William Riley Thurman was born in Kentucky in 1816. William and Nancy had 11 children. The Thurman's were early settlers of Kentucky as several William Thurmans' listed in the 1810 to 1840 census.
Kentucky was settled beginning in 1774 and was a state in 1792 (was part of Virginia). Daniel Boone blazed trails through the Cumberland Gap and established Boonesborough in 1775. Tennessee became a state in 1796. East Tennessee started out as the state of Franklin in 1784, but folded 4 years later. Early settlers came during the American Revolution in 1776.
Around 1836 we think William moved to Tennessee and married Nancy Sanford. The 1850 and 1860 census shows Wm R Thurman with wife Nancy and family in Maury Co, Tenn with 10 children. In 1870 the census does not list Nancy, so she probably died. By then they moved to Bufords Station, Giles Co, Tenn. In 1880 William is listed with a new wife, Ann; they are also listed in the 1900 census. We don't have a death date or place for William.
According to the "Giles County Lineage Book", Eliza Ann Thurman was recorded as stating that her grandfather (father of Wm Thurman) was Jesse Thurman.
From the Loren Thurman web site on Thurman families:
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~lthurman/index.html.

Source: IGI Batch#519244 Sheet 26. 17 Jan 00.

1836 Tax List
Added by tomrogers53 on 9 Apr 2008
The 1836 Giles County Tax List for District 2, records William Thurman with 90 acres and 3 slaves.

CENSUS: 1840 Wm Thurman Jr
Giles Co, TN, No PO stated, pg 138
Males: 1<5, 0<10, 0<15, 0<20, 1<30, 0<40, 0<50, 0<60, 0<70, 0<80, 0<90
Females: 1<5, 0<10, 0<15, 0<20, 1<30, 0<40, 0<50, 0<60, 0<70, 0<80, 0<90
Wm Sr, Wm, Jas and M on same page

CENSUS: 1850 Wm Thurman
Dist 11, Maury Co, TN, dated 7 Nov 1850
M432-890, page 347. Image 386 of 402.
Name Age Occp Place of birth
Wm 34 M W KY Farmer, can r/w
Nancy 31 F W TN
Willis 13 M W TN in school
Betsy 11 F W TN in school
Irvin 8 M W TN in school
Frankey 6 F W TN in school
Sarah 4 F W TN
Eliza 3 F W TN
William 6/12 M W TN
~5 other Thurmans listed in Maury Co.

CENSUS: 1860 Wm R Thurman
Lynnville PO, North Section, Giles Co, TN Page 21, 19 Jun 1860. image 42 of 205
Name Age Occp Place of birth
Wm R 43 M W Farmer KY Can read
Nancy J 39 F W TN
Willis W 23 M W TN
Letty E 20 F W TN
Erwin S 19 M W TN In school
Frances E 15 F W TN
Sarah E 14 F W TN
Lizza A 11 F W TN
Wm M 10 M W TN In school
James M 7 M W TN
Rily W 2 M W TN
Nancy V 1/12 F W TN
~Total of 55 Thurmans in Giles Co this year

CENSUS: 1870 William R Thurmon (sic)
13th Civil District, Bufords Station, Giles Co, TN
M593_1529, Bk 1, Page 274B on 10 Aug 1870
Name Age Sex Race Place of birth Occupation
William R 59 M W KY Farmer, can't r/w (doesn't state if he's a widower)
Frances 26 F W TN can't r/w
James M 17 M W TN Farm Labor, can't r/w
Riley W 12 M W TN in school
Nancy V 10 F W TN in school
Son William M is next door
- Willis W, 33 Giles Co, Parker Store, w/ Jerisha 40, John V 9, Edward M 7/12
- Letty E, 30 Polk Co
- Erwin S, 19 Giles Co

CENSUS: 1880 Wm Thurman - possilbe, age is off
Dist 13, Giles, TN Pg 256 T9-1257
Name Rel Sex Age Mar Place Self Fathr Moth
Wm Head M 63 M TN -- -- Works on Farm (s.b. KY birth)
Ann Wife F 50 M TN -- -- Keeps house

CENSUS: 1900 William Thurman - William M is listed on same page
Dist 15, Giles Co, TN ED 30, Sheet 6B, T623 Film: 1572 Book 1 Page 256
Name Rel Sex MM Year Age Mar Place Self Fathr Moth
William Head M Oct 1816 83 M 51 KY, VA, VA ???
Augaline Wife F Feb 1829 71 M 51 TN, NC, NC ???

Source: IGI Batch#519244 Sheet 26. 17 Jan 00.
Source: Ruth E. Browning rbrowning@harding.edu 11 Aug 01.
Source: Sue Brown sbrown@communitygate.net 3 Nov 01. My Great Great Grandparents
were William R. Thurman and Nancy J. Sanford Thurman.
Source: According to the "Giles County Lineage Book", Eliza Ann Thurman was
recorded as stating that her grandfather (father of Wm Thurman) was Jesse
Thurman. William's mid name is Riley.

• Married: 10 APR 1836 in , Maury, TN ^{4 4}

1. Willis W THURMAN b: 2 JAN 1838 in , Giles, TN
2. Letsy Elvira THURMAN b: 1840 in , Giles, TN
3. Erwin Smith THURMAN b: 26 FEB 1841 in , Giles, TN
4. Frances E THURMAN b: 1845 in , Giles, TN
5. Sarah E THURMAN b: 1846 in , Giles, TN
6. Elizabeth Ann THURMAN b: 1849 in , Giles, TN
7. William Mace THURMAN b: JAN 1850 in Nashville, Davidson, TN
8. James Martin THURMAN b: 15 MAR 1854 in , Giles, TN
9. Riley Walker THURMAN b: 4 MAR 1858 in , Giles, TN
10. Nancy V THURMAN b: 1860 in Lynnville, Giles, TN

• Married: 14 FEB 1871 in , Giles, TN
• Note:

  Possible from TN marriage index 1850- 1900 at Ancestry.com
  WILLIAM R. THURMAN ANGELINE HEWITT 14 Feb 1871 Giles TN

  ⁵

1. Title: US Census - 1860
   Abbrev: US Census - 1860
   Note: Wm A Thurman - Lynnville PO, North Section, Giles Co, TN
2. Title: Thurman, Wm R, b 1817 and siblings
   Abbrev: Thurman, Wm R, b 1817 and siblings
   Note:
   Has Wm R, wife Nancy and 5 siblings. From unnamed patron sheets, 1969- 1991.
   Text: Batch F519244, Source 1553731
3. Title: Ancestry - One World trees
   Abbrev: Ancestry - One World trees
   Note: Wm Riley Thurman, in Tom Rogers tree
4. Title: Thurman, Loren A. - Ancestry.com
   Abbrev: Thurman, Loren A. - Ancestry.com
   Note:
   Match on William R Thurman and siblings
5. Repository:
   Name: Rootsweb.com
   
   Title: Rootsweb marriages
   Abbrev: Rootsweb marriages
   Note: Loren Thurman site