John C. Thorne

THORNE, CALHOUN, PITKIN

Posted By: Volunteer - Rich Lowe
Date: 1/9/2002 at 18:06:19

Portraits and Biographical Album of Jefferson and Van Buren Counties, Iowa: Lake City Pub. Co., 1890.

John C. Thorne

John C. Thorne, a leading dry goods merchant of Fairfield, has been engaged in his present line of business in that city since 1880, but for thirty years he has been a resident of the Hawkeye State. However, he claims Pennsylvania as the state of his nativity, his birth having occurred in Butler County, August 26, 1851. His parents were Robert and Elizabeth S. Calhoun Thorne. When he was a lad of six years, his father died, and two years later he came to Iowa to make his home with his maternal grandfather who was then living in the northeastern part of Van Buren County. His boyhood days were spent in the usual manner of farmer lads, and when not employed in labors connected with the farm he attended the public schools where he received a good English education. This was supplemented by attendance at the academy of Birmingham, and afterward he pursued a course in the Commercial College of Keokuk. In 1870, Mr. Thorne made his way to Tennessee and for a time engaged in clerking in Manchester. There he gained a fair knowledge of business principles and in 1874 returned to Fairfield, where he was employed for one year as dry goods clerk in the house of Mr. Risk. He then secured a like position with J.E. Roth, with whom he remained five years, when in the spring of 1880, he embarked in business for himself. In the ten years, which have since elapsed, he has found ample reward for the efforts he has put forth and is now doing a large business, which is annually increasing. In 1880, he started in business in company with E.M. Gage, under the firm name of Thorne & Gage. This connection continued for three years when Mr. Thorne bought his partner’s interest, and since that time he has continued the business alone. During his service as salesman the public has found that it would receive courteous treatment, prompt attention and fair dealing from Mr. Thorne, and was glad of an opportunity to show its appreciation of his faithfulness, which it does by a liberal patronage.

On April 12, 1877, Mr. Thorne led to the marriage altar Miss Rose Pitkin, daughter of E. Pitkin, now of Fayetteville Arkansas. The lady is a native of Van Buren County Iowa, and unto them has been born one child, Harry Pitkin, born March 18n 1879. The parents attend the Presbyterian Church and in political sentiment Mr. Thorne is a Republican. He is one of the enterprising and wide-awake merchants of Fairfield, popular with the public and highly esteemed through the country.
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