John Wingate Thornton (August 12, 1818 – June 6, 1878) was an American lawyer, antiquarian, book collector and writer.
Biography
Early life He was born August 12, 1818, at the home of his grandfather, Thomas Gilbert Thornton in Saco, Maine. He attended school at Thornton Academy in Saco, Maine.
Career While studying to become a lawyer, he worked for his uncle, John Fairfield and graduated from Harvard in 1840 with an LL.B. He was awarded an honorary degree of A.M. from Bowdoin College in 1860. He practiced law in Boston, Massachusetts. John Wingate Thornton researched and wrote numerous family genealogies and authored a number of books. In 1844 he was a founding member of the New England Historic Genealogical Society and authored numerous articles for their publication, the Register. He was a member and vice-president of the American Statistical Association, and a member and vice-president of the Prince Society. He was elected a member of the American Antiquarian Society in 1855.American Antiquarian Society Members Directory
His 1844 report to the American Statistical Association was presented to Congress by John Quincy Adams who notes that it demonstrates "a multitude of gross and important errors in the printed census of 1840."
In August 1607, a company of Englishmen were landed near the mouth of the Kennebec River in Maine with the intent of starting a colony known as the Popham Colony. However, half of the colony returned in December 1607 and the remaining members returned to England the following year. John Wingate Thornton was invited to deliver a speech on August 29, 1862, during an occasion set to commemorate the failed Popham Colony. Much to the chagrin of the audience and Fort Popham Celebration committee members, John Wingate Thornton correctly pointed out, in contradiction to the beliefs of those who invited him, that the Popham Colony was not the first attempt at New England colonization, and that additionally it was not a serious attempt at creating a permanent colony as only men and not entire families were sent. His unpopular speech was left out of the printed proceedings of the commemoration and John Wingate Thornton resorted to privately printing the text of his speech in 1863.
He died on June 6, 1878, at the Oak Hill family estate in Scarborough, Maine, and is buried in the Laurel Hill Cemetery in Saco, Maine. A short biography of his life was written by Thomas Coffin Amory.
Marriage and family On May 31, 1848, he was married to Elizabeth Wallace Bowles by the Reverend Augustus C. Thompson in Roxbury, Massachusetts. They had four children, only one of whom (Elizabeth Thorndike Thornton) survived to adulthood.
Timeline Date Age Comment August 12, 1818 0 Born at the house of his paternal grandfather, Thomas Gilbert Thornton, in Saco, Maine. October 3, 1818 0 Baptized by Rev. Jonathan Cogswell at Saco, Maine. March, 1826 7 JWT's father enrolls him at Thornton Academy in Saco, Maine. See List of Students 1813 - 1848 Thornton Academy, Saco, Maine; Burnham, Edward P. and George A. Emery, eds.; York Institute, Saco, ME; 1918. 1839 - 1840 [?] 20/21 Works for his uncle, John Fairfield, Governor of Maine and later U.S. Senator. 1840 [?] 21/22 Graduates Harvard Law School with LL.B. 1840 22 Moves to Boston and is admitted as a member of the Suffolk Bar. Original office was on State Street. March 28, 1842 23 Writes a letter to his uncle, John Wingate Gookin, regarding Gookin family information to aid James Savage, historian and president of the Massachusetts Historical Society, in researching Maj. General Danial Gookin while on an upcoming trip to England. Letter also mentions the information on the New Hampshire chapter of the Society of the Cincinnati, which is in the possession of JWG. ("The Daily Kennebec Journal"; 24 Apr 1912). September 17, 1842 24 Writes a letter to his uncle, Moses Emery, Counsellor at Law, Saco, Maine concerning numerous legal matters. Letter is postmarked from Boston, Massachusetts. October 24, 1842 24 Presents to the New Hampshire Historical Society (on behalf of his uncle, John Wingate Gookin) the book and papers of the New Hampshire branch of the Society of the Cincinnati. The book is in the collections of the American Independence Museum. The contents of this book are published in The Institution and Records of the New Hampshire Society of the Cincinnati; Concord, NH; Ira C. Evans, Printer; 1893. This latter publication also contains a transcription of a letter from JWG presenting these materials to the NHHS. The letter reads:
North Yarmouth Centre, State of Maine
October 24, 1842
Rev. Nathaniel Bouton, Cor. Sec'y N.H.H.Society
Dear Sir:
I wish to present to the New Hampshire Historical Society (Through the hands of my Nephew, J. Wingate Thornton, Esq.) the book and papers of the New Hampshire branch of the Society of the Cincinnati, which has become extinct by the death of all the members; my Father, Daniel Gookin, was the last of the original members, & he has been dead about 12 years. I consider the Library of your Society the most safe & proper place for the deposit of this valuable record of some of our Revolutionary worthies; & although they have gone to their home, I hope the principles for which they contended may be perpetuated to the latest posterity.
I am, Sir, Very Respectfully, your ob't Serv't
John W. Gookin 1844 25/26 Memorial Of The American Statistical Association Praying The Adoption Of Measures For The Correction Of Errors In The Census; Jarvis, Edward. William Brigham And J. Wingate Thornton, for the American Statistical Association, 18 pp, is published. April 30, 1844 25 Writes a letter, assumed addressed to unnamed Secretary of the American Antiquarian Society regarding the membership of Marc Antony Lower, an English historian and a correspondent of JWT. November 1, 1844 26 First meeting to found the New England Historic Genealogical Society. JWT serves as meeting secretary. The next meeting was scheduled for November 15, 1844 in JWT's office at 20 Court St., but due to other circumstances it did not occur then or there. 1845 26/27 Tabular Pedigree of the Thornton Family is published. April 1845 26 Placed an advertisement in the new Saco, Maine newspaper, The Union. The ad reads: J. Wingate Thornton, Counsellor at Law, and Commissioner for Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and North Cauolina. 20 Court Street, Boston (The Union, Saco, ME, Vol. 1, #10, April 11, 1845) February 1847 28 Presents a copy of John Hancock's pamphlet An Exposulatory and Pacifick Letter; Rogers and Fowle, Boston; 1743; Small, 4to, 15 pp. to E[benezer] Adams. JWT's inscription, in pencil, is on the verso of the last leaf, as" J. W. Thorton to E. Adams", dated February 1847. Ebenezer Adams (1788–1881), a physician from Randolph, Massachusetts was also an antiquarian and book collector, and a member of the New England Historic Genealogical Society. He wrote several important works on the history of the medical profession in Massachusetts. He also made significant contributions to the medical literature. Alden's Medical Uses of Alcohol (1868) was an early argument for abandoning the use of alcohol as a therapeutic drug. John Hancock (1702–44) was pastor of the first Church of Christ in Braintree, Massachusetts, and the father of the Revolutionary statesman with the same name. April, 1847 28 The Cotton Family article published in NEHGS Register. October, 1847 29 The Gookin Family article is published in NEHGS Register. December 29, 1847 29 Orders some cards with the names of his mother and father from Nathaniel Dearborn, Boston engraver. May 31, 1848 29 Marries Elizabeth Wallace Bowles. January, 1849 30 Original Settlers of Salisbury, Massachusetts article is published in NEHGS Register. January, 1849 30 Refugees in London, 1775 article is published in NEHGS Register. March 4, 1849 30 Premature birth (gestation of only 6 ½ months) of his first daughter named Elizabeth Wallace Bowles Thornton ("for her mother"). She was born on Sunday at 4:00 AM at the mansion of his in-law's (Bowles's) in Roxbury, Massachusetts. March 7, 1849 30 Death of daughter (EWBT) on Wednesday, 4:00 PM at the Bowles mansion in Roxbury, Massachusetts at age 3 ½ days. EWBT was buried at "Mount Auburn" in grandfather Bowles' lot (So 1258 on Elder Path). July 17, 1849 30 Is presented the five volume set of Alden's "A Collection of American Epitaphs" from his uncle, John Wingate Gookin in North Yarmouth, Maine.