William Thomas Thornton’s family, ancestry, and early years: Some findings from recently discovered manuscripts and letters

Authors

Mark Donoghue, University of Notre Dame AustraliaFollow

Publication Details

Donoghue, M. (2008). William Thomas Thornton’s family, ancestry, and early years: Some findings from recently discovered manuscripts and letters. History of Political Economy, 40 (3), 511-550.

Abstract

The article discusses information about the family, life, and ancestry of economist William Thomas Thornton found in some of his manuscripts and letters. The importance of the lack of information surrounding Thornton's personal life is explored. The available sources on Thornton's life are described, including the book "Collected Works of John Stuart Mill," which contains letters between Mill and Thornton. The discovery of the Thornton family letters is discussed and the usefulness of these documents to the study of Thornton's life is also examined.

Keywords

peer-reviewed, William Thornton biography, Thornton family papers