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Show Druggist Answers Deaths Summons Following Illness William Thornton, 62, Prominent druggist of Utah and American Fork died Monday afternoon at his home t B - A here following a five months' illness ill-ness from heart trouble. Bom September Septem-ber 10, 1873, in American Fork, Mr. Thor n t o rt has made this his home for his entire life. He I was the son of Alexander K. and Elizabeth Miller Thornton, both early pioneer residents of the community. The first year after graduating from the University of Utah Mr. Thornton taught school and then accepted a position with the Chip-man Chip-man Mercantile company which he held for five years. In 1895 he was married to Haydee Trane of Lehi. In 1900 he opened a drug store on the corner where his number 1 chain store now stands. In 1906 he took over the management of the telephone tele-phone company in addition to the drug store work. Five years later he became manager of the Bell Telephone Tele-phone company for north Utah county, holding the position f or one year when he was offered a managership man-agership in Idaho. Rather than move from American Fork, Mr. Thornton decided to devote his entire en-tire time to the drug business, and in 1915 started his chain of ten stores when he purchased the number num-ber 2 store in this city and the store in Murray. He was active manager of the No. 1 store up to December 31, 1935, at which time he was taken ill. Mr. Thornton was vice president of the board of directors of the People's State Bank in American Fork at the time of his death. He also served as a director of the old Utah Banking Company of this city for a number of years. He served as a member of the city council for six years, president of the Commercial Commer-cial Club, was a member of the Lions Club and held various offices of trust in the State Pharmaceutical association. At the time the American Fork ward was divided- into four wards, Mr. Thornton was called to the position posi-tion of ward treasurer which job he faithfully filled for 35 years hav-ng hav-ng his books up-to-date with all records complete when he handed them to the Bishop just two weeks ago. Bishop Storrs said he and Mr. Thornton were the last two of the officers of the ward who were in the original organization in 1901. He said he had never found an error in the records during this entire time. Surviving are his widow; two sons, A. Kennedy Thornton, Salt Lake City, and William Thornton, Ogden; two daughters, Mrs. Lela T. Pierson, Inglewood, Calif., and Miss Virginia Thornton, American Fork; one brother, Alex Thornton, Pleasant Grove; five sisters,' Mrs. Nellie Binns, Mrs. Jennie Bate, Mrs. Fern Chipman, all of American Fork; Mrs. Elizabeth Lockhart, Ogden, and Mrs. Sadie Willis, Murray; three grandchildren, A. Kennedy Thornton Salt Lake; Miss Helen Pierson and William Allen Pierson, Inglewood, Calif. Funeral services will be conducted today (Friday) at 2:30 p. m. in the Alpine stake tabernacle. Friends may call at the family home Thursday Thurs-day and. Friday prior to the funeral services. All business houses will be closed during the time of the funeral. |