Person:William Thornton (88)

Watchers
William Thornton, M.D.
b.27 May 1761 Tortola, British Virgin Islands
d.28 Mar 1828 Washington, District of Columbia, United States
Parents and Siblings
(edit)
m. 1 Aug 1757
  1. William Thornton, M.D.1761 - 1828
  2. Edward Thornton - 1781
Spouse and Children
(edit)
m. 13 Oct 1790
Add another spouse & children
Facts and Events
Name William Thornton, M.D.
Gender Male
Birth[1] 27 May 1761 Tortola, British Virgin IslandsJost van Dyke island
Marriage 13 Oct 1790 to Anna Maria Brodeau
Death[1] 28 Mar 1828 Washington, District of Columbia, United States
Burial? Congressional Cemetery, District of Columbia, United States
Reference Number Q1347934 (Wikidata)
Religion? Quaker
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Notes

  • paternal grandparents estate was "Green-Air" in Lancaster, England
  • heir to his family's plantation at Pleasant Valley
  • ...
  • 1828 - left his heavily indebted estate to his wife and her mother ; "the part by them unconverted to be for the emancipation and education of the negro"
References
  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Medical Society of the District of Columbia. History of the Medical Society of the District of Columbia 1817-1909. (Washington, D.C.: The Society, 1909).

    30. WILLIAM THORNTON—Born May 27, 1761, Tortola Island, West Indies. M. D., 1784, Edinburgh. Architect of U. S. Capitol. Died March 27, 1828. After graduation he continued his medical studies in Paris, and travelled extensively through Europe ; then came to the United States. Married in 1790 and returned to Tortola. Returned to Washington in 1793. The same year published his “Elements of Written Language;" and afterwards published many papers on other subjects, including medicine, astronomy, philosophy, finance, government and art. Was associated with Fitch in the early experiments in running boats by steam. Invented a number of patents; was in charge of patents from the passage of the act of Congress, 1802, till his death; and during the war of 1814 was the means of preserving the records of the Patent Office from destruction by the British. Was the first architect of the Capitol, as also its designer. Was first Lieutenant, then Captain, in the war of 1812-14. In 1794 was appointed by President Washington one of the three Commissioners of the District of Columbia. Designed and built many buildings in the District of Columbia and elsewhere.
    See Appleton's Biog., 1889, VI, p. 104; Hist. U. S. Capitol, Washington, 1900, p. 81.

  2.   William Thornton (1761-1828) physician turned architect, in JAMA
    206(1):126.
  3.   Clark, Allen C. Doctor and Mrs. William Thornton, in Columbia Historical Society (Washington, D. C.). Records of the Columbia Historical Society, Washington, D.C. (Washington, District of Columbia: The Society, 1897-)
    18 (1915), 144-208.
  4.   William Thornton, in Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia
    last accessed Oct 2022.

    William Thornton (May 20, 1759 – March 28, 1828) was a British-American physician, inventor, painter and architect who designed the United States Capitol. He also served as the first Architect of the Capitol and first Superintendent of the United States Patent Office. ...

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