Iowa History Project
Harlan, Edgar Rubey.
A Narrative History of the People of Iowa.
Vol IV. Chicago: American Historical Society, 1931
p. 91
THOMAS F. THORNTON, M.D. A physician of more than
ordinary skill, widely-known throughout Blackhawk County, Dr. Thomas F. Thornton
is a leading member of the medical profession of Waterloo. He was born on a farm
in Lincoln Township, Blackhawk County, Iowa, a son of Thomas Thornton and a
grandson of a native of Ireland, whose entire life was spent on that island.
After his death his widow, grandmother of Doctor Thornton, moved with her
children to Glasgow, Scotland.
The father of Doctor Thornton, Thomas Thornton, was born in
County Mayo, Ireland, but accompanied his mother to Glasgow, and he and his
brother William were the only members of the family to come to the United
States. William Thornton settled in Wisconsin, but is now deceased, although his
son and daughter survive him. From the time he was seven years old until 1861,
Thomas Thornton lived at Glasgow, and in the latter year came to the United
States and went into the lumbering industry in the vicinity of Green Bay,
Wisconsin. After ten years of hard work in the labor camps, during which period
he saved his money, in 1871 he came to Blackhawk County and bought a tract of
land from the Government for $1.25 an acre, a few acres of which were broken.
Returning to Wisconsin he spent the winter in that state, and then, in 1872,
came back to his claim, arriving in the spring. On it he erected a small farm
house that was occupied by the family for thirty years. He also planted all the
fine large trees that now beautify the place, as there were not trees there at
the time. The first home has been replaced with one much more commodious. All of
the necessary farm buildings have been erected; the machinery is modern and well
cared for and the 200 acre farm is one of the best-improved and productive
properties in the county. At the time Thomas Thornton came to Blackhawk County
this section was but sparsely settled, although Waterloo was a thriving village.
Wild game was plentiful, but there were difficulties in getting in commodities;
there were but few improvements, and it took faith to venture into a region
where so much remained to be done before living was comfortable. The mother of
Doctor Thornton was Miss Hannah C. Hagerty before her marriage, and she was born
at Clumet, Michigan, a daughter of Dennis Hagerty, of Irish Ancestry, and an
early settler of Michigan. During the war between the states Mr. Hagerty served
in the Union army, and following his honorable discharge from the army at the
close of the war he settled in Texas, and there died of yellow fever when only
thirty-nine years old. His wife was a member of the Kelly family, and she
survived him many years, dying in 1914, at the age of eighty-seven years. Mr.
and Mrs. Thornton had twelve children born to them, and all of them were living
in 1930.
When the Thorntons came to Blackhawk County the development
at Waterloo was mainly along the west side of the river, and it was considered a
great treat by the children to be permitted to ride into town with their father.
Doctor Thornton first attended the rural schools of Lincoln Township and later
the Iowa State College, Cedar Falls. Still later he entered the Creighton School
of Pharmacy, Omaha, Nebraska, and was graduated therefrom in 1909, after which
he entered the medical department of Creighton College, and was graduated
therefrom in 1913, with the degree of Doctor of Medicine. From the summer of
1912 until the fall of 1913 he served as an interne at Saint Joseph's Hospital,
Omaha, after which he came to Waterloo, where he has since remained, building up
a very large and valuable practice. At different times he has done post-graduate
work in he best hospitals of Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, and Chicago,
and is one of the best surgeons in Waterloo.
In the year 1915 Doctor Thornton married Miss Veronica M.
Finley, daughter of John C and Maria (Denning) Finley, farmers at Ferryville,
Wisconsin. Mrs. Thornton was born at Ferryville, Wisconsin, and they have four
children: Thomas F., born April 24, 1916; John F., born September 30, 1917; R.
Joseph, born March 12, 1920; and Maurita, born April 5, 1924. By a former
marriage Doctor Thornton has two other children: Edna Marie, born March 29,
1910, is a member of the Foreign Mission Sisters of St. Dominic of Maryknoll,
New York, and is now known as Sister Miriam Thomas. The work of this order is
among the oriental countries, such as China, Japan, Korea, Philippines, Hawaii,
and also missions on our own Pacific coast for oriental immigrants. Sister
Miriam Thomas is now in training for this type of service and will be ready for
foreign duty in January, 1932. The other child of Doctor Thornton is T. Eugene,
who is in the class of 1934 at Columbia College, Dubuque. Doctor Thornton and
his family belong to the Sacred Heart Catholic Church, and he is a member of the
Knights of Columbus, B.P.O. Elks and Kiwanis Club, of which he is a past
president and in 1923 was delegate to the National Convention at Atlanta,
Georgia. He also belongs to the Blackhawk County Medical Society, of which he is
also a past president; the Iowa State Medical Society, of which he was chairman
of the Surgical Section in 1929, and the American Medical Association of which
he has for the past few years been a delegate to the House of Delegates and is
a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. In 1929, Doctor Thornton
took with him as partner, his cousin, Dr. John W. Thornton, a graduate of Rush
Medical College and interne of Cook County Hospital. He is a son of Dr. John H.
Thornton, deceased, formerly of Lansing, Iowa.
In the pursuit of his honorable professional career Doctor
Thornton has gained a strong position by the ability with which he has accepted
and discharged his responsibilities, and while he has made a steady progress in
the peaceful accumulation of the fruits of his vocation, he has established
himself in the confidence and hearts of the people of Waterloo, and few men
stand any higher in popular esteem than he.