My Thornton Line
My maternal grandfather, Roy Clinton Thornton, was born at Berwick, Polk County, Iowa on 6 June 1885. He was the son of Martin Luther Thornton and Rebecca "Anna" Jones. He was employed as a miner at the time of the 1900 and 1910 U.S. Federal Census, living in the same household as his parents and siblings.
At the age of 27, Roy or LeRoy, as some sources list him, married Anna May Rouse at Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa on 15 May 1912. Roy completed only six years of school. His occupation at the time of his marriage was listed as a coal miner.
Roy and Anna had the following children :
Children of Roy Clinton Thornton and Anna Mae Rouse
- William Martin Thornton b. 1 May 1913, d. 26 Nov 1957
- Carl Roy Thornton+ b. 30 Jan 1915, d. 23 Sep 1990
- Doris Lucille Thornton b. c 15 Nov 1916, d. 13 May 1918
- Russell Claude Thornton+ b. 19 Aug 1918, d. 20 Feb 1958
- Virgil Franklin Thornton b. 3 Jun 1920, d. 21 Oct 1962
- Kenneth George Thornton+ b. 12 Dec 1922, d. 19 Apr 1988
- Alta Neomi Thornton+ b. 21 Jul 1924, d. 26 Dec 2010
- Gladys Irene Thornton+ b. 1 Jan 1927, d. 22 Nov 2014
- Baby Thornton b. c Apr 1929, d. c Apr 1929
Roy Clinton Thornton and Anna Mae Rouse appeared on the 1920 Federal Census of Des Moines, Polk, Iowa, enumerated 8 January 1920. Their children William, Carl and Russell were listed as living with them. Roy Clinton Thornton and Anna Mae Rouse appeared on the 1925 State Census of Des Moines Ward 7, Polk, Iowa, enumerated 1 January 1925, as Leroy Thornton. Their children William, Carl, Russell, Virgil, Kenneth, Alta and Irvin were listed as living with them. Roy Clinton Thornton and Anna Mae Rouse appeared on the 1930 Federal Census of Lee Towonship, Des Moines, Polk, Iowa, enumerated 19 April 1930. Their children William, Carl, Russell, Virgil, Kenneth, Alta and Gladys were listed as living with them. Roy Clinton Thornton died on 25 January 1937 at Des Moines, Polk, Iowa, United States, at age 51. He was buried on 27 January 1937 at Laurel Hill Cemetery, Des Moines, Polk, Iowa, United States; Lot 33, Block E.,
Gets First Job In Five Years--Then Dies on Way to Work.
Roy Thornton, 51, of 4118 Bowdoin St., started from his home Monday morning to go to work at his first job in five years.
On his way to the job he suffered a heart attack. He died on his way to Broadlawns General hospital.
The job Thornton was to have started was at the Wood Brothers Threshing Machine Co., near E. Fourteenth St. and Aurora Ave.
During the time Mr. Thornton has been out of work, the family has been supported by three sons. Billy has a WPA job, Roy, Jr., is in a CCC camp at Centerville and Russell is in a CCC camp at Indianola.
Besides these sons, Mr. Thornton is survived by his widow and four other children, Virgil, Kenneth, Alta and Gladys.
Funeral services were being arranged at Hamilton's funeral home.1
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