FROM SCOTLAND TO AMERICA
BLACKTHORN
Since 1748
The story of BLACKTHORN began long before the name itself.
Our family’s roots in America reach back to 1607, when members of the Hunt family arrived aboard the Susan Constant, one of the three ships that carried the first permanent English settlers to Jamestown, Virginia.
In 1682, another branch of our family crossed the Atlantic. The Moon family arrived aboard the Welcome with William Penn, becoming part of a new beginning in America.
The Forrester family’s journey followed in 1748, when they left Scotland and sailed to America aboard the Patience. They carried with them their traditions, knowledge, faith, strength, and resilience—an inheritance that would be passed from one generation to the next.
Across the years, branches of our family became rooted in Salem and along Ipswich Bay, Massachusetts. From the rocky New England coast, the family journey continued southward to the Appalachian foothills of Northeast Georgia.
There, the old traditions took root in new soil. Stewardship, craftsmanship, healing, self-reliance, and care for one’s community became enduring parts of our family legacy.
For many years, that heritage was represented through Cross & Thistle Apothecary—a name that honored both the Scottish roots of our ancestors and the journey that brought them to a new beginning. The Cross symbolized the burdens carried and overcome, while the Thistle stood as a reminder of the homeland they left behind.
As our vision expanded beyond the traditional apothecary into a broader collection of botanical preparations, personal care, handcrafted home goods, provisions, and heritage goods, it became clear that our story had grown beyond a single category.
BLACKTHORN was born from that evolution.
Inspired by the enduring blackthorn—a symbol of strength, perseverance, and resilience—BLACKTHORN reflects both our heritage and our future. It honors the generations who came before us while creating space for new traditions to take root.
Today, BLACKTHORN brings together thoughtfully crafted products inspired by generations of knowledge, quality, and purpose. While the name has changed, the values remain the same: authenticity, craftsmanship, stewardship, and a commitment to creating goods that enrich everyday life.
From Jamestown and the voyage of the Welcome, to the Patience, the shores of Massachusetts, and the Appalachian foothills, ours is a story of perseverance, tradition, and new beginnings.
The story continues.
BLACKTHORN
Since 1748