Overview
Matthew Thornton was an Irish immigrant who eventually settled in Londonderry, New Hampshire, where he worked as a doctor and became active in political and military affairs. Following the passage of the Stamp Act (1765), he joined with the Patriot Cause and protested Taxation Without Representation. Thornton became involved with the New Hampshire Provincial Congress, supported the American war effort, and helped draft the first New Hampshire state constitution. He briefly served in the Continental Congress and signed the Declaration of Independence in November 1776. Following the war, he remained active in New Hampshire politics.
Personal Facts
- Born: March 3, 1714, in Ireland.
- Parents: James Thornton (father), Elizabeth Jenkins (mother).
- Spouse: Hannah Jack (c. 1760).
- Died: June 24, 1803, in Newburyport, Massachusetts. He was 89.
- Buried: Thornton Cemetery, Merrimack, New Hampshire.
- Part of: Signers of the Declaration of Independence.
Significance
Matthew Thornton is important to American History for his role in the Patriot Cause in New Hampshire and his involvement in the American Revolution. As a Signer of the Declaration of Independence, Thornton is one of the nation’s Founding Fathers.
Biography
Early Life and Career
Matthew Thornton was born in Ireland on March 3, 1714. He grew up in a Scotch-Irish family that moved to America around 1718. His parents first lived in Maine before settling near Worcester, Massachusetts, where he attended school and began studying medicine.
- In 1722, Native American Indians attacked the family’s home in Maine.
- The family escaped to Casco Bay and then made their way to Worcester.
Life in Londonderry
Thornton was educated at Worcester Academy and then studied medicine under a relative in Leicester, Massachusetts. He completed his medical training in 1740 and started his practice in Londonderry, New Hampshire, a strong Scotch-Irish community.
- In 1745, during King George’s War (1744–1748), he joined the Louisbourg Expedition, serving as an “under-surgeon” for the New Hampshire troops.
- He later held the rank of Colonel in the New Hampshire Militia.
- In 1758, Thornton was elected to the New Hampshire Legislature as a representative from Londonderry, marking the beginning of three decades as a leading figure in colonial and state politics.
- On January 17, 1760, he met with Governor Benning Wentworth to present a legislative address that expressed thanks for recent military victories and “fresh zeal for his Majesty’s service.”
- Thornton married Hannah Jack around 1760, with whom he raised five children.
- He lived in Londonderry until 1779.
American Revolution
Thornton’s political career was shaped by the growing movement in New England against Taxation Without Representation. He played a leading role in the protest against the Stamp Act and steadily gained the trust of the Patriot Cause.
In December 1774, Patriots led by John Langdon and John Sullivan captured Fort William and Mary and seized the British garrison’s military supplies. In the aftermath, the New Hampshire Provincial Congress took control of the government, forcing John Wentworth, the Royal Governor, to eventually flee the colony.
- In January 1775, Thornton was elected President of the New Hampshire Provincial Congress.
- He served as chairman of the Committee of Safety, which organized resistance during the early days of the war.
- Thornton led a committee that wrote New Hampshire’s first state constitution, which was the first written constitution adopted in America.
Following the Battles of Lexington and Concord (April 19, 1775), Thornton sent New Hampshire troops to Massachusetts to participate in the Siege of Boston (1775–1776). The New Hampshire Provincial Congress restored his militia commission, but he performed no further active military duty because he was over 60 years old at the time.
On June 2, 1775, he delivered an address to the public that offered a clear call for order, self-control, and strong cooperation during the crisis.
By June 8, 1775, Thornton delivered a forceful statement to the new governor, condemning the “unconstitutional and tyrannical Acts of the British Parliament.”
During the American Revolutionary War, when the structure of government was often changing, Thornton held several important positions, including Speaker of the House, member of the Governor’s Council, and President of the Constitutional Convention. In 1776, he became an associate justice of the Superior Court, a post he held until 1782, despite having no legal training.
Declaration of Independence
In 1776, Thornton was elected to the Second Continental Congress. Although he did not arrive until November, he was allowed to sign the Declaration of Independence. He served for about one year before returning to New Hampshire.
- Thornton was reelected to Congress in 1777.
- He declined due to the side effects of smallpox inoculation that affected his eyesight.
Later Years
In 1780, Thornton settled in Merrimack County. He left medical practice but remained active in public life, later serving in the state Senate from 1784 to 1786.
Thornton spent his later years on his farm in Merrimack, where he was regarded as a respected elder who had guided New Hampshire through the crucial years from 1763 to 1789.
He died in Newburyport, Massachusetts, while visiting his daughter, and he was buried near his home in Merrimack. The town of Thornton, New Hampshire, was later named in his honor.
Accomplishments and Milestones
- 1714 — Matthew Thornton was born in Ireland.
- 1718 — Thornton immigrated to Maine with his parents.
- 1740 — He completed medical studies and started practicing medicine in Londonberry, New Hampshire.
- 1745 — Thornton served as an “Under-Surgeon” in the Louisbourg Expedition.
- 1758 — Londonderry elected him to the New Hampshire Assembly.
- 1760 — He married Hannah Jack.
- 1770 — Thornton received a commission as a Colonel in the New Hampshire Militia.
- 1775, January — He was elected President of the Provincial Congress and served as chairman of the Committee of Safety.
- 1775, April — Thornton sent troops to Massachusetts to support the Siege of Boston.
- 1776, November — He signed the Declaration of Independence.
- 1776–1782 — Thornton served as Associate Justice of the New Hampshire Superior Court.
- 1780 — He moved to Merrimack County.
- 1784–1786 — Thornton served in the New Hampshire Senate.
- 1803, June 24 — He died in Newburyport, Massachusetts.
AP US History
Definition
Matthew Thornton (c. 1714–1803) — Thornton was a Scotch-Irish immigrant, physician, and leading New Hampshire Patriot who rose to prominence during the American Revolution. He served in the colonial legislature, opposed the Stamp Act (1765), and became President of the New Hampshire Provincial Congress and chairman of the Committee of Safety. Elected to the Continental Congress in 1776, he arrived in time to sign the Declaration of Independence. He later held several state offices and remained an influential figure in early New Hampshire politics.
Alignment
Matthew Thornton is part of the following units, topics, and chapters in the AP US History curriculum:
