She is married to William Henry Harrison Thornburg.
They got married on July 3, 1857 at Iowa, Verenigde Staten, she was 17 years old.Source 1
Child(ren):
History of Stanislaus County California
by George Henry Tinkam
pg524
MRS. ORESTA S. THORNBURG.Among the old settlers of Stanislaus County who has witnessed a remarkable transformation, is Mrs. Oresta Thornburg, whose maiden name was Oresta Curtis, and born in Warren County, Pa., February 22. 1840. Her father, James Curtis, a native of New York, whose father was also named James, had married Alzina Hills and they were farmers in Pennsylvania. They afterwards removed to Mitchell County, Iowa, where they were pioneer farmers. In 1869, they came to Stanislaus County, Cal., and a few years later located at Watsonville, where they resided until their death.
Oresta Curtis was reared in Pennsylvania until thirteen years of age, when she came to Mitchell County, Iowa, and there she attended school in the primitive log schoolhouse with its slab benches and puncheon floors. At Osage, in that county, she was married July 3, 1857, being united with Wm. H. Thornburg, born in Laporte County, Ind., December 9, 1833, the son of Absalom Thornburg, a farmer who spent his last days in Iowa. Wm. H. Thornburg grew up in Indiana, remaining there until he reached his majority, when he came to Alamakee County, Iowa, and purchased 160 acres of Government land, which he improved and farmed. After his marriage, they moved to Cutler, Iowa, where Mr. Thornburg followed sawmilling. In 1859, with James and D. T. Curtis, he started for Pikes Peak, but on the old trail along the Platte they met so many people returning from Colorado disappointed. that they resolved to push on to California, and crossed the plains with ox teams and wagons, Mr. Thornburg walking the entire distance. A couple of years later he -returned to Iowa, and on August 14, 1862, enlisted in Company A, Twenty-seventh Iowa Regiment. serving in the Civil War until August 8, 1865, when he was mustered out and returned home. After the war he engaged in farming, but he never forgot sunny California, and in 1870, not being able to longer resist the call of the West, he brought his family to Stanislaus County, where he leased land from David Curtis, which he farmed for twelve years, then spent six years farming and stock raising in Panoche Valley, Fresno County, and was successful. He then bought 300 acres north of Turlock, which he farmed. When the irrigation district was formed and water was obtainable, he improved it for raising alfalfa and engaged in dairying until his death, November 9, 1908. He was a good man and there was no better neighbor nor friend and Stanislaus County today owes much of its greatness to men of that stamp. He was a prominent member of the G. A. R. Mr. and Mrs. William H. Thornburghad four children: Lamont of Fresno; LeRoy died in Washington; Elvene resides in Sonoma, and William is in Southern California.
In the spring of 1908, Mr. Thornburg had started building a cozy residence at 501 East Olive Street, but he was not permitted to live to enjoy it, for he only lived there six months when he was called by death. Since her husbands death Mrs. Thornburg continues to reside in her home, while she leases her ranch. She is a member of the Brethren Church and takes pleasure in dispensing old-time California hospitality.
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