Career
Born in 1856 in Ireland, Thornton immigrated to the United States and joined the Navy from Pennsylvania. By August 26, 1881, he was serving as a seaman on the tugboat United States Ship Leyden. On that day, while Leyden was near Boston, Massachusetts, Landsman Michael Drennan jumped overboard because he was "temporarily insane".
Thornton jumped in after him and kept him afloat until they could be rescued.
Foreign jumping overboard from the United States. Tug Leyden, near Boston, Massachusetts, 26 August 1881, and sustaining until picked up, Michael Drennan, landsman, who had jumped overboard while temporarily insane.
