She also studied with a Henri-Noel Gilles (1778–1834), a French-born and musically educated guitarist, oboist, and composer of Philadelphia.
Thorne was born Ann Maria Mestayer in a family of well-known American actors that included her parents, grandparents, siblings, husband, and children.
Her parents, John Mestayer and Maria (née French; 1786–1860), were well-known Philadelphia stage and circus professionals.
She married young, and before marriage, took a stage surname of "Mrs. French", borrowing her mother's maiden name.
[4] In December 1830, in Richmond, Virginia, Mestayer married Charles Robert Thorne (1814–1893), an actor.