Updated: 18 August 2010
Ancestry.com Tree -- http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/person.aspx?pid=-1359817767&tid=5688619 (This tree goes back to Elisha Thornton, b. 30 June 1748 in Smithfield, Providence, RI)
See also: One World Family Tree for Mary O Dell who was married to Amos Gulick (or Julick)
http://trees.ancestry.com/owt/person.aspx?pid=149416785
Descendants of Dudley Thornton (b. 23 May 1819; d. 24 Sep 1898) and Nancy Julick or Gulick (b. 06 Oct 1822; d. 20 Mar 1890) They had a son:
Dudley L. Thornton (b. 06 Jan 1860 in Kalamazoo, MI; d. 1943 in Paw Paw, MI) married to Clara Lucinda Adams (b. 28 Jan 1859 in Van Buren, MI; d. 28 Feb 1946 in Lawton, MI). Dudley was a Mason & president of Southern MI Fruit Assoc. for 12 years. In 1895 he owned 60 acres on the North side of Huzzy Lake (in Section 10 of Porter Twp) plus another 120 acres just to the NW in Section 4.
From a newspaper article of Aug 1940 (Probably Kalamazoo Gazette):
"Lawton Couple Observes 60th Wedding
Mr. and Mrs. D.L. Thornton Spoke Nuptial Vows Aug. 1, 1880
Lawton--Mr. and Mrs. Dudley L. Thornton celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary at an "at home" Thursday afternoon at their residence in Lawton.
The couple spoke their marriage vows Aug. 1, 1880, in Lawton, and the Rev. T.T. George read the ceremony. They have resided in their present home for 60 years.
The couple has five children living including D.C. Thornton, Miss Rena E. Thornton, and Hale Adams Thornton, Lawton, Ralph L. Thornton, San Francisco, Calif., Dr. Reed F. Thornton, Chicago. One child Lucinda N. Thornton is deceased. They also have six grandchildren.
Mr. and Mrs. Thornton, who are both 80 years old, are in fair health and he is active as a farmer and fruit grower.
For many years he sang in the Lawton Methodist church choir, and occasionally sings there now. His grandson, Hale Thornton, Jr., is a member of the choir in the same church. Another grandson, Kenneth Thornton, celebrated his 17th birthday on the couple's anniversary."
They had 6 children:
Class of 1902 Is Represented
Miss Thornton At Lawton Alumni Dinner
(June 6, 1964)
Lawton – A highlight of the Lawton High School Alumni Association's annual dinner meeting was recognition of Miss Rena Thornton, a member of the Class of 1902, as the oldest graduate present. Miss Thornton taught in Van Buren county schools and later taught fifth grade at Lawton. She was given a leather billfold and a seat of honor among the Class of 1924 who were her pupils in the fifth grade. Mrs. Lynn McKee, of the Class of 1911, welcomed graduating seniors into the association and her grandson, Thomas Sherman, gave the response. Everett Wiles, of Bangor, spoke and showed pictures of his 1962 trip through Russian and Eastern Europe. More than 200 alumni attended the banquet catered by Mrs. Nyle Adamson of Paw Paw. Russell Hackenberg was elected association president for 1965.
St. Paul's Church Service in Lawton
(21 September 1966)
Lawton – An unusual dedicatory service took the place of the regular worship service Sunday morning at St. Paul's Methodist Church at Lawton. The Rev. Donald Russell, church pastor, instead of giving a sermon, led the congregation in singing hymns from new hymnals that were presented by family and friends as a memorial to Mrs. Beatrice Thornton. The choir, of whom Mrs. Thornton's son Hale is a member, used two of the favorite hymns as anthems and Mrs. Marian Stewart offered another as a solo. Mrs. Thornton, who died April 1, 1965, had given much of her time to church and Sabbath school work.
Beatrice E. (Bale) Thornton Obituary
Mrs. Beatrice Thornton of Lawton Dies
(01 April 1965)
Lawton – Mrs. Beatrice E. Thornton, 75, route 2, Lawton, active in Lawton civic, educational and community affairs, died at 7:30 a.m. Thursday in her home after being ill several months. Mrs. Thornton was born Sept. 16, 1890, in Antwerp township and was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Walwin Bale. She graduated from Paw Paw high school and taught in area rural schools. On June 24, 1918, she married Hale Thornton in Porter township. They established a farm home on County road 354 where they had lived ever since. Mrs. Thornton was active in Methodist church circles since early girlhood. She held all offices on the St. Paul's Methodist church Board and in the Sabbath school, where she taught youth and adult groups. She also served as secretary of the Van Buren County Red Cross Board, chairman of the Porter township Cancer Society, was a member of the St. Paul's Methodist church Women's Society of Christian Service, the Bible Guards Sabbath school class and the Van Buren County Farm Bureau. Survivors include her husband, Hale Thornton, Sr.; tow sons, Hale, Jr. of Porter township and Kenneth of Alexandria, Va., and four grandchildren. Friends may call at the Prindle Funeral home in Lawton where services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday. The Rev. Arthur DeFouw will officiate. Burial will be in Oak Grove Cemetery in Lawton.
Mary "Kay" (Thornton) DeBoer Obituary
Mary "Kay" DeBoer of Spring Hill, FL and formerly of Lawton passed away suddenly Saturday, August 21, 2004 at her home in Florida. Kay was born May 18, 1933 in Harvey, IL, the daughter of the late Reed Thornton and Ocie Grice. In September of 1978, Kay was united in marriage to Edward P. DeBoer, who preced her in death on August 14, 1990. Together with her husband, Edward DeBoer, Kay owned and managed the Kings tavern in Lawton. She was also preced in death by 2 sons, Scott Kimble and Patrick Reynolds, both of Lawton; and her step-mother, Betty Thornton of Lawton. Surviving are a very special friend, Edward Wolownik of Paw Paw; Kay's children and grandchildren, Sandy (Jason) Fuller of Three Rivers (Shelby Kimble), Mike (Helen) Reynolds of Canada (Derrick and Ben Reynolds), Kevin Reynolds of Jacksonville, FL (Dustin Reynolds), Daniel (Justine) Reynolds of Seattle, WA (Katie Hansen), Tom (Trina) Reynolds of Lawton, Kathy (LaMarr) Brooks of Lawton, (Tonya (Greg) Brucks and Travis Brooks), Karen DeVries of Lawton, (Damon and Derek DeVries), Ed DeBoer of Kalamazoo, Karol Blatson of Lawton, (Jackie and Jamie Blatson); grandson, Michael Reynolds and other grandchildren and great-grandchildren; nieces and nephews. The family will receive friends Thursday, 6-8 p.m. at the Adams Funeral Home, Paw Paw where funeral services will be held Friday 11 a.m. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association. Share a memory or condolence on line at www.timeformemory.com/adams Published in the Kalamazoo Gazette on 8/24/2004.