The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1865-07-18
A, Brief Biographical Sketch
OF THE LATE
DR.. Joseph Thoburn, of West Va
Of Wheeling, West IYr0inia.
ny ]. c. HurP, NJ. d.,

!
nYI.C. HUrP, NJ. D.,
Of Wheeling, Vest ITrginia.
Ert,uct.-Ata n meeting of the medical pro-
adopt resolutions 6f respect for the charnGter
anu memory of Dr. Joseph ThoburIl, late Il
colonel in the service of the United States,
Dr. Hupp having read to the meeting some
lnelnornda embracing the chief incidents in
the life of the deceased, itwas
hGSotred, That he be requested TO use them
in preparing ii brief biographical sketch OF
IoI 1hoDurn for publication.
BIOuRAPIIICAIs SKETCH.
Joseph Thoburn, NJ. D., of Wheel
ing, West Virginia, was born near Bel
fast, Ireland, April %, 1925.
When lie was about three months old,
his father, Mr.. Matthew ThOhurn. an
Intelligent and highly respected citizen
and an exemplary christian, emigrated
to the United States, ana settled in Bel
mont county, Ohio.
His educational advantages We're
only such as the common school of the
country district where his parents
/ lived afforded. He secured IL thorough
English education, and by diligent
course of reading, his mind was at an
early age, well disciplined, and well
stored with general Information,
When eighteen years of age he began
10 teach in Belmont county, and spent
three years i'll this occupation. His at
tention having been directed to medi-
cine, in 1917 he became pupil of the
accomplished DIR. Ephraim Castor, of
Nlorristown, Ohio, where he spent two
years anu subsequently prosecuted his
studies in the Office of Prof. Carter, of
Starting Medical College, i'll which i'm
StitutiOn, mt the age of D. he graduated
as NJ. D. April l, 1850, Dir. Thoburn To-
Gated i'll CookStoWn, Fayette county.
Pa, where he practiced nearly two
NrEnsn SArR Il
large share of public confidence, when
| November l, 1S5l-he was called to the
] responsible post of tssi5taIfu EJlIy sICItin
! IN the ONO Llnatlc Asylum. July l,
1852, he was removed, together with ali
the other officers i'll the Institution, on
account of their political relations.
Spent July and August, of 1852, iii New
York Hospital, and in September set
tied in Wheeling. w Is
December l3, 1858, he married Miss
Kate A., eldest daughter of Rev. Benjn-
min Mitchell. d. D., of Mount Pleas
ant, Ohio. Having resumed general
practice in Wheeling, his influence was
not. slow in making itself felt i'll this
new field of labor. Endowed as he was
with varied capabilities and excelIen-
cics, II nature and manner genial and
companionnble, he came rapidly into
the enjoyment of public confidence.
And his admitted merit, the extent of
his Information, thoweight of his char
i nctcr, the dircctneSS and integrity of his
purpose, all conspired TO give him the
highest esteem and respect of his medi-
cal brethren.
Here he was successfully attending
to the duties of his profession when the
rebellion broke out. Prompted by Il
sterling patriotism, which nothing but
death could eXtinguish, lie entered into
the service of his country, acting dur
ing the three months campaign as Sur
geon of the Isl regiment loyal Virginia
volunteer infantry, and as soon as he
had accomplished its reorganization
under the second call for trOOpS, he was
chosen Colonel of the same regiment,
which, with its brave leader, Carried
terror to the enemy of civilization and
good government on so many bloody
fields.
a brnUer heart never beat i'll human
BOSOM. He had five or six horses shot
under him, i'll the various battles in
which he was engaged.
In 1862, Col. Thoburn was i'll the en-
gagement at Blues Gap, also the first
battle at Winchester, where he was Sc
vcrely wounded in the left arm, which
rendered him for some time unfit for
duty. He was in all the battles and
! skirmishes in the Shenandoah valley,
under General Banks. He fought mt
the battles of Port Republic and Cedar
Mountain. Though sick, he fought Mt
the second Bull Run battle, having
been in the saddle for three weeks,
when he should have been in the hos
pital. At length, he was stricken down
with typhoid fever, and lay ut AleXun-
dria, Va, dclirious for many weeks,
: during which time there was but little
if any hope of his recovery. But, "as
> soon as he recovered, he haStened back
to the field, leaving behind him be-
loved wife and three lovely children, to
whom he was most ardently attached. -
During the year 1863, he was on duty
i'll the Valley of Virginia, at North
Mountain, and at Petersburg, in Hardy
county His escape from the latter
place with his forces was regarded bV
military men as the most difficult and
successful of the war. During this
year lie commanded brigade under
Col. Mulligan. In 1854, he fought with
Gen. Sigel ut the hattloo of New Market;
under Gen. Hunter, he commanded q
brigade at the battle of Piedmont,
fought at the battle of Lynchburg, and
: was in all the series of battles and slzir-
! mishes III Hunters raid.
p When the renegade Early made his
\ iald down the Valley, and the summer
campaign of 1864 was organized, Col.
Ihoburn wns placed in command of a
division. He was in command mt the
hard fought battle at Snicller's Ferry.
!. he led the first division of Gen. Crooks
army, which turned the fortunes of the
T uhy at the battle OF Opequan Creek. He
commanded at the stOrming of Fishers
Hill, and advanced with Gen. Sheri-
5 dams army up to HarrisOnburg. When
: the rebel army lay near StTnSburg, Col.
Ihoburn requested of Gen. Sheridan
permissiontO go with his division rs
J sklrmiShers-an undertaking difficult
: and dnngerous-and ascertain tho ene-
= INV str .,