Anthony Thornton (representative)
Encyclopedia
Anthony Thornton was an American attorney who served as a U.S. Representative
from Illinois
and a Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court.
Born near Paris, Kentucky
, Thornton attended the common schools and Centre College
, Danville, Kentucky
. He graduated from Miami University
, Ohio, in 1834. He studied law under his uncle, John R. Thornton. He was admitted to the bar
and commenced practice in Shelbyville, Illinois
, in 1836. He served as major
of militia during the war with Mexico. He served as delegate to the State constitutional conventions in 1847 and 1862, and was a member of the Illinois House of Representatives
in 1851-52. In 1856, he held a joint debate with Abraham Lincoln
in Shelbyville, Illinois
.
Thornton was elected as a Democrat
to the Thirty-ninth Congress
(March 4, 1865-March 3, 1867). He was not a candidate for renomination in 1866. He resumed the practice of law. He served as justice of the Supreme Court of Illinois
from 1870 to 1873, when he resigned. He served as president of the Illinois State Bar Association
for four terms. He served as chairman of the State board of arbitration
1895-1897. He died in Shelbyville, Illinois, on September 10, 1904. He was interred in Glenwood Cemetery.
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
and a Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court.
Born near Paris, Kentucky
Paris, Kentucky
As of the census of 2000, there were 9,183 people, 3,857 households, and 2,487 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 4,222 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 84.23% White, 12.71% African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.16%...
, Thornton attended the common schools and Centre College
Centre College
Centre College is a private liberal arts college in Danville, Kentucky, USA, a community of approximately 16,000 in Boyle County south of Lexington, KY. Centre is an exclusively undergraduate four-year institution. Centre was founded by Presbyterian leaders, with whom it maintains a loose...
, Danville, Kentucky
Danville, Kentucky
Danville is a city in and the county seat of Boyle County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 16,218 at the 2010 census.Danville is the principal city of the Danville Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Boyle and Lincoln counties....
. He graduated from Miami University
Miami University
Miami University is a coeducational public research university located in Oxford, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1809, it is the 10th oldest public university in the United States and the second oldest university in Ohio, founded four years after Ohio University. In its 2012 edition, U.S...
, Ohio, in 1834. He studied law under his uncle, John R. Thornton. He was admitted to the bar
Admission to the bar in the United States
In the United States, admission to the bar is the granting of permission by a particular court system to a lawyer to practice law in that system. Each U.S. state and similar jurisdiction has its own court system and sets its own rules for bar admission , which can lead to different admission...
and commenced practice in Shelbyville, Illinois
Shelbyville, Illinois
Shelbyville is a city in Shelby County, Illinois, along the Kaskaskia River. As of the 2010 census, the population was at 4700. It is the county seat of Shelby County...
, in 1836. He served as major
Major (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, major is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel...
of militia during the war with Mexico. He served as delegate to the State constitutional conventions in 1847 and 1862, and was a member of the Illinois House of Representatives
Illinois House of Representatives
The Illinois House of Representatives is the lower house of the Illinois General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Illinois. The body was created by the first Illinois Constitution adopted in 1818. The state House of Representatives is made of 118 representatives elected from...
in 1851-52. In 1856, he held a joint debate with Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
in Shelbyville, Illinois
Shelbyville, Illinois
Shelbyville is a city in Shelby County, Illinois, along the Kaskaskia River. As of the 2010 census, the population was at 4700. It is the county seat of Shelby County...
.
Thornton was elected as a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
to the Thirty-ninth Congress
39th United States Congress
The Thirty-ninth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1865 to March 4, 1867, during the first month of...
(March 4, 1865-March 3, 1867). He was not a candidate for renomination in 1866. He resumed the practice of law. He served as justice of the Supreme Court of Illinois
Supreme Court of Illinois
The Supreme Court of Illinois is the state supreme court of Illinois. The court's authority is granted in Article VI of the current Illinois Constitution, which provides for seven justices elected from the five appellate judicial districts of the state: Three justices from the First District and...
from 1870 to 1873, when he resigned. He served as president of the Illinois State Bar Association
Illinois State Bar Association
The Illinois State Bar Association is the largest voluntary state bar association in the country. Approximately 30,000 lawyers are members of the ISBA. Unlike some state bar associations, in which membership is mandatory, ISBA membership is not required of lawyers licensed to practice in...
for four terms. He served as chairman of the State board of arbitration
Arbitration
Arbitration, a form of alternative dispute resolution , is a legal technique for the resolution of disputes outside the courts, where the parties to a dispute refer it to one or more persons , by whose decision they agree to be bound...
1895-1897. He died in Shelbyville, Illinois, on September 10, 1904. He was interred in Glenwood Cemetery.