| Richard Ewell Thornton | |
| Birth Date: | January 7, 1865 |
| Birth Place: | Brentsville, Virginia, U.S. |
| Death Place: | Fairfax County, Virginia, U.S. |
| Resting Place: | Arlington National Cemetery |
| State Senate: | Virginia |
| District: | 14th |
| Term Start: | January 8, 1908 |
| Term End: | January 14, 1920 |
| Preceded: | Lewis H. Machen |
| Succeeded: | Walter T. Oliver |
| Party: | Democratic |
| Alma Mater: | University of Virginia School of Law |
| Allegiance: |  United States |
| Branch: | United States Army |
| Serviceyears: | 1919–1920 |
| Rank: | Major |
| Unit: | J.A.G. Corps |
| Battles: | World War I |
Richard Ewell Thornton (January 7, 1865 – March 27, 1928) was an American lawyer and Democratic politician who served as a member of the Virginia Senate, representing the state's 14th district from 1908 to 1920.
Richard Ewell Thornton was born on January 7, 1865, in Brentsville, Virginia, to William Willis Thornton. His father served in the Confederate States Army and was a superintendent of schools in Prince William County. His family moved to Fairfax County in his childhood.[1] [2] [3] He studied law at the University of Virginia School of Law. He was admitted to the bar in Fairfax County in 1891.[1] His brother J. B. T. Thornton was a judge of the circuit court in Fairfax, Arlington and Prince William counties.[1]
Thornton practiced law in Fairfax County. He organized the Fairfax County Bar Association and served as its first president.[1]
Thornton served as a member of the state senate from January 1908 to January 1920.[3] [4] [5]
On April 11, 1919, Thornton was commissioned to the U.S. Army as a major in the judge advocate general's office in the U.S. Department of War. He served during World War I. He compiled and annotated a list of military laws into The Military Laws of the United States during his service. He was honorably discharged on September 30, 1920.[1] [3]
Thornton served as the first president and later as vice president of the Fairfax National Bank. The bank was organized in 1902.[1] [2]
Thornton married Sue Conte Plummer of Prince George's County, Maryland, on June 25, 1891. They did not have children. Thornton was a vestryman of Zion Episcopal Church.[1] [3]
Thornton was hospitalized at Providence Hospital and later died on March 27, 1928, at his home in Fairfax, Virginia.[1] [2] He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.[2]