Joseph THURSTON

  General Notes:

Source Citation: Year: 1830; Census Place: Brown, Delaware, Ohio; Roll: 130; Page: 60.

Source Citation: Year: 1840; Census Place: , Delaware, Ohio; Roll: 391; Page: 209.

Source Citation: Year: 1850; Census Place: Delaware, Delaware, Ohio; Roll: M432_675; Page: 174; Image: 160.

Source Citation: Year: 1860; Census Place: Brown, Delaware, Ohio; Roll: M653_957; Page: 57; Image: 115.

Source Citation: Year: 1870; Census Place: Argyle, Lafayette, Wisconsin; Roll: M593_1722; Page: 266; Image: 4.

Source Citation: Year: 1880; Census Place: Argyle, La Fayette, Wisconsin; Roll: T9_1433; Family History Film: 1255433; Page: 12.3000; Enumeration District: 200; .


Joseph Thurston,7, (Daniel Greene 6,Norton 5,Samuel 4, Edward 3,Samuel 2, Edward 1) son of Daniel Greene and Fanny (Thayer) Thurston of Eden ,Ohio; born near Whitehall N.Y., March 22,1802; married, Feb. 9,1826,Charlotte Loofborrow,born in Pickaway county,OH., July 26,1809 ; she died in Argyle,Wis. Feb.21,1884. In 1810 he went with his parents to Delaware county Ohio. After marriage he settled as a farmer on the west bank of Alum Creek, near where the village of Eden now stands. He endured all the hardships of pioneer life in these early days in Ohio. When the infirmities of age had unfitted him for the labors of the farm, they removed to Argyle,Wis. and lived with his son, W. B.;Feb.9,1876, some of his children celebrated, with their parents, the fifieth anniversary of their wedding. They had never been separated a week at a time but twice, and then for less than a month,till her death. He was a class leader,steward and trustee in the Methodist church for nearly sixty years, died July 1,1885.

When Joseph was a small boy, but nine years old, he was one day sent out for the horses, which, when not in use, were allowed to run at large in the forest. He wandered through the woods for hours, but after a long and fruitless search, he gave up finding them, and started to return home. After traveling for some time, he became lost in the forest, but finally struck an old Indian trail, which he followed some distance, when, much to his surprise and consternation, he came upon an Indian encampment, where he was warmly welcomed (?) by an army of dogs, and forced to take , refuge in the nearest tree. The commotion produced by these ferocious beasts brought an old Indian from his wigwam, to investigate the cause of so much disturbance. To the astonishment of the lad, he discovered in him an old friend of his father, while the Indian, quite as much astonished as the boy, found the game "treed " by his dogs to be none other than the son of his old friend Thurston. The dogs were called off, and the boy invited to come down from his exalted perch. After he had related his adventure, a young Indian was ordered to catch a couple of well-trained ponies. Upon one of them he was placed, while the Indian boy mounted the other, and, acting as guide, led him through the forest, and after several hours' ride, he was restored to his already over-anxious parents.

1880
Joseph Thurston, now an active old gentleman of seventy-eight years, we are indebted for most of these facts, as well as much of the history of the township. He is possessed of a strong mind and is in excellent health. The companion of all these years is equally as vigorous as her husband, and together they recount the reminiscences of the early times, with the liveliest interest.

Joseph married Charlotte LOOFBOURROW, daughter of Benjamin Wilson LOOFBOURROW and Mary FRYBACK, on 9 Feb 1826 in Delaware Co., Ohio, United States. (Charlotte LOOFBOURROW was born on 26 Jul 1809 in Pickaway Co., Ohio, died on 21 Feb 1884 in Argyle, Lafayette, Wisconsin and was buried in Argyle, Lafayette, Wisconsin.)