Dr. Richard Thornton House

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Dr. Richard Thornton House

Dr. Richard Thornton House.jpg

Front of the house, seen through surrounding trees
USA Virginia location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Location Golden Leaf and Tobacco Roads
Nearest city Nathalie, Virginia
Coordinates 36°58′38″N79°01′58″W / 36.9772°N 79.0328°W / 36.9772; -79.0328 Coordinates: 36°58′38″N79°01′58″W / 36.9772°N 79.0328°W / 36.9772; -79.0328
Area 30 acres (12 ha)
Built 1818
Architectural style Federal
NRHP reference # 12000987 [1]
Added to NRHP November 28, 2012

Dr. Richard Thornton House is a historic physician's residence and farm located in Halifax County, Virginia, United States. The residence was constructed in 1818 by Dr. Richard Thornton, a physician and grandson of William Thornton of Brunswick, a Colonial politician and wealthy land owner.

Halifax County, Virginia County in the United States

Halifax County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2010 census, the population was 36,241. Its county seat is Halifax.

William Thornton was a planter and public official in Colonial Virginia. Thornton served as member of the House of Burgesses for Brunswick County from 1756–68 and as justice of the county and of the quorum as early as 1760 and as late as 1774/5. Thornton was the great-grandson of William Thornton who arrived in Virginia from England as late as 1646 settling in Gloucester County, Virginia. He was through his paternal line a cousin of fellow burgesses, Francis Thornton of Spotsylvania, Presley Thornton of Northumberland, George Thornton of Spotsylvania, William Thornton of King George and William Thornton of Richmond County, Virginia.

History

The Dr. Richard Thornton House was constructed circa 1818 by a wealthy local physician, Richard Thornton. Thornton born in 1786 to Lt. Francis Thornton of 'Rolling Hill' in Charlotte County, Virginia. [2] By 1810 Thornton had established a medical practice and farm in Halifax County, Virginia. Thornton began construction of the current residence in 1818 with no known significant alterations made to the main house during his lifetime. [3] The house is noted for a peculiar internal division believed to have been created to provide lodging for medical students. [3] By Thornton's death in 1860 the property held nearly 40 slaves and produced the largest quantity of tobacco in the local area. The property was taken over by his nephew Dr. John Lemuel Thornton, and the Thornton heirs sold the property to the Marshall family in 1889. The house remained in the Marshall family until 1983. [3] In 1984 the house and land was sold to the Smith family who hold the land today in a private corporation. The house has been abandoned since the Marshall sale and has recently been secured for protection from vandals.

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Richard Thornton may refer to the following people:

References

  1. "Weekly list of actions taken on properties:11/26/12 Through 11/30/12". National Park Service. December 7, 2012. Archived from the original on January 12, 2014. Retrieved November 17, 2015.
  2. Bates, Lola Jane Carr (1917). The Thornton 1300 to 1917. Danville, VA: Dance Bros. & Co.
  3. 1 2 3 Smith, W. Scott Breckinridge. "Dr. Richard Thornton House" (PDF). National Register of Historic Places. Virginia Department of Historic Resources.