My Genealogy Hound

Rev. David Thorne, an extensive farmer and fruit-grower, of Greene County, Ark., was born in Edgecombe County, N. C., in 1828. His parents, Thomas and Morning (Dawes) Thorne, were of English descent, and were also born in the “Old North State,” the former’s birth occurring in 1781, while Gen. Cornwallis was encamped within seven miles of the scene. He emigrated to Madison County, Tenn., in 1831 located, and became an extensive farmer, and owned slaves, departing this life in his eighty-second year. He and his life-partner lived together nearly fifty-five years, raising to maturity eleven children, and losing one in infancy. His father, Nicholas Thorne, according to family tradition, was born in North Carolina about 1730 or 1740. His father, Richard Thorne, was born in England, about the year 1700 or 1710, and came to America, perhaps, about the year 1710 or 1720, serving an apprenticeship in Charleston, S. C. His son, Nicholas Thorne, was a farmer, and participated in the Revolutionary War, on the side of the colonies. David Thorne, the subject of this sketch, attained his majority in Madison County, Tenn., and received his education in the common schools and the academy at Denmark, Madison County, Tenn., his instructor-in-chief being Dr. William L. Slack, now of Friar’s Point, Miss. While a resident of Hardeman County, Tenn., in the year 1859-60, he was elected presiding justice of the county and probate court, which position was held two or three terms, and was much esteemed by him; indeed, with one exception, that honor was held par excellence among many favors conferred by the grand old county of Hardeman, because it was bestowed gratuitously and without solicitation. Emigrating to Greene County in 1871, three years after, in 1874, he was prevailed upon, by strong and urgent solicitation, to become a candidate for the constitutional convention, making the race before the people in competition with Hons. L. L. Mack and B. H. Crowley, and was beaten by only fifteen votes, by Mr. Crowley. He was afterward elected county and probate judge, and served one term. Having been reared by pious and religious parents, he naturally felt an interest in Christianity and for nearly forty years has had membership in a Missionary Baptist Church, and since 1868 has been engaged in the ministry. Before closing this sketch it is proper to say, that Mr. Thorne attributes everything pertaining to what he is and has enjoyed, as respects morals and religion, to parental training and early impressions made by Christian parents in their work in the family nursery; and, in justice to them, whatever may have been accomplished in the way of good — yea, even the hope of Heaven, under the blessings of God—all is dedicated in memory to the Christian influence of loved parents that have laid their armor by. The subject of this sketch is sharing the income of a good farm, and is taking a warm interest in fruit-growing, for which this section seems well adapted. The crowning blessing, referred to heretofore, which Hardeman County bestowed, was the gift, in marriage, of one of her best daughters, in the person of Miss Mary A. Toone, who was a daughter of James Toone, Sr. James Toone, Sr., was one of the pioneer settlers of West Tennessee, and Hardeman County was his adopted home. Before the late war he was one of the leading farmers, owning large slave property. The marriage partnership entered into in June, 1857, by Mr. and Mrs. Thorne, has culminated in quite a family, namely: James L., Thomas L. B., William H., David C. and Wiley, five sons; and Mary F. B., Jinie B., Ida R. and Allis E., four daughters; all have made the Christian profession, and the whole family are members of the same church — truly a Baptist family.