Eugene Thorn – the composer

I discovered something ultra cool today! Eugene Thorn, the youngest of the Thorn sons, and the only one to survive Herman, composed a polka for his love (and later wife) Mary Hyslop in 1851. I currently have a friend recording it for me and I will upload the file so you can hear it.

I have not been able to find out a lot about the younger Thorn children, so this is a big clue to who Eugene was, and suggests that his marriage to Mary was a love match. I guess, considering the family history of elopements, this is no surprise. Passion ran deep in the Thorns!

This polka was composed for the piano – an interesting choice of song type. Perhaps Mary loved to dance.

Just to add a little more paint to the picture, Mrs Eugene Thorn purchased an upright piano when she was living at 5 East Thirtieth street.