James Cass Thornbrugh

ADKISON, COMPTON, COOK, CRAWFORD, EVANS, FIDLER, HOOD, THORNBRUGH, WILCOX

Posted By: Judy Wight Branson (email)
Date: 8/5/2004 at 22:49:15

J. C. Thornbrugh, who enjoys the distinction of being the oldest living native of Scott township and probably Madison county, owns and operates a farm of one hundred acres on sections 6 and 7, that township, which has been his home from his birth to the present time. His natal day was November 20, 1848, his parents being James and Elizabeth (Fidler) Thornbrugh, the former a native of Ohio and the latter of Nelson county, Kentucky. In 1846 they came to this county, settling first on Walker's Ridge and in the spring of the following year taking up their abode on the farm which is now in possession of our subject.

James Thornbrugh was one of the very earliest settlers of Madison county and assisted in laying out the town of Winterset. His holdings embraced one hundred and sixty acres of land and when he passed away, at the age of thirty-nine years, the community mourned the loss of one of its representative agriculturists and honored pioneers. His widow, who survived him for many years, was called to her final rest on the 28th of May, 1882. They became the parents of seven children, of whom but two are yet living, namely: J. C., of this review; and Mrs. Rebecca Crawford, who is a resident of Topeka, Kansas.

J. C. Thornbrugh has always operated the farm which was his birthplace and general agricultural pursuits have claimed his time and energies throughout his entire business career. He owns one hundred acres of land on sections 6 and 7 Scott township and in the careful conduct of his farming interests has won annual income that has to provide for the support and comfort of his family.

In 1875 Mr. Thornbrugh was united in marriage to Miss Emily Evans who was born in Kansas in 1855, her parents being Henry and Elizabeth (Adkison) Evans, deceased, of whom more extended mention is made on another page of his work. Mr. and Mrs. Thornbrugh are the parents of nine children as follows: Mabel, who gave her hand in marriage to Fred Hood and resides in Idaho; Arthur, who is married and makes his home at Valley Junction, Iowa; Lester, a resident of Denver, who is married and has two children, Mabel and Margaret; Alvin, of Valley Junction, Iowa, who is married and has two children, Helen and Beatrice; Ivy, the wife of Jed Cook, of Des Moines, by whom she has one child, Lucia; Nina, who is the wife of Fred Wilcox of Ashton, Idaho; Grace, the wife of Fred Compton, of Winterset, by whom has one child, Margery Maxine; Elizabeth, at home; and James Henry Lloyd, also at home.

The period of Mr. Thornbrugh's residence in this county covers two-thirds of a century and he has been an interested witness of its development from pioneer times down to the present, noting the wonderful transformation that has occurred as frontier conditions have given way before the onward march of civilization. The circle of his friends and acquaintances is a wide one and therefore this record cannot fail to prove of interest to many of our readers.

Taken from the book, "The History of Madison County, Iowa, 1915"