754
I am James A Thornton - a direct descendent of James. I could provide more info but it is late. jthor@gwi.net
I am James A Thornton - a direct descendent of James. I could provide more info but it is late. jthor@gwi.net
Hi - My name is Alicia McCracken Morgan. I don't have the last name of Thornton but I am related to the Thorntons through my great-great-grandfather George Washington McCracken of Millbury, MA, who was married to Mary Edgerly Thornton. She is the great-granddaughter of your William Thornton, who is the brother of Matthew Thornton, the signer, and the son of James Thornton.
My grandmother always said that the McCrackens were related to Matthew Thornton, but she said that the first McCracken that came over from Ulster married Matthew Thornton's daughter, which I knew to be untrue. So, I thought she just made it up. But upon joining Ancestry I found there was a connection after all, just not the one of family legend, and I've been very interested in finding out more about the family.
I have done my DNA test and would love to see if there is a connection.
Alicia, I cannot directly comment on your post, but my Thornton DNA is on the Thornton Project on familytreedna.com
I am a Thornton, descendant of James and Elizabeth Thornton, not sure what bother of Matthew, I forgot & now I cannot find, my old laptop had it on it & it broke....need help....charlottelynnturo@gmail.com
Father is Joel Wood Thornton, his sisters are Emma, Catherine & brother is George
Introduction: My name is Theodore Thornton descended father to son from John Thornton abt. 1625-1680 of Newport Pagnell, England. He was a dissident, anti-monarchist, one of the first Quakers and he was jailed for his beliefs in Ayelsbury twice. He produced a John Thornton farthing 1649-1672. This was during the time of the English Civil war resulting in the execution of Charles I. Oliver Cromwell then became Lord Protector until he died and his son assumed the title until he was executed and Charles II restored the monarchy. Charles II gave the land to Quaker William Penn as repayment for debts owed to his father.
Thus began the immigration of Quakers to Pennsylvania in 1682. Famous genealogist John Insley Coddington who is related to my family wrote extensively on the Pennsylvania Thorntons and related families in TAG (The American Genealogist) documented in Quaker meeting notes in Sherrington, England as well as Philadelphia and Middletown. His grandson Joseph Thornton 1699/1700-1752 emigrated in 1722 documented in Philadelphia notes when he presented his certificate. He built the Thornton/Court Inn (later called Half Moon Inn) in 1733. Today it is fully restored and has been headquarters of the Newtown Historical Society since 1965. I have done extensive research on my family and combined with family photos and history going back to mid-1800s I am 100% certain of my family line. My great grandfather left Pennsylvania in 1921.
ODD COINCIDENCE: Esteemed Quaker Minister James Thornton 1727-1794 emigrated from Stony Stratford which is only 6 miles from Newport Pagnell to Byberry, Pa which is only 10 miles from Newtown, Pa. He was very involved with growing Quaker communities, traveling from New England to Pa. and even back to England - yet he never mentioned the Newtown Thorntons. I find it impossible that they aren't related. James emigrated in 1750 and is very well documented. I am trying to find a connection between the Newtown Thorntons and Byberry, Thorntons.
Many on ancestry lazily connect John Thornton 1625-1680 to William Thorntons family (Virginia) which seems to go back to Welsh Kings. However I could not make this connection with any available documentation and neither could aforementioned John Insley Coddington who proposed that John might have come from a farm and just decided he wanted a city life - he was a merchant with a shop (habberdasher). His parents remain unknown.
I plan on taking the Big-Y test later this year and perhaps that will assist in determining these issues. Certainly it will determine once and for all whether there is a connection to William Thornton (Virginia). If anyone is related to the Newtown Thorntons feel free to email or even text: 443-935-4269.
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