[Ancestor] Thorne

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Husband [Ancestor] Thorne

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Wife

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Children

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1 M Joseph Thorne ¹

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           Died:  - Butler Co, PA
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         Spouse: Jane Walker (      -      ) 1

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General Notes: Husband - [Ancestor] Thorne

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Lower, in his "Patronymica Britannica," assigns two origins to the surname Thorn or Thorne, the first that it was a surname derived in diverse counties in England from the residence of an individual in a certain locality. Parishes called Thorne were found early in counties York, Somerset and Northumberland, and also in other places. The second origin assigned is that the name Thorne is derived from an Anglo-Saxon personal name. "An individual called Simon, the son of Thorne, was lord of the manors of North Allerton and Todwick (Elreton and Todeswick) in Yorkshire, at the time of the Conquest. These manors William seized and gave them, together with Simon's daughters, in marriage to three of his followers-one of the young ladies being assigned to Humphrey, his man at arms; another to Raoul, called Tortes-mains; and the third to an esquire, Guillaume de St. Paul." (Thierry's "Norman Conquest.") However, the first mentioned local origin is undoubtedly the beginning of the most of the family names. "In Anglo-Saxon charters, thorn-trees frequently occur as boundary marks, which from the great longevity of the tree is quite natural; and the word enters into the composition of numerous place-names. In medieval writings the surname Thorn is Latinized De Spineto, spinetum being the equivalent to a 'bushy place' or a thicket of thorns and brambles, anglice a Spinney, whence that surname. . . . . The most important families of the name Thorn were the Norman Thorns of Thorn-Falcon and Thorn St. Margaret in Somersetshire, who held under Drogo, of the castle Dunster, and gave lands to Taunton Priory. From them seem to have branched off the Thorns of Devon, Yorkshire, Kent, Worcestershire, Gloucestershire, Northamptonshire, etc. At Minster, in the Isle of Thanet, County Kent, one of the ancient abodes of the family, on a tomb over one of the female members, of about the date of Edward I, is this legend: ICI GIST EDILE DE THORNE, QUE FUST D'NA DEL ESPINA.' (Here lies Edile de Thorne, who was the Lady of the Thorne.) In a list of persons who gave lands and slaves to Meaux Abbey, County York, is this entry: 'Walter, son of Peter de Spineto (Thorn) gave us, with his own body to be buried in our house, one ox-gang of land at Hornsburton, and Henry, the son of Simon, the tenant, and all his belongings.' "
Turning from early history in England to early history in America, it is to be noted that Butler County, Pennsylvania, was first settled mostly by inhabitants from the counties west of the mountains. Westmoreland and Allegheny counties contributed the greater portion; Washington and Fayette a part; and some came from east of the mountains. A few emigrated from other states. The first settlement commenced in 1792, but there was no considerable settlement made until 1796 and up to 1800-03, at which time the county of Butler, Pennsylvania, was formed. This county, in common with all counties northwest of the Allegheny River, was taken from Allegheny County in 1800.
Salem Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, was organized between 1785 and 1788. John N. Boucher, in his "History of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania," says: "Among the first settlers were many of Massachusetts ancestry, and the whole township, as far as its pioneer families are concerned, bears the impress of New England industry, prudence and thrift."
In the United States Census taken in 1790 in Pennsylvania, Joseph Thorn was the only head of a family named Thorn in Salem Township in that year. His family included, apparently, himself, one son over sixteen years, three sons under sixteen years, wife and two daughters. In Mount Pleasant Township, in the same county (Westmoreland), John Thorn, Sr., and John Thorn, Jr., were heads of families.

1 Frederic A. Godcharles, LL.D., Encyclopedia of Pennsylvania Biography, Vol. 21 (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, Inc., 1934), Pg 267.