John Thornton (philanthropist)

His new-found faith had a profound effect on him, and he began giving away his money to individuals and deserving charities, as well as supporting various evangelical enterprises and other charitable causes, a way of living that continued for the rest of his life.

For the remainder of his life, Thornton was to give away half of his annual income and donate it to a variety of causes; and to arrange for the printing and distribution of thousands of Bibles and hymnals to churches and schools that had none, as well as supporting preachers in colonial America.

In 1756, together with Jonas Hanway, another merchant and devout Christian, Thornton became a founder member of the Marine society, a charity set up to house and clothe young men, at the same time as providing much-needed recruits for the Royal Navy in the Seven Years’ War.

Firmly believing in the importance of religious education, he used his considerable wealth to pay for the printing of Bibles, which he then arranged to distribute to churches across Britain and mission stations as far as New South Wales and the Caribbean colonies.

Wheelock also applied the fund to establish Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, and in 1829 the school named one of its main buildings Thornton Hall.