In the book's own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. A few names of people born after 1905 are withheld for privacy. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
Born 1875
From Past and present of Randolph County, Indiana : with biographical sketches of representative citizens and genealogical records of many of the old families (1914)
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 Past and present of Randolph County, Indiana : with biographical sketches of representative citizens and genealogical records of many of the old families (1914). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
The printed record stops around 1914. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.