Sunday's Obituary - Judge James Bankhead Taylor Thornton

Washington Herald (Washington, DC) – October 11, 1918

Alexandria, Va., Oct. 10 – Judge J. B. T. Thornton, 62 years old, died today at his residence, Manassas, Prince William County, Va. Judge Thornton had been in failing health for a long time. He resigned as judge of the Circuit Court for the Sixteenth Judicial Circuit September 1 owing to poor health.

He is survived by his wife, who was a Miss Fanny Baudex, of Caroline County, Va., and a brother, State Senator R. Ewell Thornton. The deceased was raised at Brentsville, Prince William County, where his father conducted a large school.

He was appointed judge in 1907, and, therefore, has been on the bench for the past eleven years.

Judge Thornton's funeral will take place at 11 o'clock Saturday morning from his late home.

The deceased was popular and enjoyed a wide circle of friends not only among the members of the bar association, but among others as well.

On the occasion of his retirement from the bench members of the bar association of this circuit presented him with a handsome silver service in recognition of the high esteem in which he was held.

Baltimore Sun (Baltimore, Maryland) - October 12, 1918

Judge J. B. T. Thornton Dead. Manassas, Va., Oct. 11 – Judge James Bankhead Taylor Thornton died Wednesday evening at his home in Manassas. He was 62 years old. Funeral services will be held Saturday morning at Trinity Episcopal Church, of which he had been vestryman and senior warden for many years.

Judge Thornton had served as judge of the Sixteenth Judicial Circuit of Virginia since 1907 and previous to that time had been Commonwealth's Attorney and superintendent of schools for Prince William county. As a young man he practiced law in Mississippi in partnership with Senator John Sharp Williams and later held a partnership in Manassas with the late Representative E. E. Meredith.

He was a son of the late Major William Willis Thornton, first superintendent of schools for Prince William county. He is survived by a widow, two sisters and three brothers, including State Senator R. Ewell Thornton, of Fairfax.