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Redfield, Georgia B.
5-27-38. 1320 words.
J. Y. THORNTON
Served in New Mexico Indian War Five Years
Pioneer Hotel Man and Cattle Man
Organized Find Rorwell Knighte of Pythiar Lodge.
J. Y. Thornton came to Mer extoo as a soldier in the
United t,3tater Army in 1870. He served five yearr until l75
with the Fifteenth Infantry stationed at Fort stanton which was
established in 1855 for the purpose of protection of the early
settlers from Indian hortilities. The old fort was abandoned
in 1861, war reoccupied in 1863, and the old adobe buildings
were replaced by stone and brick constructions in 18iS8 two
years before Mr. Thornton war detailed for duty at the post.
Ur. Thornton'r valiant services during those dangerous times
of Indian uprisings and Massacrer, proved bin to be a soldier
whore bravery in performance of his duties entitled him to the
praise and public recognition 7iven hi in later years by General
Pershing, ;:ho visited r. Thornton at his home in Rorwell, Feb.
ruary 23, 1916, and by Captain D. H. Clark U. S. A. Commandant of
Cadets at the University of Florida in 1903, who during that year
wrote Ms. Thornton in praise of his valor and loyalty to duty
while a soldier during the Indian War. A part of the letter which
was dated September 20, 1903 is given below:
"I renember well the Geronimo Campaign in
which you served. I was Quartermaster, and
Major ,,lock was Port Commander at Fort Stanton.
A courier came in about eleven o'clock re.
ported an unstring and maeracre by Oeronimole
band of Indians at Aqua Chiquita. It was by
my orders you went out after the dead and wound-
ed. After the drive of 180 miles, without
a change of team, you returned in thirty.siz
hours, thereby making one of the most remark-
able drives on record.
You deserve every honer of your valor and
bravery in making that hazardous drive through
the heart of e hostile Indian country, in go-
ing to the assistance of your dead and wound..
ed comrader."
After Ir. Thornton received his dieoharge from the army on
October 8, 1.875, on which hip conduct and cherecter war; marked
"geod" during his five yeere of eervioe in the army, he engaged
for five years in the cattle buniners et port Stanton with George
Curry, who afterwards was Governor of the Territory of New Mexico,
during 7.rt of 7hich time Pfr. Thornton served under him es oil
inenector for the T erritery.
In 1511,0 '!r. Thornton moved to Lincoln, New exioo, where he
and Ceore7e Curry owned the hotel north of the jail in which Wil-
lian Bonney Known se "Billy, the Kid," New 7exico desperado
as confined, awaiting his hanging which rne to teke niece on May
13, 188C for the killing of Sheriff Jim Bredy.
One of Billy the Misr guards 011inger was eating dinner
at Thornton's hotel when he heard the "Kid's" shot that kill-
ed Bell, the other guF,rd. On running from the dining room 011in-
ger, at a. cell from Billy the Kid looked ur and reenived volley
of phote from his own gun that he had left leaning egainet the
wall at the jail. Oith both euardr killed within two or three
minutes' time Billy the Kid ordered his shecklee pawed off by the
jailer, mounted a horse and made his sensational escape.
Wr. Thornton owned the pioneer livery stable at Lincoln and
organized the first produce establishment at that plaoe, in which
he handled hay and feed.
General Lew iallaoe spent some time tn Lincoln during
Jr. Thornton'r reeidence nt that place. They were friends, as
all men were, who were on the eide of peace, law,and order and
were united with a common caure of bringing to a close the
deys of horror of the Lincoln County ';lar and of bringing silly
the Kid to justice.
Wr. Thornton, with a nose of nine men under leader John
Hurley one day, entered a cave near 'Mite Oaks seeking the
young killer and desperado. The rid war concealed behind rooks
at the fartbereet end and as not diecovered but be could have
shot each one as they entered the ca7e if he had deetred. He
after-17rds sail they all had once been his friends and he could—
n't shoot them down unless they had him cornered and forced him
to do so.
ehile livi e et Lincoln !ft.. Thornton and a gr. White of
Las Gruces cane to Ropeell and organized the First rntghts of
Pythiae Lodge.
While in Posereli they stonned nt tl7e Plinly- Hotel owned by
Yr. end rs. J. P. Church. Church hae remodeled the build
in g from the orieinal O'real 7oure ehich hnd been conducted by
a 'rs. C'Neal, R ridow, rho by advice of Judge Irg.nville A.
Fichnrf'son, came from Mite Oaks for the nurno,e of oeening
Roswell's first "real hotel."
At the time of this visit of Mr. Thornton's end Mr. Whitele
Poewell had been incornorsted ns a village in 1891, there were
about fifteen or eighteen residence houses, Chaves County had
been created from parts of Lincoln County in 1889, and Roswell
had been made eaunfy seat, a courthouse and jail had been built,
the Vain Street of the town, laid out in blocks in 15,
had bean rrraled by a. trenty horre 70radin7 and ditching
,Ilachine, from the Hondo River ap far north as North Spring
liver. Besides the new Fauly Hotel, there was n church of
adobe built in 1187, and. a ner three room brick pohool house
erected in 111? had renlaced the one room adobe built in
18?;r;, which hal become to small.
There was a weekly newsnPner, the "Pecor Valley Reqdp.
ter" establirbed by Jarles k Trrin ond Louis 0. rullen in
lgIA. Besides the pioneer store on yorth Main Street, Jaffa
Praper co -any in 18n. had opened a dry7oods and 2Tooery
store and Tr.Zliitenan in 1889 opened ,areoery store on
r'Thath Fain street. There war also a rist mill established
by 0eors!e Bla-hek in 1851 and a blec'.csmith shop onened for
business by '..uf-ar Ounnahoo in 1851. The firrt sank of
Powell had been established by T. A. lshoon in 1820. 7Op-
roll LoJe No. 18 Ancient Free and ;oceoted !garonp had been
instituted in 110.) and ras chartered in. 15?0, and on the
Inc, of "r. Thornton and "r. Mite the 7ni-r.hts of Pythiar
Lod -e rap or lnized by the in 1'18J or 15'72.
Reig favorbly trrrerred with. the ,Trorin ton, r.
Thornton rith hip fallily moved to 'Roswell in 1895, rhere he
in 1897 built the hone nt rh t in no 209 North Pennsylvania
avenue. ie lived there continuourly until his death in 1919,
snd hip wife liver there at the nrerent tire.
Ir. Thornton -as born and educated in Danville, Pennsyl-
vania which WRP his home until moving to New Mexico in 1870.
Hie father, CaptRia Isiah Paul Thornton, was nleo a roldier
hnvinp been mnde R Inntr-in during the 'Textron 71!nr.
kfter mowin7 from ,?ort 9tonton tn tincoln 'fr. Thornton
morrieds at Vint nlRoe on Februnry lc, 1!)Ir to !,qrs Nellie
r
Leahy of Vonroe, ',11poonrin. Mr 111. oole to Net, merle° with a
friend in /P84 for the benefit of her he lths hving had
rnoum,nin.
T. and 7ra. Thornton had four dau terr Mabel and rya,
both of whom lied during the rams month o.f Pentember with roar.
lot fever, and Kitty now 4rp. Raynor V. '4ept of tong 9saoh,
tIaltfornia nnl 'Iola, now fro. Irville '14rookshier of !'torwells
Now "foxlco.
rr. Thornton nap charter member of Fl"tp Lodge and of
nightp of Pythias. nuring his long reellence In Poswell be was
was active in Imnortant burtnspr devolonments nnd imnrovements
for the unbullAine of the city. death 000ured at Roswell
on k7vrtrt 191 1011, hip ftrnei'& t Pouth Pnrk being attended by
many old friend') of Fort rtanton and tinooln ar well !tp Comrad-
es why, livf0 ;et lopmelT, anl erloyed with him neneefhl days be
hid holned bring to New vexioo. r:e perved five yenrr ap eol-
dier and gl ri to nrotect the 7-)oneerr fron Indinn hoptilitlep
dltrinf, the firpt yeRrp of settlement in New tiAltiCO.
171-cl, le
77.
rrr. T. 7. tIn (TT fa) -Y,tterr 1.n her
porrerrinn.