Thornton Brown

Thornton was born November 15, 1868, in Mobile, Alabama. His father is said to have been Tom McElroy, an Irishman, and his mother was a French African named Helen Smith.

A White family by the name of Brown reared Thornton. His duties as a youngest were those in the house and not in the field.

Thornton left Mobile finding odd jobs as he traveled to Texas. He worked as a driver of a food freight wagon, delivering groceries to various stores around Brenham, Industry, and Frelsburg, Texas.

After Martha and Thornton were married, they moved to Kendleton, Texas. According to the Tax Assessor's Records of 1888, they had acquired 95 acres and paid taxes on this land. They were eventually able to acquire more than 300 acres of land. They farmed and raised cattle and poultry. 
Through the depression and hard times, the land was paid for and has since been divided among the children.



He was an excellent markman and used this skill hunting for food and sportsmanship. Thornton became a Christian and was a member of the Powell Point Church of God. 

He was the father of twenty-one children. None of the fourteen children that he had by Martha are still living;
however, two of the seven that he had with Mattie are alive and well.

Martha Brown Biography                                                                                   Mattie Brown Biography