Squire Hepworth and Emily Dyson lived in the countryside of Yorkshire England when they heard about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Shortly after joining the church, they immigrated to America leaving all their worldly goods behind.
Soon after arriving in America, Thornton was born, on 14 July 1864 in Wyoming Nebraska. When he was 5 days old his parents left Nebraska to cross the Plains. They settled in Smithfield Utah and built a home there. It wasn't long before Squire received a call to go to Oxford Idaho. They lived there until May 1877 when they were called to go to Southern Utah to help settle the country. Thornton was 13 years old. He walked all the way to Southern Utah barefooted as he drove a bunch of cattle. Once in Southern Utah, the family settled in Springdale Utah. They slept in a covered wagon the first winter and built a house and cleared the land for planting cotton and cane.
During those days they would spend their evenings sitting around a camp fire singing songs. When the crops were ready to harvest they made molasses out of the cane. They would harvest during the day and at night they would have seeding bees, they would do this in different homes so everyone was working the same project. they would pick the seeds off the cotton which were ground in a coffee mill and made into bread. The cotton was then woven into cloth to make clothing. Thornton would take the cane and cotton by wagon to Salt Lake which would take six weeks to complete the trip. He never had much schooling but was a very brilliant man. He was ordained an Elder at the age of 17. He married Eliza Jane Draper in January 1884 in the Saint George Temple. They had 4 children. Malinda is their 1st child.
In 1893 they moved to Kanab and was later called back to Springdale to serve as 1st coun. in the Bishopric. After Eliza died shortly after childbirth, Thornton remarried and had several more children. Thornton was called as the Bishop of the Springdale Ward on 7 December 1913 (That is the year my father-Verdell was born)
Thornton had a wonderful singing voice. His favorite hymns were "Dear to the Heart of the Shepherd" and "Master the Tempest is Raging". Thornton was acting Justice of the peace and constable, and health officer plus school trustee as well as all his church duties. He had so much faith in the Lord that he never called a doctor. He would have the Elders come and bless his family and they would get well instantly. Thornton always confirmed the anointing.
One time a small child fell into an irrigation ditch and no one knew it. When someone noticed she wasn't there they started a search for her. When they found her she was lying out in a field where the water had carried her. Everyone thought she was dead but they worked on her and the Elders came and blessed her and she finally showed signs of life. Their prayers were answered. They then knelt down and said a prayer to thank The Lord for sparing her life.
When Thornton was released as bishop, the ward presented him with a watch and he said, "When this watch stops working my church duties here on earth will be over".He said he was inspired to say that. A week later the watch stopped and when they sent it to be repaired they were told nothing was wrong with it. A week later Thornton died. The watch never started running again until after Thornton died. He died one month after he was released as bishop.
There was a large turn out for the funeral and some of the Apostles came down from Salt Lake to attend.
Thornton had very little in world's wealth, but he cared for the families in the ward as much as he card about his own. He was the happiest when he was serving others. He watched over the widow's.
LITTLE ANTIDOTES ABOUT THORNTON;
The first telephone in Springdale was in Thorntons home.
Thornton served 31 1/2 years in the Bishopric. 18 1/2 years as Coun. and 13 years as Bishop.
He was the official teamster for a brass band.
He was editor of Foreign News.
We have a great heritage and I hope and pray we can all be worthy of it. I love you all.
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