Fred was born in Hillies, Prince Edward Ontario in 1862 to Sam Thorn and ? Chamberlain (mother). He was the descendent of the United Empire Loyalists who left the U.S.A. after the War of Independence.
In 1881 he filed a homestead in Manitoba. He later returned to his home town and married Cora Emma Terry. In April 1894, He came to Squamish to become manager of clearing and building operations at the Squamish Valley Hope Company.
He and Cora had five children, in order of age: Clifford, Edna, Ella, Doris, and Harold.
In 1914 he started raising short horn cattle at the Squamish Valley Hop Company Ranch. Due to prohibition in the 1920's, hop farming stopped and he rented the farm from its owners and farmed for 10 years.
His wife Cora died in 1946. He then lived with his son until his death at 7:15pm on Saturday 12, 1948.
Fred Thorne is Oswald Rae's father-in-law.
Fred Thorne is Doris' father.