Ann Maria Thorne

Ann Maria Thorne, more widely known as Mrs. French, née Mestayer (b. 1813, Philadelphia; d. 20 June 1881 Cornwall-on-Hudson, New York)[1] was an early American concert singer and actress from Philadelphia. As "Mrs. French," she was among the most famous Singers in America during the 1820s. According to an 1896 publication, Annals of Music in Philadelphia and History of the Musical Fund Society, Mrs. Burke had been the most famous American singer until she was outrivaled by Mrs. French.[2] Mrs. French had studied music with Benjamin Carr, an early American composer, music publisher, and music teacher from Philadelphia. The cover pages of several compositions by James P. Aykroyd – published by George E. Blake – advertise Mrs. French as a singer of the works.

She was born Ann Maria Mestayer and married young, initially taking the surname "French."[3] In 1831, she remarried Charles Robert Thorne (1814–1893), an actor.[4][5][6]

References

  1. ^ Amusement Notes, The Daily Globe, St. Paul, Minnesota, pg. 4, col. 6, June 26, 1881
  2. ^ Annals of music in Philadelphia and history of the Musical fund society from its organization in 1820 to the year 1858, compiled by Louis C. Madeira, edited by Philip H. Goepp, J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia (1896)
  3. ^ Wesley Washington Pasko, Old New York: A Journal Relating to the History and Antiquities of New York City, Vol 1 (of 2), pg. 125, W. W. Pasko, New York (1890)
  4. ^ William Winter, Brief Chronicles, pg. 282, originally published 1889 by, reprinted 1970 by Lenox Hill Publishing And Distributing Corp. (inactive), New York (1970)
  5. ^ Martin Bordman and Thomas S. Hischak, Charlies Robert Thorne, The Oxford Companion to American Theatre, Oxford University Press (2004)
  6. ^ Death of a Veteran Actor, The Long Career on the Stage of Charles Robert Thorne, The New York Times, December 14, 1893