I am absolutely ecstatic to share with you this George Healy painting of Mary (Jauncey-Thorn) de Varaigne du Borg and her daughter Jeanne-Marie. This photo has been shared with me by my French cousins to whom I send many, many thanks!! We believe that Healy painted this around 1858-60 and that Jeanne Marie is about... Continue Reading →
This was a rather exciting find! It appears that the Colonel commissioned 3 x paintings from Danish artist Ernst Meyer through the icelandic sculptor, Bertel Thorvaldsen. Just when I think I've exhausted all the research avenues the Internet can offer, a little gem sparkles at me. The Colonel mentions copies of two paintings and a... Continue Reading →
Old William Jauncey, Jane Mary's uncle and legal guardian, deserves some space in this large family story. He was the source of Herman and Jane's great wealth, and the reason that they made many decisions in their early married life. Because of his disapproval, they eloped. And his desire to control who inherited his money,... Continue Reading →
Like many wealthy people, Colonel Thorn invested in and gave contribitions to a slew of beneficaries and projects outside his patronange of the Arts. Here is the list I have tracked down so far. These details paint a composite picture that bring the Colonel and his family to life. Below is a list for me... Continue Reading →
In an earlier post, I pondered on who was in the painting below, which is listed in the Frick collection as Colonel Thorn and family, and I decided it was Ellen or Alice, Ida, Eugene and Colonel Thorn. I checked back recently and Frick had updated their archive details (or maybe I'd missed them first... Continue Reading →
The Thorn's return to New York in late 1845 was prompted by a regime change in France. "He arrived at the port of New York aboard the ship Zurich on 9 Sep 1845.[2][3] The traveling party included Col Thorn age 60, Mrs. Thorn age 45, Mr. Alfred Thorn age 18, Mr. Eugene Thorn age 16, Ellen... Continue Reading →
The second part of Osgood's reflections is a sarcastic account of Charles Lever tasting sherry with Colonel Thorn. The Marquis de Penafiel mentioned in the excerpt was a Spanish noble and either the 11th or 12th Duke of Osuna. Charles Lever was an Irish writer and editor, author of The Confessions of Harry Lorrequer among... Continue Reading →
This excerpt from Uncensored Recollections by Julian Osgood Field paints a disturbing picture of Albert Thorn's marriage to Clotilde Barili, is unflattering about Jane Thorn de Pierres, and sarcastic about the Colonel. His anecdotes are hearsay from stories his father used to tell, and though perhaps exaggerated, still give valuable information. Osgood Field was a... Continue Reading →
It seems that in 1843 Colonel Thorn was witness of the the marriage between the New York banking heiress, Mary Mason Jones (Edith Wharton's great aunt) and the Baron de Trobriand. I'm curious as to whether there was an actual connection between them, or if he was merely called upon as a well known American... Continue Reading →
It was common knowledge that Old William Jauncey did not approve of his niece's choice of husband. As I mentioned in an earlier post, he had planned for her to wed the son of his friend, Colonel Barclay. The old man was so furious about their elopement in 1810 that he refused to ever speak... Continue Reading →
The Colonel and Mrs Thorn 
I noticed that too..nicknames add even more color to the picture
Oh, yes I found the photo amd put it on the poat about the Thorn granchildren! From Jane's letters it…
I shared her portrait and her father James with you…James is the black framed portrait vs the giant gold framed…
Dear Jacqueline, I feel the same as you. It has brought so much to life. Jane is clearly very fond…
How wonderful to hear the voices of the family..the daily life, the visits the boredom…first hand accounts from woman are…