Job Thornburg

As printed in 1882

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-

[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]

As printed in History of Randolph County, Indiana with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers : to which are appended maps of its several townships (1882). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.