Thomas Settle holds a foundational background rooted in both legal and political expertise. He earned an Artium Baccalaureus degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and read law at Richmond Hill Law School. Settle began his career as a private secretary to a governor, followed by a period in private legal practice. He served as a member and Speaker of the North Carolina House of Commons, and later as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of North Carolina. Post-war, he contributed to the establishment of the North Carolina Republican Party and held the position of United States Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Peru.

Thomas Settle's political identity is marked by a distinctive blend of regional advocacy and judicial conservatism. His tenure on the Supreme Court of North Carolina, where he emphasized the economic implications of religious freedom, showcases an unexpected convergence of judicial and economic concerns. Despite his Confederate military service, his post-war efforts to support North Carolina's economic recovery suggest a calculated approach to regional interests. His diplomatic role in Peru further indicates a nuanced stance on foreign relations.