Robert Cyril Thornton died in 1854 and is buried at the Thornton family cemetery (likely located on property formerly owned by this Thornton family) along with his father John (b. abt. 1790, d. 1846) and Dr. John H. Thornton of Lumpkin, possibly the dentist, who was likely his brother. Robert's mother was Rebekah Carter (d. bef. 1830 in Wilkes County?). Robert C. Thornton married Harriet Clayton Head (daughter of Burr Harrison Head who migrated from SC to GA to Mississippi), and for a period of time they apparently lived in Mississippi where a daughter, Anna C., was born in 1847. It was likely the death of Robert's father John that brought the family back to Stewart/Randolph County possibly about 1847. Robert's family likely brought slaves back with them (Harriet would likely have brought her half-sister and slave Emily), and these slaves may possibly be found in the 1870 census of Stewart County and may have used the Thornton surname (see page on Wesley and Emily Thornton). Harriet C. Thornton moved to Cuthbert, Randolph County, after the death of her husband Robert and apparently used a caretaker/overseer by the name of W. Thomas to run the plantation. In 1860, Harriet is listed at the Cuthbert P.O., owns 13 slaves and has 3 slave houses. More slaves and slave houses were likely listed in Stewart County where the slave schedule shows W. Thomas as being the overseer for "Mrs. Thornton." Harriet appears in the 1870 census for Cuthbert with two daughters living with her. Harriet has not been found in the 1880 census yet. If she died in Cuthbert, she could be buried at a cemetery there.

There are reportedly wills for both Robert C. Thornton and his father John in Stewart County records.

Also of note, in 1830, John Thornton was living in Capt. Leahs District in Oglethorpe, GA, so the property he acquired in Stewart County might have been from a land lottery or was bought from a lottery winner. In 1830 he owned 27 slaves. 1840 in Stewart County, John Thornton is listed as having 59 people on his property, 10 were whites and the rest were slaves - but not all are listed as working in agriculture (only 22 are involved in agriculture). Some may have been household slaves and some of them could have been very young. There is a James Thornton who also worked in agriculture but did not own any slaves, and he could have been a son or nephew to John and brother or cousin to Robert. Other children of John Thornton (by Rebekah or his second wife Levisa West) that have been mentioned in other research are: Amanda, John H. (the doctor/dentist), Marcia C., DeWitt C., George W., Joseph B., Mary L., Edward Q., and Charles.

If you have any other information on this family, associated surnames, or information on a possible plantation owned by a Thronton family in the Stewart County area and would like to contribute to this research, please contact Belinda Slocumb, your Stewart County Coordinator.

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