The Thornburg Families of Randolph County, Indiana

JOB THORNBURG. This venerable pioneer of Randolph County is the sou of Isaac and Rebecca (llodgen) Thornburg, ami was born in Guilford County. N. C, September 29, 1801. He is the fifth of a family of twelve children, of whom three are now living; his father was born in Pennsylvania July 1, 1773, and mother in the same State July 24, 1773. They moved from Pennsylvania to North Carolina, where they wore married, add remained until the year 1811, when they moved to Clinton County, Ohio, where they remained until 1827, when they came to this county and remained until their deaths; his mother died July 24, 1832, and his father June 28, 1802. Job lived wih his parents on the farm until he was twenty-five years of age, when he, with a hrolber, removed to Indiana, and settled in Randolph County, After living with his brother for about one year, he returned to Ohio, and was united in marriage with Lydia Smith, daughter of James and Atlantic Smith, April 17, 1826. He and his wife returned to Indiana the following October, when he entered eighty acres of the farm upon which he now resides. He has spent the best portion of his life in clearing a farm from the unbroken forest. No one but those who have had the experience fully realize the amount of toil and hardship connected with the development of this country. The subject of this sketch has accomplished more of this kind of work th.m most men of this age; he early learned the lesson which insures success to every young man — industry and frugality; These qualities being leading motives in his life, he rapidly accumulated property. He ha.s been the owner and proprietor of 437 acres of land, with about 300 acres improved. This land is excellent in quality, and well adapted to stock-raising as well as grain; he has disposed of all of his land, feeding it to his children and otherwise, with the exception of fifty acres. He is the father of ten children as follows: Atlantic, born January 18, 1820; Abijah, born February 8, 1828. deceased January 3, 1848; Jonathan J., born April 2, 1830; Thom-as, born May 7. 1832, deceased October 28, 1846; James, born.March 27, 1834; Ana. born September 19, 1836; Edward R., born December 4. 1838, deceased September 13, 1807; Tilnias, born November 27. 1840; Isaac D., born October 28, 1842; Rebecca, born September 3, 1845. His living children are all married and comfortably situated in life. Job's early education consisted of about three months' schooling, in the old pioneer log schoolhouse, with greased paper for windows, luncheon floor, hewed benches, etc. Notwithstanding the primitive condition of the schools, he has a fair common school education. He and his wife were raised members of the Society of Friends, and have ever remained faithful to their adopted church. Mr. Thornburg has served this county a.s juror more or less for thirty years. In politics, he is a stanch Republican, and has always affiliated with that party ever since its organization; he was a Whig, and strongly anti-slavery in sentiment. At the death of his father there were over 400 direct ami indirect descendants of the family, and but three Democrats in all of that number. Jlr. Thornburg makes his home the most of the time with his son, Tilnias, and has done so ever since the death of his wife. He is tolerably well preserved in health for one of his age, with the exception of a partial deafness caused by a slight.stroke of paralysis, he seems to enjoy life very well; he has had a remarkable constitution to endure the toils and hardships of such a long life; he takes great delight in recounting hia experience of pioneer times, and, having a clear and distinct memory of these times, his accounts are calculated to interest every one: he has been a useful man, both to society and the church; a kind husband and an affectionate father, and honored and respected by all who know him.

Lydia Thornburg, was born April 2, 1830. He is the third of a family of ten children, seven of whom are living; he was raised on a farm, and received a limited education, from the common district and subscription schools, which were very inferior, and open but a short period during the winter season; his youthful experience did not diftcr materially from that of most boys of pioneer 'imes. He and his brother assisted their father (who was a very hard-working man) to clear a large amount of land from the unbroken wilderness. He was united in a first marriage, to Hannah Holloway, April 24, 1861. She waa a most amiable Christian woman, and shared the joys and sorrows of life with her husband until 181)9, when the fell destroyer removed her from the embrace of her loving family and kind friends. As fruits of his first marriage, Mr, Thornburg is the father of nine children, of whom six are living as follows: Lydia J., Mary L., Benjamin P., Sarah E., Martha A., Job 8., Ellis, William and Rebecca E. He was united in ft second marriage to Nancy Meier, September 7, 1871. His present wife, a most estimable and worthy lady, is the daughter of David and Nancy Morris, and was born in Fayette County, Ohio, July 27, 1829. She was previously married to John F. Meier, of Clinton County, Ohio, April 15, 1858; her first husband died in Ohio March 13, 1868; he was a man of the strictest integrity, a devoted husband and an honored citizen. Mrs. Thornburg received a limited education in the common schools of Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Thornburg are owners and proprietors of an excellent farm situated in Stony Creek Township, consisting of 240 acres, of which 180 are in a good state of cultivation. This farm is beautifully located and well improved, being supplied with excellent buildings, au exact representation of which is given in this work. Mr. Thornburg gives attentive attention to difl raising of blooded stock in addi-

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As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

CHARLES L. THORNBURG.

The Thornburg family is certainly entitled to representation in a history of Randolph county, partly because Hiey have been among those who helped redeem the rich land from the wilderness and encourage material, civic, and moral progress, and partly because they have lived honest, industrious and patriotic lives, consequently, have ever enjoyed the respect and good will due the best citizens of a thriving community. One of the well-known members of the present generation of this name is Charles L. Thornburg, successful business man of Farmland, where he conducts an extensive undertaking and livery establishment, a man who seems to have inherited many of the sterling and commendable characteristics of his honored father and grandfather before him.

Mr. Thornburg was born in Randolph county, March 1, 1875. He is a son of Tilnias and Aliranda (Ralston) Thornburg, whose family consisted of five children, namely: Lydia J., of Wayne county, married M. J. Yoke, a farmer, and they had five children, two of whom are deceased; Myrtle, of Farmland, married Charles Hobley, a commercial traveler, and they have one child, Stewart; Charles L., of this review; Cora, who lives in Colorado, married William A. moore, a farmer; Ella who lives in Richmond, Indiana, married Leonard J. Brooks, and they have two children, Ralston and Alarcile.

Tilnias Thornburg, father of the above named children, was born on the old homestead in Randolph county, which place is well located in Stoney Creek township, and which was entered from the government by Job Thornburg, grandfather of our subject, in 1825, he having thus been among the earliest settlers here. He began life in typical pioneer fashion, erecting a log cabin and clearing the land of its heavy timber. Here he spent the rest of his life, dying at the advanced age of ninety-four years. On this same farm the father of our subject lived for a period of sixty-four years, successfully engaged in general farming and stock raising; but he has been retired from active life during the past nine years, making his home in Farmland. This family is of Irish descent, all of Quaker faith. Job Thornburg, the grandfather, was born in Xorth Carolina. James Ralston, father of the mother of our subject, was born in Randolph county, and was one of ten children, three sons and seven daughters, of a pioneer family. James Ralston spent his life on a farm here, dying in 1900. The mother survives, being now sixty-three years old.

Charles L. Thornburg was reared on the home farm and educated in the public schools. He was married on February 20, 1896, to Maggie Holder, daughter of Henry and Catherine Holder, in fact, their only child. To Mr. and Mrs. Thornburg six children have been born, two of whom are deceased, namely: Irene died in infancy; Roger ched in 1910 when six years old; Margaret, born October-27, 1907; [name withheld], born March 10, 1909; [name withheld], born September 27, 1912; [name withheld], born November 22, 1913.

Mr. Thornburg left the farm when twenty-nine years old, and went into the furniture and undertaking business at Farmland in 1904, and was successful from the first. In 1912 he took in H. Wasson as a partner in the livery and undertaking business, having sold out the furniture business. They are now among the leading undertakers and liverymen in Randolph county and do an extensive and rapidly growing business, their customers coming from all over this section of the state. They are well equipped in every way for these enterprises, everything modern and first-class. Honesty and prompt service are their watchwords.

Politically, Mr. Thornburg is a Republican, as are all his family, and they have been loyal in their support of 'the party from the time of its founding back in the fifties. Fraternally, he belongs to the Knights of Pythias and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He attends the Friends church.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

WILLIAM HENDERSON THORNBURG.

If anyone within the borders of Randolph county is entitled to special mention in a volume of the nature of the one in hand, it is William Henderson Thornburg, one of our venerable native-born citizens, who has here spent the major part, practically all in fact, of his seventy-three years, during which he has seen the country develop in a wonderful way and has done what he could in his immediate vicinity for the general progress of the same. He has led an active and honorable life and is a veteran of the great Civil war, and now that the calm Indian summer of his life is about him he can watch the fading of the yellow leaf with no compunction or regrets, well knowing that he has done the best he could on life's rugged pathway, under existing circumstances.

Mr. Thornburg was born on the farm on which he now lives, near Lynn, Randolph county. May ii, 1840. He is a son of Nathan and Elnora L. (Neal) Thornburg. Nathan Thornburg was born on a farm just north of his son's present place in 18 15 and was thus among the earliest white children born in this county, his parents having been very early settlers here. He was a son of Joseph and Rachael Thornburg. Joseph Thornburg was a native of Ohio, from which state he came to Randolph county, Indiana and entered one hundred and sixty acres of land in what is now Washington township. This he cleared and farmer until his death. Nathan Thornburg was reared on the farm here amid primitive frontier conditions and when a young man he purchased eighty acres, which a Mr. David had entered from the government. This land he farmer until his death in 1872. He first married Hannah Johnson, by which union three children were born, two of whom are now living. The wife and mother passed away after four years of married life. Mr. Thornburg subsequently married Elnora L. Neal, in 1838. She was a native of North Carolina, and her death occurred in February, 1885.

William H. Thornburg grew up on the home farm and he received verv little schooling. He remained with his parents until he was eighteen years of age, then began learning the blacksmith's trade. In August, 1861, he proved his patriotism by enlisting in Company F, Thirty-sixth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, in which he served faithfully in a number of campaigns, skirmishes and battles, including that of Pittsburg Landing. He was discharged for disability in the fall of 1862. He returned home and:on February 2, 1862, re-enlisted in the Forty-first Regiment, Second Indiana Cavalry, and was sent to the South a second time, and was with Sherman on his march to the sea, thence down the "coast to Tallahassee, Florida, then back to Nashville, Tennessee. For meritorious service he was made a corporal. He was honorably discharged July 29, 1865.- After returning home he followed blacksmithing tmtil 1882, being regarded as one of the most skillful workmen in the county. He was elected sherifJ of Randolph county in 1882 and served one term in a most satisfactory manner, and although he was urged to accept a second, declined to do so. He then bought the home farm where he has since lived, successfully engaged in general farming and stock raising. He has kept the place well improved and well cultivated.

Politically, ]\Mr. Thornburg is Progressive. He is a member of the Improved Order of Red Men and the Masonic order. Religiously he belongs to the Society of Friends.

Mr. Thornburg was married in February, 1864 to Emily A. Chamness, who was born in Xorth Carolina, February 25, 1845. To this union eleven children were born, seven of whom are still living, namely: Malinda J., who married W. J. Roberts, lives in Oregon; Elizabeth E. is the wife of J. Clendenning, of Jay county, Indiana; James N. lives in White River township; J. F lives in Arkansas; Raymond A. is a teacher in the state of Washington; Emory H. is a veterinary physician of Lynn, this county; and Reba is the wife of O. Clark and they are living in Oregon.

Emory H. Thornburg was born August 3, 1888 in Washington township, this county, and here he grew to manhood and received his education in the common schools and spent one year in the Valparaiso Normal, taking the teachers' course. He taught school two years in Jay county, then entered the Indiana Veterinary College at Indianapolis, from which he was graduated, in 1912, having made a splendid record there. He practiced with Dr. Clevenger at Winchester a short time, then opened an office at Lynn where he has remained and is building up a large and lucrative practice. He has had splendid success in all his work. Politically, he is a Republican. He is a member of the Masonic order, the Friends church and belongs to the Indiana Veterinary College Association.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

This is an age in which the farmer stands pre-eminently above any other class as a producer of wealth, and there is a rapidly growing sentiment among the dwellers of the great cities that the rural districts are the best, so they are going back to the soil in ever-increasing numbers, for there they not only find a greater independence but really have more of the good things of life, riot the least of which is better health of both body and mind. The farmer does not have to put forth such strenuous efforts to feed himself and his family. He simply takes advantage of the winds, the warm air, the bright sunshine, the life-giving rains, and, handling Nature's gifts rightly, reaps the rewards that always come to patient, persistent toil. One of Randolph county's foremost agriculturists is Ernest Thornburg, whose tastily kept and altogether model farm lies one mile southeast of the city of Winchester.

Mr. Thornburg was born March 18, 1873, on Little White river, on a farm in the southwestern part of Randolph county. He is a son of Joab A. and Harriet (Parrott) Thornburg. The father was a native of this county, but the mother was born near Lebanon, Warren county, Ohio. The Thornburgs were early pioneers of Randolph county, the paternal grandfather locating here when the country was a wilderness and settlers were few and here he developed a good farm through thrift and spent the rest of his life and here the father four. subject grew to manhood and engaged successfully in general farming, and he and his wife are now living on a farm near Jerico, where they moved when their son, Ernest, was quite young, and there the subject of this sketch grew to manhood and assisted his father with the general work on the place, attending the rural schools the meantime. He had about three years study in high school. He remained at home until his marriage, on October 18, 1893, when he espoused Irene Turner, a daughter of John M. and Mary Jane (Hartman) Turner. The mother died when the daughter, Irene, was about ten years old, but the father is still living. Two children, a son and daughter, have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Thornburg, namely: Marvin H., whose birth occurred March 30, 1896, and Margaret Harriet, born August 26, 1900. They are both attending the public schools of Winchester.

Mr. Thornburgbegan farming for himself on part of his father's farm, where he remained three years, thereby getting a Httle stock around him. He then moved to a farm two miles southeast of Winchester, where he lived ten years, and in 1908 he bought his present farm, which adjoins the farm where he previously lived. The place consists of one hundred and twenty-five acres of fine land, which he has kept well improved and exceptionally well tilled. It was pretty much run down when he moved here, but being a scientific farmer as well as an industrious one he set to work with a will, employed natural fertilizers, carefully rotated his crops, etc., until the land today is as fertile as it was when first reclaimed from the wilderness. He has also constructed a splendid set of buildings on the place. Today no land in Randolph county surpasses it in point of productiveness and few farms equal it. One only has to glance at his substantial dwelling, large barn, ample granaries and sheds, also implement store rooms to quickly see that he is a twentieth-century husbandman of the first rank, to say nothing of his well-ordered fences, clean fence-rows and fields without weeds. However, in his recently erected residence is to be seen the acme of perfection reached in the modern styles of architecture. It is built of vitrified brick, with stone trimmings. It is modern in its appointments throughout and is symmetrical and attractive in general appearance. It is installed with all up-to-date appliances, electric lights, water system direct from the well, with hot air furnace, in basement for heating, also a thoroughly equipped laundry, a dairy room for the care of milk and butter, a fruit room for the storage of both canned and stored fruit; a work room, equipped with all kinds of tools and work bench; a fuel room and other apartments, all being reached from the ground floor by an elevator so there is no necessity for carrying articles up or down steps. A chute from the bath room on the second floor carries all soiled clothes to the laundry. On the living floor is a modernly equipped kitchen, with range, cupboards, closets and sinks supplied with well water and cistern water, both hot and cold. The dining room is large, as are also the drawing room and living room, all tastily arranged and elegantly finished in hardwood. The bedrooms above are large, well ventilated, well lighted and pleasant in all seasons. Above them is the attic, which is a convenient store room. This magnificent residence must be seen to be fully appreciated. It has been pronounced by many as being, not among the largest, but perhaps the most up-to-date country residence in the state.

Mr. Thornburg has devoted his life to general farming and stock raising, both of which he carries on a large scale, feeding, from year to year, many head of live stock for the markets. He is a over of good stock and a most excellent judge of all kinds. There are always to be seen about his barns some fine specimens of the Norman breed of horses, Durham cattle, and his hogs are among the best in the county, as are also his Barred Plymouth Rock chickens. Whatever he raises, his aim is to have the best. For a period of five years he has secured the medal for champion corn raiser of Randolph county, quality and quantity per acre, these being the two main points considered in the contest. Whatever he attempts he keeps in mind the motto, "Raise the best." Mr. Thornburg has passed the examination and qualified as an expert judge of corn and is entitled to act in that capacity at any county or state fair or exposition in the country. He was one of the promoters and organizers of the Randolph County Agricultural Association, the aim of which is to encourage better methods of tilling the soil in every manner possible. He is a member of the Indiana State Corn Growers' Association, and is the score in the Randolph county boys contest. He is chairman of the Randolph County Farmers' Institute work, is widely known over the eastern part of the state as one of the most influential and ambitious of the modern twentieth-century agriculturists, is actively interested in all organizations and movements that have for their object agricultural progress.

Politically, Mr. Thornburg is a Republican and is deeply interested in local public affairs, but is not an office seeker or desirous of becoming a political leader. Fraternally, he is a member of the Knights of Pythias. He and his family belong to the Friends church, and are highly esteemed by their neighbors and wide circle of friends.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.