I have enjoyed finding out which artists performed at Colonel Thorn's salon in Paris. It helps paint a vivid picture of the times. Most recently, I have found a mention of Mr Adrien Garreau, an exalted cellist. Mr Garreau has come to this country on the recommendation of the Ambassador of France to Washington and... Continue Reading →
It's these incidental pieces of information that build such a rich picture of the Thorn family's life. Of course, I'm curious about who was in the carriage! Being 1842, I expect it was Jane, Alice or Mary. 1842: On the way back from Chantilly, several accidents occurred which could have been very serious, and which... Continue Reading →
It is believed that Colonel Thorn spent 1 million francs renovating Hotel Matignon. In today's currency, that is equivalent to 51 million AUD. It's kind of hard to take in, and puts the 'e' in extravagant. So far, I have been able to find out a few facts about the renovation. He took the advice... Continue Reading →
Have I mentioned that Archival Librarians Rule the World! Much of the research material I'm finding on Google Books is only available in snippet view. This has been a constant source of frustration to me, which I didn't know how to overcome. Lately, though I've taken to reaching out to the librarians where the book... Continue Reading →
This passage in Le Mémorial bordelais : feuille politique et littéraire has revealed some fascinating kernels of Thorn history. It seems that when the family packed up ready to return to New York for good, they left Hotel Matignon and stayed temporarily at Hotel Forbin just outside Marseille. My assumption is that their boat was... Continue Reading →
I've been reading a biography about Peg Woffington, an Irish actress and celebrity of the stage from the 1700's. The biography was written by Janet Camden Lucey, and in it I found the passage below. It resonanted deeply with all that I have uncovered about the Thorn's, and captures the essence of their lives. I... Continue Reading →
Below is a second reference to Franz Liszt playing at Colonel Thorn's and the reason behind it - the troupe of starving German musicians. You can read an entire academic paper about this story on academia.edu. For civilization, for colonization, the cross is better than the sword. Paris, which at this moment is almost depopulated of its beautiful... Continue Reading →
I absolutely LOVE it when I come across these little mentions. Every tiny detail helps to paints a more vivid picture of their lives and times... So, it seems that Herman Thorn imported oysters from the very famous Oyster King in New York, Thomas Downing. Thomas was an admirable, hard working entrepreneur and abolitionist who... Continue Reading →
I discovered this letter, which was sent to the Editor-in-chief of Le Sport. It was written by Baron Etienne de Pierres in 1859 and speaks in defence of his father-in-law about the rumours that abounded at the time, after the Colonel had left France to return to New York. It's curious that he responded publically... Continue Reading →
People have been very generous, helping me out in researching this story, and it's been a joy to meet new people along the way. I'd like to thank Lynda, a descendant of George Healy's for sending me some memorabilia all the way from the USA. The mail is so slow at the moment, it took... Continue Reading →
The Colonel and Mrs Thorn 
[…] is believed that the product will have exceeded the figure of 10,000 fr. The hero of the party was…
Will do
Hi Eugene, nice to meet you. Let me know if you find out something new.
I also believe that I have correctly traced my ancestry to Ots-Toch, through my mother, Claribel Ackart (via Solomon Eckert,…
[…] From 1858 – 1871, he was a councillor at the Canton of Saint-Aignan-sur-Roe in Mayenne. And deputy of Mayenne…