Thoburn Rodgers
in the words of Jackie Nygard
Thoburn Rodgers was born on September 1, 1896 and died in November 28, 1968. Thoburn Rodgers grew up on a farm in Scioto Township, Delaware County, Ohio. His mother's name was Carrie and he also had three brothers: Imel, Laroy and Clarence. Thoburn fought in World War I in the US Army in France. After the war, he joined the VFW and an outfit that was called COOTIES. He was Commander of the Cooties which was attached to the VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) club that was under his apartment on 3rd St. in Chester. In the 1930's he participated in the Veterans March on Washington that was quelled by Douglas MacArthur. He later worked at Westinghouse in the 1940's while residing at 511 Sutton Avenue in Folsom, PA.
He was the one who taught the Nygard boys about heavy equipment before they both joined the CCC (Civil Conservation Corps). Thoburn had worked in construction as a steam-shovel operator in the 1920's. During World War II he went to work at WESTINGHOUSE and was a member of the Electrical Union before retiring in 1961.
Thorburn was the partner of Ann Fitzpatrick Nygard. Although there are is no record of a marriage between them, Ann did take his last name and they had a son together, Jimmy Rodgers.
Jackie Nygard, Thorburn’s step-son, was introduced to Thorburn's son, in the service. He lived in New York and had come down to get Thorburn to sign some papers because Thorburn’s first wife had died. When Jackie Nygard was about ten, Thoburn took him on a train ride to Columbus Ohio and they spent a week on a farm that was about an hour car ride north of Columbus.