Here is a succinct snapshot by a Governor Robert M. McLane of his aquaintance with the Thorns. McLane was among other things a diplomat and friends with de Lafayette. It's interesting to hear that the married Thorn children and their families lived together at Rue de Varenne, forming their own little court. I'm not sure... Continue Reading →
Oh to be able to afford all of these! Found them on Le Manuscrit Francais. It seems that Eugenie and Jane were close, and that Jane a had a great affection for young Louis Napoleon as well. The last two letters are to Jane's daughter Jeanne Marie, and appears to mention a romance of some... Continue Reading →
Thanks to my cousin Henri, I have begun to scour collectible sites and have unearthed some absolute gems. The first one I would like to share is the actual handwritten program (broadside) from the night Liszt played at Colonel Thorn's salon. You may remember that the concert was to raise funds for an impoverished German... Continue Reading →
I awoke with great joy this morning to an email from my cousin Henri that contained a photo of his ancestor Mary Jane (Jauncey-Thorn) de Varaigne. If you have been following this story, you will know that Mary eloped with Camille de Varaigne when she was 16 and caused an enormous scandal. The couple did... Continue Reading →
Below is a interesting glimpse into the Victorian mind with a mention of Colonel Thorn's upcoming ball, and the American's in Paris by Elizabeth J Knox in her letters. They make for such fascinating reading as they reveal the gossip and cultural beliefs of the time. In one letter I read, she spoke of a... Continue Reading →
This Fenimore Cooper book fragment, which was sold at auction, mentions Madame de Varaigne and Col Thorne. It is referring to the fact that Cooper tried to help Thorn when his daughter eloped with Camille de Varaigne. It was a terrible scandal at the time, but in a matter of years seemed forgotten when Camille... Continue Reading →
Unfortunately, I haven't been able to discover much about Ellen Thorn, other than she was a beautiful young woman who married Edward Kirkland. Ellen was born in Paris in 1833 and died in New York in 1891. She lived with her parents and /or siblings until around 1870. Even after her father and mother died,... Continue Reading →
All recounts of the origin of the American Cathedral in Paris suggest that it grew out of the Episcopalian services that Colonel Thorn hosted at Rue de Varenne. In an earlier post, I mentioned that there was some suggestion that the Colonel employed an English minister to bring some Godliness to his house because of... Continue Reading →
The heiress, Mrs Moulton, was described in the newspapers as the daughter of a rich American piano maker. She moved to Paris the 1840's, where she sought acceptance and notability. She aspired to hold soirees and fetes that all the most important people would attend and asked a Madame Lemercier and Colonel Thorn for assistance... Continue Reading →
And still the infamy of the Masked Ball of 1840 continues! This is taken from a letter by writer and journalist by Delphine de Girardin. It's a fascinating perspective on Colonel Thorn's motivations for the extravagant entertaining he did. If the author is in any way correct, then it begs the question why? Why spend... 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…