Biography of Grant Thornburg, 1902, Grant Co., Oregon
Surnames: Thornburg, Wall, Gutridge

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An Illustrated History of Baker, Grant, Malheur and Harney Counties, pub. 1902
by Western Historical Pub. Co. of Chicago. page 465

GRANT THORNBURG

Mr. Thornburg was born in Indiana, on February 10, 1865, the son of Joseph and
Sarah (Wall) Thornburg, natives, respectively, of Indiana and Illinois. In
1865 the family came to Iowa, where our subject was educated and grew to
manhood. In 1882 the family went thence to Missouri, and there Grant engaged
in farming until 1889, in which year they came to the ground now occupied by
the thrifty town of Granite. But one house graced the site at that time. He
built the first hotel on the site of Granite, and with the exception of two
years, he has been in the business since that time. He now handles the Grand
hotel, a house of good reputation, and one in which the comfort of the guests
is attended to with an untiring care that bespeaks enjoyment to the traveling
public. In addition to the duties of host, Mr. Thornburg has attended to
mining, and has made a very commendable showing in that line. He sold the
Cougar to its present owners, and in company with his brother, sold the
Thornburg placers. At the present time he has some fine properties and devotes
much attention to mining. Mr. Thornburg is one of the principal owners of the
town site and he takes a very active part in political matters in general,
being one of the leading men of the town and county. 

The marriage of Mr. Thornburg and Miss Mary M. Gutridge was solemnized in
Missouri, in 1885, and they have two children living, Odessa and Harry A., and
one deceased. Fraternally Mr. Thornburg is affiliated with the B.P.O.E. of
Baker City, and the K. of P., in Sumpter. Since the incorporation f the town
Mr. Thornburg has been mayor, and at his own expense he has established a town
water works system. It was in 1899 that the town of Granite was incorporated
and it has been known as a center of a very rich mining region for a number of
years.

Mr. Thornburg is deserving of much credit for his untiring labors, not only
for the town, but for the development of the mineral resources of the
surrounding country, which has been instrumental in bringing so much wealth to
this section.