John Thornburn
SOURCE: "Early History and Pioneers of Champaign County, Illinois," by Milton W. Mathews and Lewis A. McLean, editors of the Champaign County Herald, published by the Champaign County Herald, 1886
SURNAMES: BURNETT, DUNNEL, THORNBURN
JOHN THORNBURN was born in Thirkleby, Yorkshire, England, January 30, 1829. His father was John THORNBURN and his mother Elizabeth DUNNEL. They came to this country in 1851, taking passage on the sailing ship Flora McDonald, on the 16th of April and arriving at Baltimore, May 31, thus being six weeks on the ocean. They traveled on to Barnesville, Belmont county, Ohio, both of them dying there. In 1854, John Thornburn, the subject of this sketch came to this county and stopped at Burr Oak Grove. The next year he came to the Brumley place, three miles east of Urbana. Four years later he removed to this city and lived for many years on the southwest corner of the lot upon which is now the residence of T. S. Hubbard. John was married March 10, 1851, in Yorkshire, England, to Miss Anna BURNETT, who has been and is yet his faithful companion in his reverses as well as his successes. August 5th, 1862, he entered the army in Company G, 76th Ill. Vol., and served faithfully for three years. He was at the siege of Vicksburg, Big Shantee, Resaca, Kenesaw Mountain, siege of Atlanta, and other battles in which his regiment was engaged. He was discharged August 5th, 1865, having served exactly three years to a day. His son, Thomas B., who resides in Somer township, is his only surviving child, his daughter Elizabeth having died in infancy. Mr. Thornburn voted for Lincoln in 1860, and would have done so in 1864, but for the fact that the copperhead legislature of Illinois did not allow her soldiers to vote. He is outspoken and radical in his political views and has fought the battles of his party with courage and fidelity ever since it was organized. He has been a commissioner of highways for 12 years and treasurer of the board since 1876, except one year. He has helped to lay out about all the roads, and built about all the bridges in the township. He has been collector of the township for the past four years. When Mr. Thornburn landed, with his good wife, at Alleghaney City he had to stop and work for seventy-five cents per day to get money enough to continue his journey to Barnesville, which place he finally reached with the sum of five cents as his capital. He has now a fine farm of 250 acres and knows how to enjoy life by living at home and boarding at the same place. He has no mortgages or debts to annoy him and he is about as happy and prosperous as any man could wish to be.