Thurlow Weed, christened Edward Thurlow Weed, was born on November 15, 1797, in Cairo, New York. He was the oldest child of Joel and Mary Ellis Weed. Thurlow Weed had three brothers and two sisters, all of whom Weed outlived. Weed’s sisters died before they reached adulthood and his brother, Orrin, died in 1823 of yellow fever in New York City.

Weed married Catherine Ostrander on April 26, 1818. They were engaged in 1814, but waited to marry until they were older at the bequest of Catherine’s parents. Together the Weed’s had four children, Harriet Ann Weed, James Birdsall Weed, Maria Alden (née Weed), and Emily Peck Barnes (née Weed). Harriet served as her father’s personal secretary.

Throughout his career, Thurlow Weed worked as a newspaper editor, politician, and political manager, aligning himself closely with the Whig party and prominent Whig politicians such as William Henry Seward. In 1830, Weed established the Albany Evening Journal through which Weed voiced his support for anti-Masonry, economic development, internal improvements, etc. Weed became a member of the new Republican Party as the Whigs lost influence in American politics. In 1860, Weed managed the unsuccessful presidential campaign of William H. Seward. By 1863, Weed retired from political life and moved to New York City.

Weed died on November 22, 1882, at the age of 85.