Harry Innes Thornton Jr. (c. 1834 – February 25, 1895) was a United States Democratic politician and attorney in California.

Born in Greene County, Alabama, Thornton followed his family to California.

[3] At the start of the American Civil War, he gave a speech on the floor of the Senate defending the Southern states' rights to succeed.

[5] He was wounded at the Battle of Chickamauga Sept. 18–20, 1863 while serving with the 58th Regiment Alabama Infantry.

[6] After the war, he returned to California and practiced law in that state and Nevada,[7] handling complex mining litigation.