William THORNBOROUGH

   Another name for William was William THORNBURGH.

  Noted events in his life were:

• Alt. Birth, ca. 1714, Hopewell, VA.

• Biography. William Thornbrough was received on certificate 11/4/1752 at Cane Creek Monthly Meeting in Rowan County, North Carolina, from Hopewell Monthly Meeting in Virginia. His is nearly the only surviving record of the Thornbroughs at Hopewell Meeting in Virginia. He was also apparently one of the earliest arriving in North Carolina. We do not know when and where he married Martha, as we could not find a record. We do not know if the list of children is complete as it is taken from his will.

William Thornbrough was one of the few to make his mark "WT" instead of signing his will. Keep in mind however, that sometimes people were too ill to sign where a will is involved. Abraham Woodward witnessed his will, lending credence to the theory that Hannah Thornbrough Woodward was probably granddaughter of Edward Thornbrough, and thus William's niece. William Thornbrough's death record is at Center Monthly Meeting (see location on the Guilford Map) which was also the Woodward's meeting and located just north of the Randolph County line in present day Guilford County.

William Thornbrough is listed as 1 poll on the 1761 tax list in Rowan County, not far from William Millikan which also places him the southern Guilford or northern Randolph County area.

• Will: William Thornborough Will, 1784, Randolph County, NC. The Last Will and Testament of William Thornborough Decsd. Know all men by these Presents that I William Thornborough of North Carolina Randolph County being Sick and languishing in Body but of Sound and perfect mind and memory and Calling to mind the uncertainty of Human life and knowing that it is appointed unto all men once to die so make this my last Will and Testament in manner and form followng that is to Say

This is all I Recommend my Soul to God that Gave it and my body to be decently Buried at the Direction of my friends and as touching such worldly Estate as it hath pleased God to bless me with I give and bequeath in the following manner

Impremas I give and Bequeath unto Martha my Dearly beloved Wife whom I constitute my Executor to have all my estate both Real & personal that thereafter mentioned to my son George only Excepted to be by her freely and uninterruptedly enjoyed during her life if she Remain my widow but at her death or marriage if she marry I will and ordain that the same be all and every part therefor Equally divided between our daughters Elizabeth Martha & Sarah.

Item I give to my son George Thornborough I give and bequeath two hundred acres of Land to be surveyed off the tract at the west end by a line running North and South from the North to the South line including his improvements where he now lives I likewise Bequeth unto him all my Blacksmiths tools together with all my wearing appearal for his own proper use

Item unto my Daughter Frances Clark I bequeath the sum of five pounds to be paid out of the aforesaid Dividend or shares thus, George forty Shillings Elizabeth Martha & Sarah each twenty shillings good and lawful money of North Carolina for her own proper use and behalf -- I also Constitute Edward Sharp executor of my last will and testament.

I do ratify and confirm this and no other to be my last will and Testament in Witness whereof I have hereunto Set my hand and affixed my Seal this 29th day of the fifth month in the year of Our Lord one thousand seven hundred & eighty-four. William Thornborough his mark

Signed Sealed Published Pronounced and declared by the Said William Thornborough as his last Will and testament in the presence of us

Nathaniel Yatlow
Abraham Woodward
John Rails
...

[http://files.usgwarchives.org/nc/randolph/wills/withorwi.txt]

• See also. http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/h/i/l/William-C-Hilles/GENE65-0002.html

http://freepages.family.rootsweb.com/~mygermanfamilies/ThornWmMartha.html

William married Martha. (Martha was born ca. 1730.)