COLONEL JOSEPH THOBURN.
Surgeon, Three Months' Service
Colonel, Three Years' Service
Colonel Joseph Thoburn
1825 - 19 Oct 1864
Killed - Battle of Cedar Creek
The Grave of Joseph Thoburn
Mt. Wood Cemetery, Wheeling, W.Va.
Joseph Thoburn was born 29 Apr 1825 in Ireland. His parents were Matthew Thoburn, born 30 Sep 1798 in Molusk, County Antrim, Northern Ireland and Jane Lyle Crawford, born 14 Nov 1799 in Ralco, County Antrim, Ireland. Joseph married Catherine Ann Mitchell 13 Dec 1853 in Martins Ferry, Belmont County, Ohio.
1860 Census, Ohio County, W.Va.
#2851/2969
THOBURN, Joseph, 35, Doctor, $500, b Ireland
Catherine, 33, Heeping House, b Pa
Martin, 2, b Va
Mary, 6 months, Va.
DESAL, Gertrude, 12, b Ger
BIOGRAPHIES
History of the Upper Ohio Valley,
Vol. I, pages 580-581.
Brant & Fuller, 1890.
Joseph Thoburn was the son of Matthew and Jane Thoburn, and was born in 1825, in county Antrim, Ireland. In the fall of the same year his father emigrated to Canada, and settled the next year on a farm in Belmont county, near St. Clairsville, Ohio. Joseph's advantages for an education were here very limited, being only such as might be
acquired in the county log school-house of that neighborhood, but his desire for books and learning was early developed, and his industry fitted him at an early age to embark in the business of teaching school, to acquire the means of prosecting more advanced and expensive studies. After teaching for several years, he entered the office of Dr. Ephraim Gaston, of Morristown, Ohio, as a medical student, and subsequently attended medical lectures, at Starling
Medical college, Columbus, Ohio. In 1849 he located at Brownsville, Penn., where he formed a partnership, which was dissolved by his appointment, in 1850, as an assistant to Dr. Aul, of the Ohio Lunatic asylum. Being displaced by political influence in 1853, he then moved to Wheeling, and continued his practice until May, 1861, when he was commissioned as surgeon of the First Virginia regiment, under Col. B. F. Kelley, in the three months' service. He accompanied his regiment, and was in the battle of Phillipi, attending Col. Kelley,
who was wounded in that engagement. In August, 1861, under a reorganization of the First Virginia regiment, he was commissioned colonel, and led his regiment in the numerous battles fought in the valley of Virginia, until he was killed in the battle of Cedar Creek, October 19, 1864, being in his fortieth year. Dr. Thoburn was greatly beloved by his brother officers and men, as a man full of kindness and benevolence, and of undoubted bravery and patriotism.
As a physician, he possessed very clever attainments, with a high sense of professional honor. His body was brought to this city, and followed to Mt. Wood cemetery by a public procession, composed of our city officers, council, medical faculty, military escort, and a large
concourse of citizens.
History of the Pan-Handle, West Virginia
Compiled and written by J. H. Newton, G. C. Nichols, and A. G. Sprankle, 1879; page 253.
Dr. Joseph Thoburn was the son of Matthew and Jane Thoburn, whose ancestors settled in the Province of Ulster, Ireland, in the seventeenth century. Dr. T. was born early in the year 1825, at Mallusk, county Antrim, Ireland. In the fall of the same year his father emigrated to Canada, and settled the next year on a farm in Belmont county, near St. Clairsville, Ohio. Joseph's advantages for an education were here very limited. After teaching school several years, he entered the office of Dr. Ephriam Gaston, of Morristown, Ohio, as a medical student, and subsequently attended medical lectures, at Starling Medical College; Columbus, Ohio. In 1849 he located at Brownsville, Pa., where he formed a partnership, which was dissolved by his appointment, in 1850, as an assistant to Dr. Aul, of the Ohio Lunatic Asylum; being displaced by political influence in 1853, he then moved to Wheeling, and continued his practice until May, 1861, when he was commissioned as surgeon of the First Virginia Regiment, under Col. B. F. Kelley in the three months service. He accompanied his regiment and was in the battle of Phillipi, West Virginia, attending Col. Kelley, who was wounded in that engagement. In August, 1861, under a reorganization of the First Virginia Regiment, he was commissioned Colonel, and led his regiment in the numerous battles fought in the valley of Virginia, until he was killed in the battle of Cedar creek, October 19, 1864; being in his fortieth year. Dr. Thoburn was greatly beloved by his brother officers and men, as a man, full of kindness and benevolence, and of undoubted bravery and patriotism. As a physician, he possessed very clever attainments, with a high sense of professional honor. His body was brought to this city, and followed to Mt. Wood Cemetery by a public procession, composed of our city officers, council, medical faculty, military escort, and a large concourse of citizens.
History of Wheeling City
and Ohio County, West Virginia and Representative Citizens
Edited and Compiled by Hon. Gibson Lamb Cranmer, 1902; pages 258-259.
Dr. Joseph Thoburn was born early in the year 1825 in County Antrim, Ireland. In the fall of the same year his father moved to Canada and the next year settled on a farm in Belmont county, Ohio, near St. Clairsville. His advantages for education were here limited, being only such as might be acquired in the country log school-houses, but his desire for books and learning was early developed and his aptitude and progress in study in the English branches fitted him at an early age to embark in the business of teaching school to acquire the means of prosecuting more advanced and expensive studies. After teaching for several years he entered the office of Sr. Ephraim Gaston, of Morristown, Ohio, as a medical student and subsequently attended medical lectures at Starling Medical College, Columbus, Ohio. In 1848 he located at Brownsville, Pennsylvania, where he formed a partnership which was dissolved by his appointment in 1850 as an assistant to Dr. Aul, of the Ohio Lunatic Asylum; being displaced by political influence in 1853, he then moved to Wheeling and continued his practice until May, 1961, when he was commissioned as surgeon of the First Virginia Regiment, under Colonel B. F. Kelley, in the three months' service. He accompanied his regiment and was in the battle of Philippi and attended Colonel Kelley, who was wounded in that engagement. In August, 1861, on the reorganization of the First Virginia Regiment, he was commissioned colonel, and led his regiment in the numerous battles fought in the valley of Virginia until he was killed in the battle of Cedar Creek, October 19, 1864, being in his fortieth year. As a soldier he was greatly beloved by his brother officers and men. He was full of kindness and benevolence and of undoubted bravery and patriotism. His body was brought to this city and followed to Mount Wood cemetery by a public procession composed of the city officers, council, medical facility, military escort and a large concourse of citizens.
Widow's Pension Records, National Archives
Widow's Army Pension
State of West Va., County of Ohio, ss.
On this 16 day of NOV, A.D. 1864 personally appeared before me A. G. ROBINSON, Recorder & Judge of the Probate Court for the County and State aforesaid, (it being a Court of Record,) Mrs. KATE A. THOBURN a resident if WHEELING in the County of Ohio, and State of WEST VA, aged 37 years, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on her oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the Act of Congress, approved July 14, 1862:
That she is the widow of JOSEPH THOBURN who was COLONEL in the 1st Regiment of West Va. Infy in the War of 1861, who was KILLED AT THE BATTLE of CEDAR CREEK VA on the 19th day of OCTOBER 1864.
She further declares that she was MARRIED to the said JOSEPH THOBURN on the 13th day of DECR in the year 1853; that her husband, the aforesaid JOSEPH THOBURN died on the day above mentioned, and that she has remained a widow ever since that period, as will more fully appear by references to the proof hereto annexed. She also declares that she has not in any manner been engages in, or aided or abetted the rebellion in the United States & that by her said husband has THREE children - JOS M M THOBURN born JANY 21, 1858 - MARY M born JANY 23, 1860 - JENNIE L. born 11 FEBY 1862 & that they are now living with her in Wheeling WVa & that her P.O. address is Wheelig, WVa. and that she further declares that she appoints S. P. HILDRETH of Wheeling, W.Va., her Attorney, to prosecute this claim, and authorizes him to receive and receipt for a draft payable to her order, for whatever sum may be allowed on the same.
Kate A. Thoburn
Witness: James Wilson & D. J. Smith
While residing in Mount Pleasant, Jefferson County, Ohio, Mrs. Kate A. Thoburn applied for an increase in pension. At that time she gave the following information about her children: Joseph M. M., January 23, 1858; May M., January 21, 1860; Jennie L., February 11, 1862.
Kate Thoburn died in 1886 and is buried near her husband at Mt. Wood Cemetery, Wheeling, W. Va.
