Thomas married a niece of one of his partners Jennie Judge on September 14, 1890 in Park City Utah they had four children, all of whom were born in Park City. He was elected alderman in Park City he later became a delegate to the 1895 state constitutional convention where he advocated for an eight hour work day. The Democratic majority in the 1899 legislature had failed to elect a U.S. senator, leaving the seat vacant for two years. In late 1900 Kearns announced his candidacy and was elected the following year by a Republican-controlled legislature.  Kearns also won recognition in the Senate for his support of Theodore Roosevelt's conservation/irrigation programs. He worked to secure regimental post status for Fort Douglas and for opening the Uintah Indian Reservation to settlement. When he failed to receive support for reelection, he bitterly denounced the power of the Mormon Church in a Senate farewell speech in 1905.

   Kearns and his partner David Keith had purchased the Salt Lake Tribune in 1901 and also launched the evening Salt Lake Telegram. Still retaining his ownership of the Silver King mine he had by this time bought in to other mines in the Park City and Price areas. It was once said, “Anything he touched turned to gold.”

   Kearns died of a stroke on October 18 1918, eight days after being struck by a car at South Temple and Main streets.  Jennie passed away September 21 1943 it was under her direction that the Kearns fortune built St. Ann's Orphanage (now a school), and the Kearns home, which was donated by her to the state in 1937 and is now the governor's official residence.

   Although the Silver King mine is best known for it high grade silver, ore, copper and zinc were also mined from the same mine. These products moved across the valley by rails stopping at the refinery by the name of Garfield and Kennecott Copper the largest open pit mine which opened in 1887. After the company suffered from many railroad mishaps they went in search of an area where the men could stop and get off the train for lunch and dinner. A spot was located about 5 miles from the railroads troubled spot. It was a perfect spot, fresh water ran near by and there was a huge tree where the men would sit and have lunch off the train. After a while a water sprocket and tables were added for the connivance of the men. Some fifty years later, while the military was developing the site of the new base the sprocket was located along with a sign that read, “Kearns Water hole.” Hence the name Kearns was added to this area, after the war the area kept the name Kearns.

   Standard Surplus Incorporation of New York heard about the small town that no one wanted. Two days later a representative of the firm, S.D. Caplain arrived in Salt Lake City to promptly file a bib of $287,270.00. On July 16, 1948 the winning bid was opened just $30,000 higher than the next offer the land was awarded to Standard surplus. After the finalization of the land was made, Standard Surplus Incorporation of New York quickly went into action and hired a Development Engineer.

   Arthur Caplain was a New York businessman and President of Standard Surplus INC. as well as a prominent Broadway writer his play “Life is too Short” was currently running on Broadway when his company bought Camp Kearns. And in 1950 he had written another Broadway musical comedy called “Margery” A story about a young businessman and the girl of his dreams. The young man making promises to his girl and the girl just laughing off all the ill promises he had made to her. Until he said if you marry me to prove my love to you I will build a town and we’ll name it Margery. And so it was that she married him, and he did buy a town but never named it Margery. But instead he chose to keep the name Kearns because of the respect that name carried in Utah at the time. “Margery” ran for nine months on Broadway, and was quit the hit.