Miscellaneous, Who's Who in Bainbridge, Orson Thorp

Who's Who in Bainbridge

Orson Thorp

Bainbridge News & Republican, March 24, 1938

 

Lathes, fishing rods, board meetings and village affairs are only incidents in the day's work of Bainbridge's busy mayor, Orson Thorp.

 

Amid flying sparks and turns at a grindstone, Mr. Thorp divulged the place of his birth as Sidney Center [Delaware Co., NY].  Moving to Sidney for a short stop-over, he arrived in Bainbridge [Chenango Co., NY] at the age of 13, and here he has since made his home.

 

Attending the local school, he soon was established as catcher on the high school baseball team.  His sporting days, however, did not cease with his graduation.  The town baseball tam made use of his catching prowess until 1925, and while Mr. Thorp will admit of having no "best" season, town fans report that all his games were "best."

 

Beginning early in his career of expert mechanic and cabinet maker, he worked for several local persons and organizations until 1920, when he became owner of the Bainbridge Garage.  He remained in this business until 1928, when he established his own shop.  In this shop, his mastery of the building trade and his knowledge of all kinds of machine and mill work have since kept him busy many more hours than the eight of a regulation working day. 

 

After putting in a full day in his shop, however, Mayor Thorp still finds time to efficiently direct village affairs.  Appreciation of his services and his popularity was shown at the recent elections when he was re-elected to a second term.

 

Just as many other law makers and administrators find recreation and sport in following the footsteps of Isaak Walton, so Bainbridge's head official is no exception.  He often takes to the Catskills or to Maine to pick a scrap with a stray trout.  His talents are not reserved for trout alone, however, for his record catch was a 14 pound pike caught four seasons ago at long Lake.

 

When the fish aren't biting, village boards aren't meeting and shop work is at a lull, Mr. Thorp goes in for some fancy cabinet making.  Desks, drop leaf tables, wall cup boards and magazine racks are but a few examples of his handiwork displayed in his own home.

 

Mayor Thorp must be one of the busiest men in the village for he finds time to carry on his own business, to attend diligently to his duties as a public official and to pursue his hobbies relentlessly, jobs at which his legion of friends in the village claim he is equally successful, proving once again that a "jack-of-all-trades" can be complete master of several.