Thomas Straham was born in Stirling, Scotland on May 10, 1847.

[1] He married Esther Lawrence on November 28, 1867, and they had six children.

[1] A Republican, he served on the Common Council of Chelsea, Massachusetts from 1880 to 1883, and was its president in the latter year.

He was elected Chelsea's mayor in 1883, and was a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives in 1884.

Thomas Strahan is one of the oldest wallpaper companies in America.