1817 (abt) - birth of Thomas H. Strange (based on age at D.O.D.)

1830 - Fed. census; Apollos Strange, Prov Cnty, Pg 230, N. Prov.

1840 - Fed. census; Thomas Strange, Prov Cnty, Pg 216, N. Prov. (no occ. given before 1850 census)

1843 (abt) - Thomas marries Ruth A. Borden, b. abt 1823 in Smithfield, RI of Thomas & Ruth Borden. Mother born in Mass. (1865 RI census & RI death records)

1850 Prov. Dir; ( no entry for Thomas H. Strange or James Bromily, his future partner )

1850 - Fed. census; Prov Cnty, Pg 333, N. Prov.
Thomas H. Strange, 31, sash & blind maker, from RI; married to Ruth A. Strange, 28, from Mass; children:  Ann M. 6, Sarah E. 4, Henry Albert 2. All children born in RI. Family living in the same building as a Samuel L. Potter, 46, machinist.

1853 Prov. Dir; Thomas H. Strange, “Strange & Bromily”,  sash & blind manuf., 11 Mill, h. 5 Carroll

1858 Prov. Dir - home address changes to foot of Mallet

1859 Prov. Dir; Thomas’s partner James Bromily now works for “ D.D.Sweet & Co. “ doors, sash & blind makers", 65 Canal St.

1860 - Fed. census; Prov Cnty, Pg 149, Prov 1st Ward
Thomas H. Strange, 43, sash & blind maker, from Mass (conflicts with 1850 census which states he was born in RI); wife Ruth, 38, from Mass; and a total of four children; also an 84 yr. old women named Ruth Borden from Mass., and a Daniel Applebee, 20 yrs old, also a sash and blind maker.

1860 Prov Dir; Thomas H. Strange, “Strange & Mason”, sash, door and blind makers, Smith cor. of Charles, h. foot of Mallet. (Also listed in back under Sawing, Planing, and Moulding Mills.  This is a partnership with Pardon Mason)

1863 Prov. Dir; Thomas H. Strange, sash, door & blind makers, 18 Smith St., house foot of Mallet

1865 - 1888  (directory information for these years to be completed)

1863 - Thomas’ daughter Ann Marie marries in Prov, Orville Potter Jones who was b. Nov 1840 in Foster, RI

1865 -  RI State census: Thomas H. Strange 48, from Mass; Ruth A. ,43, b. Smithfield, RI; Sarah, 19, b. N. Prov.; George, 13, b. N. Prov; Orville Jones, 26, b. Foster; Annie Marie, 21, b. N. Prov.

1870 - Fed. census; Prov Cnty, Pg105, Prov 1st Ward
Thomas H. Strange, 53, master carpenter, from Mass; Ruth A., 48, keeping house, from RI; Sarah, 23, RI; George,19, sash & blind maker, RI; Jonas Orville, 30, carpenter, RI; Annie M., 26, RI; Addie M. 10 months, RI.

1888 - Thomas H. Strange dies on 12 Mar 1888, age 71 yrs. ( RI death records (Bk88, Pg689,28Prov)  ck # 28 again-Prov or N. Prov

1891 - Ruth A Strange dies on 12 Apr 1891, age 68 in Bristol, RI. (RI death records (Bk.91,Pg567,2Bristol)
 

In Summary: To date only one plane has been reported with the imprint " T.H.Strange - Prov./R.I.". At no point (found) did Thomas  H. Strange ever described himself as anything other than a "sash, door & blind maker", or in the 1870  Fed. census a "master carpenter". In my opinion there is no reason to think this was anything other than a tradesman establishing ownership of one of his tools; however he may have made the example reported.
    By the time Thomas elected to describe himself as master carpenter, mechanization had slowly siphoned away much of the manual skill and pride associated with what he did. It's interesting that T. H. Strange, a successful businessman, preferred that others think of him as a "master carpenter" rather than business man.