The John T. Thornton Family

Thanks to Jane Thornton Fielder for sharing the above photograph of the John T. and Bettie Thornton family. The photo is precious because it gives us an image of a young Nora Thornton, my husband's great-grandmother. We have several pictures of an older, married Nora but this was the first time we saw her as a young woman. Nora's brother, Willie Pascal Thornton, is Jane's grandfather. The Thornton family lived near the Mud Creek area of northern Itawamba County.

Pictured in the photo are: (left to right) front row: James Thornton, John T. Thornton and Elizabeth "Bettie" Griffin Thornton; back row: Carrie Thornton Cromeans, Belvie Thornton Thomas, Oscar Thornton, Lilly May Thornton Russell, Lula Thornton Thomas, Nora Thornton Johnson, Fatina Thornton Morgan, Ira Thornton, Thomas Thornton, Willie Pascal Thornton. Not pictured is daughter Mary Madeline Thornton Franks.

I would guess that the photograph was taken sometime in the 1930s. John T. Thornton died in December 1938 so it was before then. The occasion may have been a homecoming of John and Bettie's son (James) and daughter (Fatina) who had moved to Texas with their families. The family likely gathered for a reunion, and a photograph would have been called for to mark the occasion.

1900 Census
Itawamba County, Mississippi
Mud Creek
Living near John and Amanda Johnson and son Fisher:
John Thornton 47 AL FL NC farmer, born Dec 1852, married 25 years
Bettie 42 MS MS MS, 12 children, 11 living
James 23 MS born June 1876
Fetney 22 MS (daug - must be Martha Fatina) born Feb 1878
Carrie 20 MS born May 1880
Oscar 15 MS born Feb 1884
Marie 14 MS born Oct 1885 (daug - Mary)
Lular 12 MS born June 1887
Willie 10 MS born July 1889
Nola 8 MS born Apr 1892
Thomas 5 MS born July 1894
Lillie 3 MS born May 1897
Irie 1 MS born Oct 1898 (son - Ira)