Sterling Clack Thornton

Notes: Source: U. S., Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current Ancestry.com : Ancestry Family Trees, Ancestry Family Tree Ancestry.com : Notes: Birth: Aug. 12, 1753 Gloucester County Virginia, USA Death: Jul., 1831 Lynchburg City Virginia, USA Sterling Clack Thornton, son of William Thornton and Jane Clack, a descendant of Rev James Clack B1655 D1723. William Thornton (December 20, 1717 - 1790) was a planter and public official in Colonial Virginia, and the son of Francis Thornton and Ann Sterling. Like many gentlemen planters of the time, Sterling Clack bred and raced horses. He sold Fearnaught to Thomas Short in 1783 and owned Jenny Ribbon, a well-known horse of the time. After one of his horses lost a race, Sterling was so angered that he struck the jockey. Embarrassed over losing his dignity, he abandoned the sport completely. Sterling and Mary lived for a time in southern Amelia County near Spinners Branch and the Namozine Road. In 1782 they were in a household of six with fourteen slaves.They later moved to Prince Edward County about one mile from Hampden-Sydney College, where their son William Jones Thornton attended. After ten years in Prince Edward County, Mary and Sterling moved to Lynchburg, Virginia, where they died. Sterling died July, 1831 in Lynchburg, Virginia. He married (1) Sallie Moseley. He married (2) Mary Jones March 17, 1777 in Petersburg, Virginia; she was born 1750 in Amelia County, Virginia; died 1815 in Lynchburg, Virginia. His grandson was U. S. diplomat John A. Bridgland. Children of JANE CLACK and WILLIAM THORNTON are: i. ELIZABETH4 THORNTON. ii. MARY THORNTON. iii. ANN STERLING CLACK THORNTON, m. BENJAMIN BALDWIN, 11 Jun 1807, Charlotte, VA. iv. JANE THORNTON. v. JAMES THORNTON, b. 11 Jul 1743; m. ELIZABETH JONES SMITH, Oxford or Granville Co., NC. vi. JOHN THORNTON, b. 13 Sep 1744; d. 1822; m. CATHERINE YATES, 1789. vii. FRANCIS THORNTON, b. 22 Jan 1747; m. (1) JANE* BOSWELL; m. (2) UNKNOWN LACY. viii. WILLIAM THORNTON, b. 14 Apr 1751, Brunswick, Brunswick, VA; m. SARAH GOODRICH, 16 Feb 1774, Brunswick Co., VA; b. Aft. 1755, Brunswick, Brunswick, VA. ix. STERLING CLACK THORNTON, b. 12 Aug 1753, Gloucester Co., Va; d. 1790, Gloucester Co., VA; m. MRS. MARY JONES, Bet. 12 Feb - 17 Mar 1777, Amalia Co., VA. x. REUBEN THORNTON, b. 28 Mar 1756; m. PRUDENCE JONES, 06 Mar 1784, Amelia Co., VA. xi. HON. PETER PRESLEY CLACK THORNTON, b. 12 Nov 1765, Brunswick Co., VA; d. 06 Aug 1856, Amherst Co., VA; m. MARY/ELISABETH MCCULLOCK, 17 May 1792; b. 25 Feb 1771, Amherst Co., VA; d. 19 Sep 1851. Children not listed below: Dr William Jones Thornton b1778 Margaret Baugh Thornton Ford B1796 D1855 Dorothy Chamberlain Thornton Jones B1774 D1822 Jane Clack Thornton Venable B1752 D1840 Source: Sister-Mary Thornton Meade http://www.findagrave.com

Sterling Clack Thornton, son of William Montpelier Thornton and Jane Clack d/o James Clack and Mary Sterling, a descendant of Rev James Clack B1655 D1723. William Montpelier Thornton (December 20, 1717 - 1790) was a planter and public official in Colonial Virginia, originally from Gloucester Co, Va, and the son of Francis Thornton and Ann Sterling. Like many gentlemen planters of the time, Sterling Clack bred and raced horses. He sold Fearnaught to Thomas Short in 1783 and owned Jenny Ribbon, a well-known horse of the time. After one of his horses lost a race, Sterling was so angered that he struck the jockey. Embarrassed over losing his dignity, he abandoned the sport completely.
Sterling married Mary Alice Jones, a daughter of Peter Jones (Petersburgh). Sterling and and Mary lived for a time in southern Amelia County near Spinners Branch and the Namozine Road. In 1782 they were in a household of six with fourteen slaves. They later moved to Prince Edward County about one mile from Hampden-Sydney College, where their son William Jones Thornton attended. After ten years in Prince Edward County, Mary and Sterling moved to Lynchburg, Virginia, where they died.
Sterling died July, 1831 in Lynchburg, Virginia. He married (1) Sallie Moseley. He married (2) Mary Jones March 17, 1777 in Petersburg, Virginia; she was born 1750 in Amelia County, Virginia; died 1815 in Lynchburg, Virginia. His grandson was U. S. diplomat John A. Bridgland.

Children of JANE CLACK and WILLIAM THORNTON are:
i. ELIZABETH4 THORNTON.
ii. MARY THORNTON m1 Everard Meade
iii. ANN STERLING CLACK THORNTON, m. BENJAMIN BALDWIN, 11 Jun 1807, Charlotte, VA.
iv. JANE THORNTON.
v. JAMES THORNTON, b. 11 Jul 1743; m. ELIZABETH JONES SMITH, Oxford or Granville Co., NC.
vi. JOHN THORNTON, b. 13 Sep 1744; d. 1822; m. CATHERINE YATES, 1789.
vii. FRANCIS THORNTON, b. 22 Jan 1747; m. (1) JANE* BOSWELL; m. (2) UNKNOWN LACY.
viii. WILLIAM THORNTON, b. 14 Apr 1751, Brunswick, Brunswick, VA; m. SARAH GOODRICH, 16 Feb 1774, Brunswick Co., VA; b. Aft. 1755, Brunswick, Brunswick, VA.
ix. STERLING CLACK THORNTON, b. 12 Aug 1753, Gloucester Co., Va; d. 1790, Gloucester Co., VA; m. MRS. MARY JONES, Bet. 12 Feb - 17 Mar 1777, Amelia Co., VA.
x. REUBEN THORNTON, b. 28 Mar 1756; m. PRUDENCE JONES, 06 Mar 1784, Amelia Co., VA.
xi. HON. PETER PRESLEY CLACK THORNTON, b. 12 Nov 1765, Brunswick Co., VA; d. 06 Aug 1856, Amherst Co., VA; m. MARY/ELISABETH MCCULLOCK, 17 May 1792; b. 25 Feb 1771, Amherst Co., VA; d. 19 Sep 1851.

Children not listed below:
Dr William Jones Thornton b1778
Margaret Baugh Thornton Ford B1796 D1855
Dorothy Chamberlain Thornton Jones B1774 D1822
Jane Clack Thornton Venable B1752 D1840

Sister-Mary Thornton Meade

References

1. Genealogies of Virginia Families from the William and Mary College Quarterly. By College Quarterly. Page 61. < GoogleBooks
2. Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Aug 17 2022, 21:04:59 UTC