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Children of Jobe Thornton and Rube Annie Averel
A list of descendants of Jobe Thornton and wife Rubie are given by James Risk, (25 Sept. 1873-26 June 1901), a resident of Brown Township, Ripley County who is buried in the Salem Cemetery. He was a cripple who occupied his time writing family information in a notebook. His listed Jobe's children and many grandchildren, but gave no marriage or birth dates.

The family was unusual in Shelby Township because of its New England origin. The 1850 census showed that Job Thornton, age 70, was born in Rhode Island, while his son Levi, living in a separate household, age 39, was born in Vermont. Rubie was age 62, so she was born ca. 1787/88. Censuses, which often given conflicting birth locations, did so with this family. Their daughter Anna was shown as born in Rhode Island or Vermont. The tombstone inscriptions of two of their sons show they were born in Kentucky, which is almost impossible.

There were a large number of Thorntons in Rhode Island in the 1790 census, including a Limon in Smithfield, Providence County. Since Jobe and Rubie’s oldest son was Limon/Lyman, a relationship is likely. There were a large number of Averill households in the northeast. While there was one in Rhode Island, there were 12 households in Vermont, including Josiah in Burlington, Chittenden County, Va.

A Job Thornton was listed in Pawling, Dutchess County, N.Y., in 1800 and one was in Richmond, Chittenden County, Vt., in the 1810 census. There was also a Thomas Thornton in Richmond, although no relationship is yet known.

The family reached Indiana by 1820 when Jobe was shown in the census for Jefferson County.

Jobe Thornton owned land in Section 12 Twp. 5N Range 11E as noted in the deed involving his heirs. This list of heirs coincides with the list given by Risk. This section is Shelby Township and bounded on the east by Wilson's Fork. State Road 62 follows this stream. The Thornton Cemetery is in this section. Jobe was listed in the 1827, 1831, and 1833 Shelby Twp. tax lists with one poll and no property.

On 18 Jan. 1866, the heirs of Job Thornton, quit claimed to Ulysses Schenck, land in W1/2 NE14 and E1/2 NW1/4 Sec. 13, S1/2SE1/4 and NW1/4 SE1/4 Sec. 12 Twp 5N Range 11 E. (Jefferson County Deed Book 27 page 283) The heirs and grantors were James Thornton and Caroline, Levi and Mary Ann Thornton, Lyman and Margaret Ann Thornton, George Buchanan and Harriet, Thomas Voris and Laney, Atha Foster, Elmira Risk, Anna Risk, James Buchanan and Mary Buchanan and Ruby Thornton wife. The land had also been subject of a mortgage from Jobe Thornton to James Thornton on 21 July 1849. (Jefferson County Mortgage Book 2 p. 674) Ruby received 80 acres in lieu of provisions in said mortgage. She was listed in her son James’ household in Shelby Township in the 1870 census. Her age was given as 83.

James Franklin Risk, who kept the notebook, was the son of John Risk and Mary McKay. John Risk was the son of John Risk and Ann Thornton, who was the daughter of Jobe Thornton and Rubie Averil. He kept the notes in what was the 1800s equivalent to a day planner. This notebook was in the possession of Mae Cooper Melton (20 May 1908-13 Oct. 1998), who lived in Cross Plains. Mae was the daughter of Edith Risk, who was James’s sister.

My grandparents: Jobe Thornton, Rube Annie Averil
My Fathers Uncles and Aunts
Levi Thornton, Limon Thornton, James Thornton, Robert Thornton, Almyrie Thornton, Altha Thornton, Altha Thornton, Marry Thornton, Harriet Thornton

Father’s Uncles and cousins:
Limon Thornton married Margaret Cox, their children John Thornton, Suse [sic]Ann Thornton, Eleptie Thornton, Margaret Thornton, Marry [sic] Thornton, Lyman Harrison Thornton.
Suse Ann married James Demaree, Eleptie, married John Brooks, Margaret married John McCask, their child William McCask

Levi Thornton married Pollie Ann Vestil their children
James Thornton, Eliot Thornton, Levi Thornton, Scot Thornton, Evie Thornton, Marry Thornton, Emma Dean Thornton
James Thornton married Malissie Risk, their children
Morton Thornton, Emma Thornton, Charlie Thornton, Nellie Thornton, Victor Thornton,
Morton Thornton married Marry Jane Buchanan, their children,
Benjamin Thornton, Lillie Thornton, Nellie Thornton
Levi Thornton married Nettie Bishop their children
Fredric Thornton, Curtis Thornton, Raymond Thornton
Fredric Thornton married Eva Baxter

Note: There may have been a page missing that carried this family further.

Children of Jobe and Rube Thornton
1. LIMON THORNTON (1807/08-after 1880) He m. on 2 Apr. 1833 in Jefferson County, (License) Margaret Cox (1807/08-1870/80)/ He was taxed in 1833 in Shelby Twp., Jefferson County, for one poll. He had no other taxable property. They were listed in Shelby Township in 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880.
2. ALMYRIE (ELMIRA) THORNTON (16 Apr. 1808-4 June 1893), buried Salem Cem., Brown Twp., Ripley County. Born in Vermont, she m. Robert Risk. He died by 1829 in Jefferson County when she was named guardian of Sally Ann Risk, their daughter. The marriage is not on record in Indiana. However, Robert Risk was taxed for two horses in Shelby Township in 1828. She m. on 9 Apr. 1840 in Jefferson County, James Lewis who apparently died before 1850 when she was listed in Shelby Twp., Jefferson County. The Ripley County tombstone transcriptions noted she was a Thornton, but this was probably a note by Violet Toph, who did the transcriptions in the 1930s.

3. ANN THORNTON (ca. 1809-9 March 1881) (71 yrs 8 mos 23 das) Born in Vermont or Rhode Island, she m. Joseph Henderson Risk (ca. 1806-11 Oct. 1851) (age 45 yrs 7 Mos.), both buried in a Risk family cemetery in Brown Twp., Ripley County. This was identified as being on the Orb Baxter farm in the 1930s. The marriage of Joseph to Anna Thornton has not been found in Jefferson or Ripley County, but it most likely occurred in Indiana. However, on 18 Jan. 1866 (Jefferson County Deed Book 27-283) Anna Risk was one of the heirs of Jobe Thornton who quit claimed interest in her father's estate. Also, the notebook of his grandson James Risk shows that Joseph Henderson Risk married Annie Thornton. She was listed as Hannah Rusk (born in Vermont) in Brown Township in 1860; as Anna Risk (born in Rhode Island) in Brown Township in 1870; and as Anna Risk, age 67, born in Vermont, in Brown Township in 1880. She was probably the sister Ann Risk who joined Brushy Fork Baptist Church by relation during a meeting that began on the third Saturday, October 1858.
4. LEVI THORNTON (11 Nov. 1811-27 Jan. 1892) He was born in Vermont, according to the censuses, in Kentucky, according to his tombstone transcription. He m. on 26 Nov. 1840 in Jefferson County, Polly Ann Vestile (8 May 1821-13 Feb. 1901), both buried Thornton Cem. They were listed in Shelby Township in 1860, 1870 and 1880. Polly Ann Thornton was on a list of members at Brushy Fork Baptist Church for Sept. 1898. A Mrs. Mary Thornton was also on the list. The 1899 membership list shows Mary D. Thornton, who first became a Christian at age 64, joined by baptism in Nov. 1879 and died in 1900.
5. ROBERT THORNTON (4 Aug. 1812-ca. 1826), buried Thornton Cem. A birth date, but not death date is given on his tombstone. His age was given as 14 years.
6. MARY THORNTON (1814/15-1880/1900) Born in Vermont, she m. on 19 Apr. 1838 in Jefferson County, James Buchanan, who was born about 1810 in Kentucky. They were listed in Brown Township in 1850, 1860 and 1870. She was listed by herself in Brown Township in 1880.
7. ATHA THORNTON (b. 1816/17) She m. on 28 Jan. 1840 in Jefferson County, Isaac Foster, who was born about 1800 in New York. They were listed in Shelby Township in 1850. He died by 1860 when she was listed in the census in Shelby Township as Atha, age 43 born in Vermont. She was listed immediately before James’ household in 1870; in Shelby Township in 1880.
8. ELECTA THORNTON (10 Apr. 1817-ca. 1825), buried Thornton Cem. The stone gives her age as 8 years, but does not provide a death date.
9. LAURA/LANEY THORNTON (10 June 1818-18 Feb.1913) Born in Indiana, she m. on 4 March 1842 in Jefferson County, Ind., Thomas Voris (1820-27 Dec. 1883) (age 63 yrs 11 days), both buried Thornton Cem. They were listed in Shelby Township in 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880. She was received by relation on the fourth Saturday, February 1857, as a member of Brushy Fork Baptist Church, and received a letter of dismission on the third Saturday, November 1860. Her husband is not on the church membership lists. Thomas wrote his will on 21 Oct. 1881 and it was recorded on 26 Jan. 1884 in Jefferson County, which left all real estate to his wife, Laura. (Book A-464) She m. 2nd on 4 July 1889 in Jefferson County, Josiah Bassett, who was born in July 1818 in Kentucky. They were listed in Shelby Township. The DAR transcriptions, published in 1941, showed Laura Bassett as recently buried and that there was no stone, which means the transcription was made before 1920.
10. JAMES THORNTON (1822/23-1880/1900) He was listed his father's household in 1850. He m. on 12 Jan. 1854 in Jefferson County, Caroline Vestile/Vestal (November 1833-after 1920). He and his wife were in Jobe’s household in Shelby Township in 1860. They appeared in Shelby Township in 1880. She was in her son Oliver’s household in Shelby Township in 1900, 1910 and 1920. She apparently m. a Smith after 1920 as Caroline Thornton Smith (1833-1926) is buried in Westfork Cemetery, Shelby Twp., Ripley County, Ind.
11. HARRIET THORNTON (14 Apr. 1828 22 Nov. 1908), She m. on 25 Feb. 1849 in Jefferson County, George W. Buchanan (26 Nov. 1828 11 Feb. 1911), both buried Salem Cem. They were listed in Shelby Twp., Jefferson County, in 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, and 1900. He gave an account in 1910 in the Madison Courier giving many of the details of the Buchanan family history. Apparently, he lived with his daughter Lavina in New Marion, Shelby Twp., Ripley County, after Harriet’s death. He was allocated 169.5 acres in a partition of his father Wilson’s land in Jefferson County on 28 May 1854.