Mission Statement
To clear title, restore ownership and serve as fiduciary custodian of the mineral rights severed by Jonathan Thorne’s will for the benefit of his eligible descendants, heirs, and successors while concurrently building strong family connections that will honor the legacy of the family’s cherished forebear.
Background
Thorne Heritage Resources (THR) was formed in 2012 as a company for the express purpose of clearing legal clouds on the title to mineral rights cited in the last will and testament of Jonathan Thorne (1801-1884). In 1888 the executors of Jonathan Thorne’s estate sold the surface rights of over 26,000 acres in Sullivan County, PA while concurrently severing and retaining title to the underlying mineral rights. Ownership of those mineral rights was distributed in equal interests to Jonathan’s heirs. In the early 20th Century, the title to the mineral rights became clouded as third parties attempted to subject them to “title washing”, a tactic used to re-unite severed mineral rights to their surface ownership. Thorne Heritage Resources has been litigating those clouds by demonstrating that the ownership of the Thorne mineral rights followed the pertinent State statutes and should not have been treated in the public record as ‘washed’.
In order to have standing to represent the notional heirs and descendants of Jonathan Thorne, Thorne Heritage Resources identified a large majority of those heirs and descendants, and a constituency of those descendants and heirs comprising approximately 85% of the fractional interests have executed Powers of Attorney for Thorne Heritage Resources to represent their interests.
Since its inception, Thorne Heritage Resources has raised over 1.1 million dollars from family members to pursue pertinent litigation and build a family database and digital family tree. If THR is successful in clearing title to the mineral rights, the company will seek a “best case” monetization plan to create economic value for the verified fractional interest owners. If monetization occurs, Thorne Heritage Resources will manage the distribution of the proceeds while building a strong and abiding family connection as a tribute to the memory of Jonathan Thorne.
A guiding principle is for the enterprise to be led by descendants from all original inheritors of the mineral rights with a mandate to manage the asset for the broadest possible benefit to (or for) and participation by the descendants, heirs and successors to Jonathan Thorne. No member of the Board of Managers will seek disproportionate compensation or unfair advantage. This complex endeavor began and will continue as a fiduciary custodial mission to restore what rightfully belongs to the heirs and successors of Jonathan Thorne.
Jonathan Thorne’s Descendants
Thorne Heritage Resources has created a comprehensive family tree to identify and verify Thorne family members and mineral rights owners. Our hope is that it will be a living tree and continue to be updated as the family grows. This website has brought together many branches of Jonathan Thorne’s descendants who, prior to the Thorne Heritage Resources endeavor, had never known each other.
Helen S Thorne (1886-1952)
The following a video was presented by past Millbrook Garden Club President, Lea Cornell in October 2022, It treats us to a glimpse into the work of Helen S. Thorne who played an important role in every major accomplishment in the early years of the Millbrook Garden Club and the Garden Club of America. Click here to watch the 30 minute video.
How You Can Help
Please visit the Interactive Family Tree in the Genealogy tab above to see what is shown for your family. We need your help to add/correct family information. However, you must be registered and logged in (top right) as a family member to make changes. Register in the black bar at the top. To add new members, please contact the webmaster at CONTACT US on the menu above the photo.
