THORPE, Thomas Bangs, author, born in Westfield, Massachusetts, 1 March, 1815; died in New York city in October, 1878. He was for three years at Wesleyan university, and while at college gave evidence of literary and artistic talent. One of his early paintings, " The Bold Dragoon," adapted from Washington Irving's story, was highly commended. After leaving of his health, Mr. Thorpe made a tour of the southwest, and finally aria in 1836. His first literary production of note, " Tom Owen, the Bee-Hunter," was widely quoted, and his next contribution to periodical literature--the mirth-provoking sketch entitled "The Big Bear of Arkansas "-placed him in the foremost rank of early American humorists. He was for a time editor of a Whig newspaper in New Orleans. In 1844 he edited the "Concordia Intelligencer," and in 1846 established "The Conservator" at Baton Rouge, but sold the paper a few years later, and in 1859 became the editor and publisher of the New York " Spirit of the Times." Mr. Thorpe served in the Mexican war, and attained the rank of colonel. His contributions to periodical literature, particularly " Blackwood s, the " Knickerbocker," and " Harper's Magazine," show versatile talent of a high order, and several of his paintings, notably " Niagara as it Is," display ability. His published works include " Our Army of the Rio Grande" (Philadelphia, 1846) ; "Mysteries of the Backwoods" (1846); "Our Army at Monterey" (1847) ; "Lynde Weiss, an Autobiography" (1854); "The Hive of the Bee-Hunter" (New York, 1854) ; "A Voice to America" (1855) ; "Scenes in Arkansaw" (1858); and "Reminiscences of Charles L. Elliott."