Thorn was a merchant and empresario. He was born in New York in 1793 and in 1825, obtained an empresario grant with Haden Edwards. He settled in Nacogdoches and built a business empire that included land speculation with his own as well as the Milam and DeWitt colonies, establishing trade with nearby Indians, a general store, bank, salt mine and lumberyard. He became one of the wealthiest men in Texas. He died in 1854.
