My Genealogy Hound

W. T. THORN. This well known gentleman is one of the oldest settlers of Kearney county, as he has been one of the most successful business men of its thriving county-seat town, Minden. He is a native of Hillsdale county, Mich., and was born April 11, 1840. He was reared in his native county, and from there, at the age of twenty-one, entered the Union army, enlisting in Company G, Eleventh Michigan infantry. He immediately went to the front, and during the term of his service participated in the following engagements: Gallatin, Tenn., August 13, 1862; Fort Riley, Tenn., September 1, 1862; Stone river, Tenn., December 29 to 31, 1862, and January 2 and 3, 1863; Elk river, Tenn., July 1, 1863; Davis’ crossroads, Tenn., September 11, 1863; Chickamauga, Ga., September 19, and 20, 1863; Mission ridge, Tenn., November 25, 1863; Buzzard’s Roost, Ga., May 10, 1864; Resaca, Ga., May 14, 1864; Kenesaw, Ga., June 22 to 27, 1864; New Hope church, May 27, 1864; Rough’s station, Ga., July 3 and 4, 1864; Peachtree creek, Ga., June 20, 1864; siege of Atlanta, July 21 and 22, 1864. His term of enlistment expired prior to the taking of Atlanta, but, prompted by a soldierly ambition, he continued in the service till Atlanta was captured. His military career is remarkable. He never missed a day from service and was never sick a day from the time of his enlistment; he never missed a battle in which his company was engaged, and was never wounded or captured. He served as a common private, bearing from the field no titles or honors, save the proud consciousness of duty well done.

In 1873 Mr. Thorn came to Nebraska and settled in Kearney county, taking the first homestead that was filed on in town 6, that county. Most of the country now comprised within the geographical limits of Kearney county was then one vast prairie. There were but two houses on “the divide,” and these were next to the sand hills. Mr. Thorn continued on his farm for some years, successfully engaged in farming and stock-raising. He was the first merchant in the town of Minden, opening a store there, in fact, before the town was started. He was the first postmaster at Minden, and he has been actively identified with all the material interests of the place since the town was founded, being now the oldest, as he has been the most prominent and successful, of all of Minden’s business men. His career has been that of a man of private affairs strictly, he never having aspired to any public position. He possesses sound intelligence and discriminating judgment, and when in business his conduct was marked for his thorough-going business ways. He has been very successful, having accumulated a competence, and has retired to enjoy it in comfort and ease.

He married, March 3, 1867, Miss Sarah A. Dutton, daughter of John and Evaline Dutton, of Hillsdale county, Mich. January 26, 1871, he lost his wife. He married again, April 22, 1879 — the lady whom he selected for his companion being Miss Ida L. Schmidt, a daughter of Andrew Schmidt, then of Kearney county, but a native of Germany. To this union have been born four children — Eva S., Wray, Clara and Edward L. Mr. Thorn has been a member of the Masonic fraternity for some years, and is a man of generous impulses and kindly disposition. Having been successful in the accumulation of this world’s goods, he uses them with wisdom and discretion, applying them to the comfort and social improvement of himself and family, and giving liberally to all charitable purposes looking to the good and improvement of others.