William Thorn was born March 8, 1807 in Ohio. The identity of his parents is not known at this point. Census entries list William's occupation as farmer. He married Mary Ann Leesure on May 17, 1832 in Perry County, Ohio. Mary Ann is the daughter of John Leasure and Margaret Crosby. Mary Ann Leesure was born on March 11, 1812 in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. Children of William Thorn and Mary Leesure are: 1. Mary Lovina Thorn, born about 1833 in Ohio; died between 1870 - 1873 in Vinton County, Ohio; m. GEORGE HUTCHINSON, April 10, 1851, Vinton County, Ohio; b. July 2, 1829, Gallia County, Ohio; d. October 7, 1903, Huntington Township, Ross County, Ohio. George and Mary are my ggg-grandparents. 2. DAVID THORN, b. Abt. 1835, Ohio; d. July 12, 1853, Madison Township, Vinton County, Ohio. 3. MATILDA JANE THORN, b. Abt. 1837, Ohio; m. JAMES WILSON, April 05, 1855, Vinton County, Ohio. 4. ISAAC THORN, b. Abt. 1839, Ohio; d. April 4, 1856, Madison Township, Vinton County, Ohio. 5. LUCY THORN, b. April 13, 1841, Ohio; d. February 17, 1926, Columbia Township, Meigs County, Ohio; m. (1) JOHN MCKIBBEN, August 11, 1866, Vinton County, Ohio; b. 1841; m. (2) AARON LEWELLEN, April 18, 1868, Athens County, Ohio; b. September 17, 1834, Athens County, Ohio; d. December 15, 1903, Athens County, Ohio. 6. ELZA LEROY THORN, b. April 10, 1843, Ohio; d. May 19, 1933, Albany, Lee Township, Athens County, Ohio; m. (1) ELIZABETH WEST, April 14, 1864, Vinton County, Ohio; b. May 20, 1847, Muskingum County, Ohio; d. February 13, 1885, Vinton County, Ohio; m. (2) ORILLA J. ENLOW, February 15, 1886, Athens County, Ohio; b. April 14, 1856; d. June 29, 1917 m. (3) RACHEL; b. 1859; d. 1950;. Elza served in the Civil War with Company H, 36th Infantry Regiment Ohio (August 26, 1861- July 27, 1865). 7. ROBERT W. THORN, b. Abt. 1846, Ohio; d. June 11, 1864, Lexington, Kentucky. Killed during Civil War while serving with Company H, 36th Infantry Regiment Ohio. Robert and his brother Elza both enlisted with Company H, 36th Infantry Regiment Ohio on August 26, 1861. 8. ROXANA THORN, b. Abt. 1847, Ohio; d. November 22, 1936, Madison Township, Vinton County, Ohio; m. WILLIAM L. BROOKS, August 19, 1872, Vinton County, Ohio; b. July 28, 1849, Ohio; d. September 7, 1927, Madison Township, Vinton County, Ohio. 9. WILLIAM B. THORN, b. Abt. 1850, Ohio; d. October 24, 1855, Madison Township, Vinton County, Ohio. 10. REBECCA E. THORN, b. Abt. 1852, Ohio. 11. LEVISA M. THORN, b. March 28, 1857, Ohio; d. July 14, 1942; m. (1) GEORGE W. CLINE, February 15, 1873, Vinton County, Ohio; b. 1854; d. October 1881; m. (2) JACOB L. BROOKS, Abt. 1882; b. 1856. 12. JOHN MARION THORN, b. November 18, 1859, Vinton County, Ohio; d. December 22, 1938, Lancaster, Fairfield County, Ohio; m. ROSA HARKINS, February 16, 1880, Vinton County, Ohio; b. 1861, Meigs County, Ohio; d. Aft. 1930. There is a William Thorn listed living in Athens County in the 1840 Ohio census. The ages of the residents correspond to the ages of "my" William's family: 1840 Athens County, Ohio Census, Page 387 MALES 0-5 Years 1835-1840 1 Isaac Thorn, 1839 5-10 Years 1830-1835 1 David Thorn, 1835 20-30 Years 1810-1820 1 William Thorn, 1807 FEMALES 0-5 Years 1835-1840 1 Matilda Jane Thorn, 1837 5-10 Years 1830-1835 1 Mary Lovina Thorn, 1833 20-30 Years 1810-1820 1 Mary Ann Leasure Thorn, 1812 William Thorn is listed living in Vinton County in the 1850 Ohio census: 1850 Vinton County, Ohio Census, Page 492 Name Age Sex Race Occupation Real Estate Personal Birthplace William Thorn 43 M W Farmer 1200 Ohio Mary A. 37 F W Pa Mary L. 17 F W Ohio David 15 M W Laborer Ohio Matilda J. 13 M W Ohio Isaac 11 F W Ohio Lucy 9 F W Ohio Elza L. 7 M W Ohio Robert W. 5 M W Ohio Roxyanna 3 F W Ohio William B. 6/12 M W Ohio William Thorn is listed living in Vinton County in the 1860 Ohio census: 1860 Vinton County, Ohio Census, Page 273 Name Age Sex Race Occupation Real Estate Personal Birthplace William Thorn 54 M W Farmer 3500 500 Ohio Mary A. 48 F W Wife Ohio Lucy 19 F W Ohio Elza L. 17 M W L on farm Ohio Robert 14 M W Ohio Roxany 13 F W Ohio Rebecca 8 F W Ohio Louisa 3 F W Ohio Marion 11/12 M W Ohio William's sons Elza and Robert W. served in the Union Army during the Civil War. Elza Thorn enlisted as a Private on August 12, 1861 at the age of 18. He enlisted in Company H, 36th Ohio Infantry Regiment on August 26, 1861. Elza was promoted to Full Corporal on May 15, 1865. He mustered out of Company H, 36th on July 27, 1865 in Wheeling, West Virginia. Robert W. Thorn enlisted as a Private on August 12, 1861. While Civil War service records list his age as 18, census records show his age to be 15-16. He enlisted in Company H, 36th Ohio Infantry Regiment on August 26, 1861. Note that Robert and his brother Elza both enlisted in the same Company/Regiment on the same day. Robert was killed while serving with Company H, 36th Infantry Regiment Ohio on June 11, 1864 in Lexington, Kentucky. William Thorn is listed living in Vinton County in the 1870 Ohio census: 1870 Vinton County, Ohio Census, Page 122 Name Age Sex Race Occupation Real Estate Personal Birthplace Thorn, William 63 M W Farmer 4000 825 Ohio ------ Maryan 57 F W Keeping House Ohio ------ Rosana 23 F W at home Ohio ------ Rebecca 19 F W Ohio ------ Sarah 16 F W Ohio ------ Lavisa 14 F W attending school Ohio ------ John 11 M W Ohio ------ Lilly 3 F W Ohio Mary Ann Leesure Thorn died February 1, 1880 in Madison Township, Vinton County, Ohio. Mary is buried in Putnam Chapel Cemetery, Vinton County, Ohio. William Thorn is listed living in Vinton County in the 1880 Ohio census: 1880 Vinton County, Ohio Census, Page 122 Name Relation Marital Status Age Birthplace Occupation Father's Birthplace Mother's Birthplace William Thorne Self W 73 OH Farmer VT WALES Lilley M. Thorne GDau S 12 OH At Home OH OH William Thorn died May 25, 1888 in Madison Township, Vinton County, Ohio. William is buried beside his wife Mary in Putnam Chapel Cemetery, Vinton County, Ohio. William's will was probated on June 3, 1886 at McArthur, Ohio in Vinton County. The probate document lists Ellsworth Leroy Thorn, Lucy Lewellyn, Roxy Ann Brooks, Jane Wilson, Rebecca Thorn, Margaret Harkins, Lovina Cline, John Thorn, Oliver Hutchison, Edward Hutchison, Garrdt Hutchison, James Hutchison, Charles Hutchison, Wesley Hutchison, Isaac Hutchison. The Hutchisons listed are the sons of William's deceased daughter Mary.