hɪz bɹˈʌðɚ, mˈeɪdʒɚ tˈɑːməs tˈɪptən θˈoːɹnbɜːɡ, wʌz kəmˈændɚɹ ʌv fˈɔːɹt stˈiːl ænd wʌz kˈɪld dˈʊɹɹɪŋ ðə bˈæɾəl ʌv mˈɪlk kɹˈiːk ɪn wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti nˈaɪn.
His brother, Major Thomas Tipton Thornburgh, was commander of Fort Steele and was killed during the Battle of Milk Creek in 1879.