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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Calhoun County, Arkansas published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1890.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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Col. T. A. Thornton is a prominent planter of Calhoun County, and was born in Alabama, in 1836, the third in a family of seven children born to W. S. and Nancy (Moor) Thornton. October 5, 1844, his father came to Arkansas and settled at Chambersville, and was about the third settler in the county. They went west to the end of the road, where they made their settlement in this county. Here he began farming by settling on a tract of about 300 acres. He erected a home and made improvements, and in about 1847 or 1848, he started a store on his own place. This was the first store in Calhoun County. He lived there until 1852, when he sold out and went to Camden, where he engaged in merchandising, until 1860, when he sold out and moved to Hampton, Calhoun County. Here he started an extensive store, and continued in this business until the outbreak of the war. He then retired from business until after the war, when he engaged with a firm in New Orleans to sell goods through the county; was soon after taken sick and died, November 7, 1867. His death closed an active business career. As an early settler and pioneer he is well remembered throughout this section. The mother died during the war, in 1863. Our subject was reared on the farm, receiving his education at the common schools and at home. At the outbreak of the war, he assisted in raising a company in this county, and was elected first lieutenant of the “Esco Pets,” Capt. Joe McCullough was ordered to the northwestern part of the State, and participated in the battle of Pea Ridge. He was then transferred to the Eastern Division, and was in most of the battles there, from Shiloh to Sherman’s campaign. At Richmond, Ky., they captured five times as many prisoners as the number of their men. He was captured at Nashville, but soon made his escape. At the close of the war, he came back home, and in October, 1865, married Miss Mattie Pickett, daughter of W. J. Pickett. He now bought a farm and began farming From time to time, he has owned large tracts of land in this county. He now owns a farm of 300 acres, two miles west of town, 150 acres under cultivation. He makes a specialty of cotton, averaging one-half bale to the acre. He has a good orchard, and one of the best farms in this section. To the union of our subject and his wife have been born eleven children, four of whom are dead, viz.: William Frederic, Walter H., Ever, Jimmie, Valma, Vera and Vivian; and Mary, Virgie, Charley and Harris, who are dead. Mr. Thornton is a member of the Wheel, and an active and enterprising citizen.

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This family biography is one of 67 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Calhoun County, Arkansas published in 1890.  For the complete description, click here: Calhoun County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

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