Local History: Solomon Thorn, Part 1: Gunsmith to the Shawnee and Delaware

One early resident of Cape Girardeau who is often mentioned in passing was Solomon Thorn. Louis Houck states in his “History of Missouri” that Thorn came to Illinois with the regiment of George Rogers Clark in 1778, serving in Capt. Dillard’s company. After Clark took Vincennes and Kaskaskia, Thorn resided briefly in Vincennes. Solomon’s father allegedly was Michael Thorn, and both men and other Thorns settled the area in 1784. Solomon moved to Illinois and settled on the Illinois River by 1786.

The circumstances of the connection Thorn had to Louis Lorimier are unclear, but it is likely he began doing gunsmithing work for the Shawnee and Delaware at Apple Creek. Sometime in 1798, Lorimier enticed Thorn to relocate to Cape Girardeau — where Thorn witnessed two weddings June 5. He purchased a lot from Samuel Bradley in Cape Girardeau, later mentioned as adjoining land Lorimier gave to Bartholomew Cousin, which would place it north of Themis Street and east of Spanish Street. Lorimier granted Thorn 600 arpents on the edge of the “Big Swamp,” the bottomland where the Diversion Channel lies today (Survey 3283). He also received a 240-arpent grant adjoining the first grant (Survey 2189). Both lie south of Highway 74 between Interstate 55 and Dutchtown. Thorn sold his smaller land grant to Andrew Ramsey in May 1804, along with the right to pursue clear title through the Board of Commissioners after the Louisiana Purchase.

Robert Giboney stated in a deposition dated October 1833 for the Board of Land Commissioners that Thorn “made a settlement and improvement, built a dwelling house, (and) raised a shop for a gunsmith shop.” The shop was probably in the village, and Lorimier gave orders to the Indians to go to Thorn for gunsmithing needs. William Williams also testified deposed the same basic information at the same time. Thorn appears in various ledgers and other records from 1799 to 1810, indicating he was transacting business in Cape Girardeau, and he witnessed deeds and mortgages regularly up to about the time of the War of 1812.

A pivotal event in 1802 was Lorimier’s muster of local men to serve as a militia against a threat by a hostile group of Creeks. Thorn was among those who answered the call. Despite the likelihood he was over age 50, he enlisted in Capt. Peter Craig’s militia company in the War of 1812. In both actions, Thorn’s skills as a gunsmith may have made him a valuable addition to the companies.

Solomon Thorn appears on the 1803 Cape Girardeau District census with two younger males and three younger females, possibly his children. Either his wife had died, or she was much younger than him.

A Solomon Thorn married Marie Louise Bienvenue in Randolph County, Illinois, in 1806. The wedding occurred at a time when Thorn witnessed deeds and provided depositions on land claims in Illinois, so this may very well be his second (or third) marriage. None of the land or mortgage transactions for him mention a wife, however.

Bill Eddleman is an eighth-generation Cape County resident who has spent the last 30-plus years researching his family. He is currently the part-time associate director of the Cape Girardeau Research Center of The State Historical Society of Missouri, and conducts professional genealogy research and presentations.