Charles Thornton

[jstuber]

I'm trying to find information on a Charles Thornton who married in Iowa in 1892 and gave his age as 37.  On the birth of his first child three months later he gave his age as 49.  On his marrige record he gave his birth place as Thornton Abby, Devonshire, England and listed his father as W.T. Thornton and mother as Louisa J.  Parson.  He appears to have been a bit of a scoundrel and it's possible all this information was made up. 

In particular I have been unable to locate any place like Thornton Abby in Devonshire.  Can anyone give me a clue where that place might be, or confirm that it's likely a made up place?

[keyboard86]

Hi a puzzle to be sure, an online tree has Charles as Charles M Thornton same parentage/pob born 3rd Sept 1854, and being in Clifton, Wilson, Kansas by 1870 aged 15/16  he dies 21st July 1934 Sutter, California.

Is this your tree/man?

[rosie99]

The marriage transcript is on familysearch, no mention of a middle name for him
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XJHQ-NMB

[jstuber]

Hi a puzzle to be sure, an online tree has Charles as Charles M Thornton same parentage/pob born 3rd Sept 1854, and being in Clifton, Wilson, Kansas by 1870 aged 15/16  he dies 21st July 1934 Sutter, California.

Is this your tree/man?

That's not my tree.

Where did you find it?

[rosie99]

The tree is on Ancestry.com

[jstuber]

The tree is on Ancestry.com

Got it.  I see a few others there too. 

[rosie99]

Be aware that these trees are notoriously unreliable.  As with all family history check the original source.  I have family mentioned on there who are apparently living and dying in the USA when they have never left the UK and I am not alone. 

There is one on there that seems to be collecting evidence of their facts. 

[jstuber]

Be aware that these trees are notoriously unreliable.  As with all family history check the original source.  I have family mentioned on there who are apparently living and dying in the USA when they have never left the UK and I am not alone. 

There is one on there that seems to be collecting evidence of their facts. 

I agree - lots of them with him on them are trash. 

I'm mainly interested in figuring out the truth or not about his birth place.

[Annette7]

I don't believe the Charles M. Thornton death in 1934, Sutter, California is this Charles Thornton.

Charles M. Thornton was actually Charles Melvin Thornton who, whilst born circa 1853, was actually born in New York (according to census) plus lived in Sutter all his adult life until his death there in 1934.

Annette