Thornton, Charles

There were several men named Charles Thornton living in Loudoun County in the early nineteenth century, one of whom was an enslaved man who attained his freedom during the 1820s. The Charles Thornton mentioned in the Mason family manuscript account book was likely a white resident of the county who first appeared on the county tax lists in 1810. He married Sarah Sinclair on 9 January 1817. They had twin daughters, Sarah and Mary, born later that year. Charles Thornton died in May 1828.  

In the Mason family manuscript account book, Charles Thornton was referred to as “boating” wheat and barrels of corn, being paid cash for his services. Thornton also “boated” crops for Mary Mason, Armistead Mason, and Hugh Douglas, with one destination being Seneca Mills on the Potomac River. “Boating” can refer to the movement of commodities, including enslaved people, to and from the market. It is unclear as to whether Thornton simply moved crops or was also moving enslaved people along the common trade route from Loudoun to Alexandria via the Potomac River. According to tax records, though he operated a 134-acre farm with his brother for many years, Thornton did not own many enslaved people, which suggests his main occupation was that of a boatman. At the time of his death, he owned cattle, horses, sheep, and many pieces of furniture. 

Thornton wrote his last will and testament on 20 May 1828, days before his death. His wife, Sarah, must have predeceased him because she was not mentioned in the will, in which Thornton gave instructions for the division of his estate. When Thornton died, his ten- or eleven-year-old daughters became the wards of Alfred Belt, who was also charged with overseeing a trust for them until they came of age and married. It took many years to execute Thornton’s will, as it included the guardianship account for his daughters.  

The probate records for Thornton’s estate document his connections to two prominent Loudoun County families: the Jordens and the Knotts. These connections suggest that Thornton was a well-known member of the community and that he maintained personal and professional relationships with some leading local families. 

By Nicole Falgiano