William J. Thornby Biography This biography appears on pages 645-646 in "History of Dakota Territory" by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. IV (1915) and was scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net. This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit organizations for their private use. Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other means requires the written approval of the file's author. This file is part of the SDGENWEB Archives. If you arrived here inside a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at http://usgwarchives.org/sd/sdfiles.htm COLONEL WILLIAM J. THORNBY. Colonel William J. Thornby, who is connected with the government assaying office at Deadwood, was born in Greenwich, Washington county, New York, April 27, 1856, a son of James H. and Catharine (Couron) Thornby. The father was born in Armagh, Ireland, and as a young man came to the United States, settling in Syracuse, New York. For years he was upon the road as a traveling salesman, continuing in that business until his death in 1870. Following his demise the mother removed to Troy, New York, and in that city Colonel Thornby pursued his education. He was one of five children, four of whom yet survive. After his school days were over Colonel Thornby was employed in a foundry in Troy during the summer and in Griswold's Opera House during the winter until 1876, when he went to the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia. He was there employed at a soda fountain in Machinery Hall for three months and afterward engaged in selling cider in the Agricultural building. While there he became acquainted with Dr. Nichols, from the Black Hills, who had an exhibition of placer dirt from the gold regions and showed the visitors how gold was extracted by placer miners. Colonel Thornby became interested in this and in the fall returned to Troy, New York, and from there went to Chicago, on to Omaha and to Cheyenne, Wyoming, by train and arranged to proceed from the last named place by Wade's freight, which was drawn by horses and mules. They left Cheyenne on the 27th of March, 1877. and arrived in Deadwood on the 19th of April. Although he had paid to ride in one of the wagons Colonel Thornby had to walk all of the way, a distance of three hundred miles, as the roads were very bad. After reaching his destination he worked for a newspaper called The Pioneer until January, 1879, acting as solicitor for the paper and also having charge of some of the delivery routes. He afterward went to Custer with Professor Walter P. Jenney, a government geologist, and through him received valuable instruction in geology and mineralogy. They were to investigate certain mining claims six miles south of Custer but failed to find anything valuable. Colonel Thornby became interested in the Grand Junction mine, three miles north of Custer, and during that time helped lay out and organize Junction City Subsequently he went to where Hot Springs is now situated and was the first to locate Minnekahta Springs. He there took one hundred and sixty acres of government land, after which he returned to Hill City and induced several men to come to the springs. Dr. Jennings, of Deadwood, organized a company to improve the springs, which are now famous. With the development and growth of the district Colonel Thornby became closely associated. He was elected the first county assessor of Custer county and was long retained in that position, being reelected a number of times. He was also chosen the first county judge and the first justice of the peace of Custer City, acting in that capacity in 1880. Still higher political honors awaited him, however, for in 1892 he was elected state senator from the district comprising Custer and Fall River counties. He continued farming and mining and also purchased a ranch near Hermosa, which he still owns. He afterward established an assaying office at Ragged Top and was employed in the government assaying office at Deadwood in 1898. There he has since remained and is one of the most valued and experienced men in that connection, his labors being of the utmost worth. He is also a member of the school board of Deadwood and for three years he was a trustee of the School of Mines. In 1894 Colonel Thornby was married to Miss Bertha Youmans, a teacher in the Spearfish Normal School, who was born at Winona, Minnesota. They have become the parents of two children: Mary Youmans, now a student in Brookings College; and Catherine Moore, attending the public schools. The religious faith of the family is that of the Episcopal church and the political belief of Colonel Thornby is that of the republican party. He belongs to the Deadwood lodge of Elks and is a prominent Mason, holding membership in the blue lodge and chapter, in Dakota Commandery, No. 1, K. T., of which he is a past eminent commander, and in Naja Temple of the Mystic Shrine, of which he is chief rabban. He is most highly respected and his worth as a man and citizen is widely acknowledged. In 1887 Governor Church made him a member of his staff, with the rank of colonel, he being the first to whom this title has been accorded west of the Missouri river.