My only info on her is Elizabeth Thornhill
b- dec.11, 1827 in tennessee
d- oct 13, 1868 cooke co, tex. buried pollard cemt.
she was the first wife of thomas jefferson hendricks married aug. 3, 1848 in adams county; quincy, illinois.
does this look like it is the same thornhill? thanks

Was Asbury Thornhill's mother named Rachel Johnson?

I descend from James Thornhill , brother of Barnabus. Do you have proof Asbury descends from Barnabus? There was another brother in Tennessee.

There was a brother named Armstead Thornhill in early TN. He married Rachel Johnson. There is a Rachel Thornhill of about the correct age in southern Missouri. There are few records for Armstead.

Maybe we are discussing different people?

Have you seen, "A History of the Pioneer Families of Missouri," by Bryan and Rose? Page 212-213 mentions three Thornhill brothers, Reuben, Barnabus (Barney), and Bryant, who married sisters named Gray - Polly, Dorcas, and Jane. This could not be the Barnabus you mentioned, as this man was older, but this is the Barnabus I mentioned.

These Thornhill brothers were from Bedford County, Virginia, sons of William Thornhill, Senior. They migrated to Tennessee, and then to Missouri when it was a Territory. My ancestor was their younger brother, James, who stayed in Virginia, but his descendants went west to mingle with relatives in Missouri. My g.g.grandmother's obituary said she was born 1839, in Bedford, Virginia, but research has shown her parents moved west (KY) soon after her birth. James was her grandfather. Julia Thornhill married in 1859 to Abraham Lewis in Franklin Co., Missouri, and later lived in Phelps Co., Missouri. I have been researching this family for awhile. I have more information.

Did Armstead/Armistead Thornhill have a son, Barnabus, named for his brother? I know someone else researching Armstead's line. We had thought the Thornhill in southwest Missouri might be Armistead's descendants. Rachel and A. Thornhill were in the 1840 census of Greene Co., Missouri, and A. was not seen after that. Rachel lived on, because she was younger than her husband. I have a bit more on this line, but I will have to find it.

You have better proof than others on the Armstead Thornhill line. Armstead's lineage is particularly difficult to prove. I did have a web site that had the descendants of William Thornhill, Sr., but it was on AOL Homepages, and was deleted by them last year. I have the information saved, but I have to get it out. I had been trying to reach descendants of William Thornhill of Bedford, VA, and construct a family tree, because each branch has their own information to add. It is an interesting family.

Do you suppose we need a Thornhill group?

Do you mind if I share your information with another person who descends from Armstead? I have to ask her if I can share her information. Every little bit helps.

I think Rachel, wife of A. Thornhill, might be Rachel Johnson Thornhill. Are you aware the counties changed boundaries. I know this area rather well, as relatives lived in that area, and I live a few counties away, but I don't know where Rachel is buried. I have noted Armstead Thornhill was over the age of 21 in 1795. Sorry, but I do not remember my source. It is possible Rachel Johnson's family came from Bedford, VA also.

My friend, who lives in Texas, descends from Mahala, daughter of Armstead Thornhill. She has never totally proved Armstead was a son of William Thornhill, Sr., but there is circumstancial proof.

William Thornhill, Sr.'s children (not in birth order):

William Thornhill, Jr. - b. c1757 Culpeper, VA; d. aft 1850, Breckenridge, KY; married 1789, Bedford, VA, to Susannah Barton, dau. of Burr Barton. He was a Revolutionary War soldier.

Ezekiel Thornhill, - married 1789 in Bedford, VA to Nancy Barrett, dau. of George and Sarah Barrett.

John Thornhill - born Culpeper, VA. Son of William's first wife.

Rachel Thornhill - married 1791, in Bedford, VA, to Zachariah Chandler. They moved to Buncombe Co., NC, where it appears Rachel died young.

Reuben Thornhill - married Mary "Polly" Gray. Resident of Missouri in 1809.

Barnabas Thornhill - married Dorcas Gray. He resided St. Charles, Missouri, Upper Cuiver twp. in 1817.

Bryant Thornhill - married Jane Gray. He resided St. Charles, MO, Upper Cuiver twp in 1817.

Armstead Thornhill - over 21 in 1795. He married Rachel Johnson in Nashville, Tennessee.

Sally Thornhill

Edna Thornhill - married 1802, in Bedford, VA to Henry Deardoff. They moved to Greene Co., Ohio. Her son, and son-in-law died 1836, at the Alamo in Texas.

James Thornhill - son of William and Sara, b. c1781, Bedford, VA, d. before 1844, married 1813, Bedford, VA to Mary "Polly" Corley/Finley, dau. of Sally Corley/Finley and unknown.

I have much more information, but it needs to be posted in another manner.

In 1758, there is a mention of William Thornhill in Culpeper County, Virginia at:
http://www.vagenweb.org/hening/vol07-10.htm#page_214
He had children by an unnamed first wife, and a second wife named Sara in Bedford Co., Virginia. He may have been a soldier of the Revolution, but there were several men with the same name, and lost records. William died 1789, while on a trip to Hawkins County, North Carolina, which is now in Tennessee. He left a Will.

There is a Thornhill listed in the 1678 Tax List in Maryland, thought to be Williams's family. I have not done a great deal of research on William's ancestors, as I worked on his descendants.
http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/md/statewide/taxlists/1678-tax-list.txt

Thornhill is a very old name, going back to Yorkshire, England.

I found some of what I have on Armstead Thornhill.

ARMSTEAD/ARMISTEAD THORNHILL, b. VA; d.(maybe Greene Co., MO, after 1840); married Oct. 1,1800, Knox, TN, to RACHEL JOHNSON, b.<1784>; d. (note: not sure of this information, more research is necessary)
children (not in birth order)
(1850 Census Barry Co., MO, 1860 census McDonald Co., MO has Rachel Thornhill of the appropriate age listed.)
(1840 census Greene Co., MO has an A. Thornhill listed)
(marriage records Knox, TN)
1. MAHALA THORNHILL, b. <1806, N.C.> ;married JOEL K.SANDERS

2. ELIZA JANE THORNHILL, b. Mar. 24, 1824; d. Mar 18, 1898, Purdy, Barry Co., MO, buried Bullington Cemetery there; married TILLMAN EDWARDS (need more research to verify this information)
1. URSULA KATHARINE EDWARDS
2. JAMES K. POLK EDWARDS
3. AMANDA ELIZABETH EDWARDS
4. MARY ISABELLE EDWARDS
5. GEORGE WESTWOOD EDWARDS
6. HESTER ANN RACHEL EDWARDS
7. SARAH ANN EDWARDS
8. MINERVA ANN EDWARDS

I do not know if Eliza was a daughter or granddaughter.
There was a John Thornhill in the area also.

McDonald County was made from Barry County, Missouri. My g.g.grandmother, Julia's brother also lived in McDonald County and Benton County, Arkansas, James H. Thornhill, who married Julia's husband's sister. This is why I became interested in the other Thornhill in southwest Missouri.

Correction - Rachel Thornhill, daughter of William, Sr., married Zachariah Candler, not Chandler. There is still a Candler's Mountain near Lynchburg, VA. Zachariah Candler owned part of what is now the Biltmore Estate, Asheville, NC.

I have a copy of the Folden Document. It is one of the very few that mentions Armstead.