A. W. Thornton has passed the uneventful life of the farmer, and has continued steadily to pursue "the even tenor of his way," and is now classed among the prosperous farmers of Poinsett County. His birth occurred in Giles County, Tenn. in 1846, and he was the fifth of eight children born to Leecel and Sarah Jane (Austin) Thornton, the former born in South Carolina and the latter in Tennessee. The father was taken to Tennessee when a youth, and was there reared and educated, and made that his permanent home until his death, which occurred in 1888, his worthy wife still surviving him, and making her home in Tennessee. In early life he was a Whig in his political views, but later he became a Democrat.
A. W. Thornton was initiated into the mysteries of farm life by his father, who was a successful agriculturist, and received his early scholastic training in the district schools of Giles County. In 1862 he abandoned farm life for the time being to join the Confederate army, and was a member of Company E, Thirty-second Tennessee Infantry, and was mustered into service at Murfreesboro, and afterward participated in the battles of Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, Lookout Mountain, and in 1864 received a gun-shot wound at Resaca, and was confined in the hospital at Forsyth, Ga., until fully recovered. He rejoined his company in August, 1864, and was again wounded by a gunshot at Atlanta, Ga., and was sent to the hospital where he had previously been cared for, and was later taken to Cuthbert, Ga. In 1864, he again rejoined his command, and was with Hood on his campaign in Tennessee. After his return to his home in Giles County, he remained there until 1871, when he came to Poinsett County, where he has since been engaged in farming and school teaching, and in both these occupations has become well known. His farm comprises 160 acres, and since 1883, he has cleared thirty acres and put them under cultivation. His property is well improved with good buildings and fences, and in addition to his farm work, his attention is given, to a considerable degree, to stock raising. He votes the Democratic ticket, but is not an active partisan. In 1877 and 1878 he filled the office of county assessor, and is the present justice of his township, and is serving his fourth term. He is a patron of schools, and is a member of Harrisburg Lodge No. 184, of the A. F. & A. M., and was secretary of his lodge for about two years. He has also filled that position for the I. O. O. F., he being a member of White Hall Lodge No. 77. He is a member of the Agricultural Wheel.
He was married in this county, in 1877, to Miss Harriet Frances Wright, and by her has four children: James Arthur, Thomas Jefferson, Leecel La Fayette and William Harvey.