Former slaves become respected members of Kerr community

Published in the Kerrville Daily Times on February 14, 2025

Charles "Jim" Thornton

Adeline Thornton

A lot of individuals came to Kerr County looking for opportunity, a fresh start or to seek improved health, but what if it wasn’t your choice to come to Kerr County? What if you had no control over where you lived? 

If you were suddenly free to leave, would you stay here?

Prior to the Civil War, there were about 50 slaves living in Kerr County. Dr. Charles Ganahl of Center Point was the largest slave holder in the county. In May of 1861, he assessed 21 slaves, valued at $12,000.

When President Abraham Lincoln ended slavery with the Emancipation Proclamation, many former slaves continued to live here and are the ancestors of some of the oldest families in the County. They include the Blanks, Hamilton, Bridges, Benson, Coleman, Fifer, Hurst, Hardy, Edmonds, Thornton, Ware and Butler families.

Today, I am going to tell you the story of Adeline Joyner and Jim Thornton, two former slaves who chose to make their home in Kerrville and became respected members of our community.

Adeline Joyner was born into slavery on June 6, 1852, in Tallahassee, Florida. She and her mother, Mahalia, along with a brother, Andrew, and possibly other members of her family, came to Kerr County around 1864-65 when their owners, a family named Thompson, came here. Adeline and her family were either given or sold to Ganahl shortly after arrival.

At the age of 13, Adeline gained her freedom through emancipation, but remained employed by Ganahl’s daughter, Charlissa Walker.

Her mother, Mahalia, married another freed slave, John Fifer, in 1866. By the 1870 census, Mahalia and John were renting a house in Kerrville. Adeline and her brother, Andrew (possibly her twin), were listed as members of the household.

Charles “Jim” Thornton was born enslaved in March 1835 in Versailles, Kentucky. In 1864, he mustered into the 12th Heavy Artillery Regiment of the United States Colored Troops at Camp Nelson during the Civil War. 

Sometime after enlistment, Thornton was court-martialed, along with three other soldiers, for offenses upon an officer. The sentences were commuted to hard labor at the Dry Tortugas — a military prison off the coast of Florida. At the end of the war, Thornton was dishonorably discharged from service.

He eventually migrated to Kerrville, where he met Adeline. They were married on May 28, 1871, at the Turtle Creek Community of Kerr County. The couple was married for 40 years and had 12 children.

According to the descendants of the Thorntons, Jim was either the very first or among the first black men to own property in Kerr County. He was listed in the 1880 census as a farmer and the head of a large household. He was also known as a skilled brick layer. Jim died in 1911 at the age of 76.

As a widow in her 50s, Adeline became known as “Aunt Adeline” to the black community and was known as a “wise counselor to younger members of her own race … and a woman who cherished the warm friendship of hundreds of white folks, particularly among the pioneer families of this section.” (Kerrville Mountain Sun, Jan. 9, 1941).

In 1934, Adeline, “wearing high topped shoes” attended the funeral of Charlissa Walker, her former owner and employer, but it was another garment of Adeline’s that more than one family account and even her obituary mentioned.

At the age of 52, Adeline’s practical mind turned towards her own mortality, which led her to sew the dress and other garments she wanted to be buried in. It would be 35 years before she would wear that dress. She passed peacefully at her home on West Davis Street on Jan. 4, 1941, at the age of 89. At the time of her death, she had seven living children, 31 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild. Both she and Jim are buried at the Tivy Mountain Cemetery.

Adeline was the second to the last surviving ex-slave in Kerr County. Less than a week after her death, Will Murphy, also interred in the Tivy Mountain Cemetery, was the last surviving slave in Kerr County. He passed away on Jan. 8, 1941, at the age of 90. Many of his descendants are in the Edmonds family.

Next week, I’ll write about a Center Point beauty who once graced the silver screen.