EIGHTH GENERATION

2083. John Stephen Thorne was born on 5 Mar 1815 in Chesterfield, Burlington Co., New Jersey. He died in 1883 in Nacadoches, TX. John Stephen Thorne was born in the New York City suburb of Chesterfield, New Jersey in 1815. He was one of two sons of Stephen Frost Thorne and Hannah Fry. He left the New York area at the age of 20 and moved to Texas to live with his uncle Frost Thorne. The census report dated April 21, 1835 lists John S. Thorn, age 21, as a merchant (presumably in his uncle's mercantile).

When the Texas Revolution began, he joined the Texans in the war for independence. He was incorrectly listed as a casualty of the Fannin Massacre at Goliad. During this engagement, the Texans were taken prisoner by a vastly superior Mexican force. Although the prisoners thought that they were being conducted to a camp, in actuality the Mexicans were executing them all. When the shots began to ring out, many of the prisoners bolted for safety. Very few survived. Apparently, young John Stephen Thorne was among the survivors. He was listed as such in D.W.C. Baker's A Texas Scrapbook.

After returning to Nacadoches at the end of the war, he petitioned the city fathers for the establishment of a board of health. Apparently, this was in response to the practice of slaughtering beef in the town square and leaving behind the filth from the slaughter. The town established the board of health and John's uncle, Frost Thorn, was a member.

After returning from the war, John bought land in the La Nana Bayou area north of Nacadoches and established his home there. He became a Mason on April 2, 1838 and was later elected secretary of the lodge. Either by appointment or election, he became a permanent member of the Grand Jury in Nacadoches and an appraiser to the Court.

Three years later he married Ann Cleveland Smith, the sister of the wife of Thomas Rusk, together they had five children. Among the five were Benjamin, and Charles who later died during the Civil War. They are buried in a Civil War Cemetery outside Chicago, Illinois. Ann died in 1855.

John married Amanda Pullen in 1859. They had three children: Benjamin Richmond, who was born when John was 48, Cicero, and the youngest, Amanda, was born when he was 55. Benjamin, born in 1863, was probably named after his older half brother, born in 1844 and who died during the Civil War.

His wife, Amanda, died in 1870. Whether during childbirth or shortly thereafter in not known for sure. John married Martha Perrin in 1871. The two had no children.

John died in 1883.

He was married to Ann Cleveland Smith on 25 Nov 1841 in Nacadoches, TX. Ann Cleveland Smith died on 30 May 1855 in Nacadoches, TX. She was born in San Augustine County, TX. John Stephen Thorne and Ann Cleveland Smith had the following children:

3006 i. Charles Alonzo Thorn was born on 19 Jun 1842 in Nacadoches, TX.
3007 ii. Benjamin Thorn was born on 30 Mar 1844 in Nacadoches, TX.
3008 iii. Emily T. Thorn was born on 14 Aug 1846 in Nacadoches, TX.
+3009 iv. John Stephen Thorn Jr..
+3010 v. Cleveland H. Thorn.

He was married to Amanda C. Pullen on 21 Jul 1859 in Nacadoches, TX. Amanda C. Pullen died in 1870 in Nacadoches, TX. She was born in Lincoln Co, GA. John Stephen Thorne and Amanda C. Pullen had the following children:

+3011 i. Benjamin Richmond Thorn.
3012 ii. Cicero R. Thorn was born in 1866 in Nacadoches, TX.
3013 iii. Annie E. Thorn was born in 1879 in Nacadoches, TX.

He was married to Martha J. Perrin on 8 Oct 1871.