thrale & thrall family history

Charles Holmes Thrall

Male 1870 -


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  • Name Charles Holmes Thrall  [1
    Birth 27 Aug 1870  [2
    Gender Male 
    Education 1888  New Haven, Connecticut, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [2
    Charles was attending Yale until the great blizzard of 1888. At the height of the blizzard, he was helping his father, Julius, with his livery business, located in the center of Rockville. He was driving a sleigh and became unconscious and was not found for some tune. Some eye damage resulted and after living in darkened rooms for several months, at the suggestion of a doctor, he left for the warmer climate of Florida in 1889. 
    Hobbies For years, Charles spent hundreds of hours each summer in the Historical Library in Hartford and among the State archives, writing up the history of the Thrall family. He arranged his findings in an orderly fashion and made it possible for many of the Thrall clan who left Connecticut, to trace their ancestry. we are all indebted to him for the research he did and of organizing the information he collected. The handwritten records of his findings are preserved for posterity in the Historical Library in Hartford, Connecticut.  [2
    Occupation c. 1895  Havana, Ciudad de La Habana, Cuba Find all individuals with events at this location  [2
    He worked as an electrician for a year or two in Florida and then was convinced by friends of the opportunities in Havana. Upon his arrival, he went to work for the electric company, where he became chief electrician after a short time. Two or three years later, his American friends set him up in business, the Charles H. Thrall Electric Company. As the Charles H. Thrall Electric Company company prospered, he purchased a stone quarry across the bay at Jesus Des Monte. Both operations prospered and Charles made many important friends. 
    Note 15 Feb 1898  [2
    He had dinner with some of these friends aboard the battleship USS Maine one evening, and as he was being rowed back to shore by one of his supervisors, the USS Maine was blown up and the Spanish American War had begun. Sixteen years later, when the USS Maine was raised. The Charles H. Thrall Electric Company, supplied the electric power on the job. 
    Military Service Mar 1898  Morro Castle, Havana, Cuba Find all individuals with events at this location  [2
    Leaving directly for Florida, he was enlisted by the Navy to serve as a spy. He was listed as correspondent by the New York Daily Telegram and worked from the flagship which lead the blockade off Havana. He was put ashore on four occasions, his primary mission was to evaluate gun placements.

    The first mission went smoothly. On the second mission, he rescued a woman news correspondent serving as a spy who had become suspect. As a result; he became suspect, and a reward for his capture dead or alive was set at 2000 pesos.

    The third mission took him to Cabanas fortress directly behind Morros Castle. He successfully entered the fort as a peddler with a push cart full of fruit and candies. He obtained the required information and left, but he was realised almost immediately afterward and a full scale search began. Charles managed the 7 kilometers to the rendezvous, however, he could not make contact because of the search. He stood in a coral swamp for sixteen hours which caused severe lacerations and infection to his legs. 
    Military Service 18 May 1898  Cuba Find all individuals with events at this location  [2
    On his fourth mission, he was captured and chained to the floor of a four foot high cell, in the dungeons of Cabana's fortress. The date of his capture was May 18, 1898. He was held several weeks, expecting execution at any moment. However, President McKinley had been informed of his capture and negotiations were underway to trade prisoners. Eventually, the brother-in-law of General Weyler, head of the Spanish forces and two other officers were traded for Charles' life. At least one newspaper carried an illustration of President McKinley and Charles shaking hands, with Charles thanking the President. A full account of which was printed in the on May 22, 1898. 
    Occupation 1899  Havana, Ciudad de La Habana, Cuba Find all individuals with events at this location  [2
    After the war Charles returned to Havana, reclaimed his quarry and reorganized the electric company. Both prospered for many years (25-30) He also built the first modern sugar mills in Cuba. There were several other interesting business ventures, including sugar beets in Texas power stations on the Rio Grande, and real estate. 
    Note abt. 1938  [2
    In spite of the tremendous abilities of this man of old five feet two inches, his personal life was a series of unhappy developments. His first wife, Ida, spent most of their married life in semi-seclusion in a beautiful home in West Hartford. In the late 30's, he discovered he had cancer of the tongue and throat. A great deal of money went for treatment and operations, not to mention years of pain and suffering. His daughter, Corrinne, who was extremely frail and delicate, became a suicide in her mid-twenties. His second wife, Florence, seemed to bring him the only personal happiness he knew. 
    Person ID I2474  US Thrall family
    Last Modified 17 Jan 2024 

    Father Julius Strong Thrall,   b. 11 Aug 1832, Vernon, Tolland, Connecticut, USA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 29 Nov 1915, Vernon, Tolland, Connecticut, USA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 83 years) 
    Mother Mary Ann Holmes,   b. 2 Jan 1832, West Stafford, Tolland, Connecticut, USA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 25 Jan 1924, Vernon, Tolland, Connecticut, USA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 92 years) 
    Marriage 18 May 1853  [4
    • All the children were born in Vernon, Connecticut, USA. [3]
    Family ID F688  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 1 Ida A McPherson   d. Yes, date unknown 
    Marriage 9 Oct 1895  [3
    Children 
     1. Corinne Thrall,   b. 16 Jul 1896   d. 20 Oct 1932 (Age 36 years)
    Family ID F909  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 11 Jul 2004 

    Family 2 Florence 
    Family ID F1284  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 17 Jan 2024 

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsEducation - Charles was attending Yale until the great blizzard of 1888. At the height of the blizzard, he was helping his father, Julius, with his livery business, located in the center of Rockville. He was driving a sleigh and became unconscious and was not found for some tune. Some eye damage resulted and after living in darkened rooms for several months, at the suggestion of a doctor, he left for the warmer climate of Florida in 1889. - 1888 - New Haven, Connecticut, USA Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsOccupation - He worked as an electrician for a year or two in Florida and then was convinced by friends of the opportunities in Havana. Upon his arrival, he went to work for the electric company, where he became chief electrician after a short time. Two or three years later, his American friends set him up in business, the Charles H. Thrall Electric Company. As the Charles H. Thrall Electric Company company prospered, he purchased a stone quarry across the bay at Jesus Des Monte. Both operations prospered and Charles made many important friends. - c. 1895 - Havana, Ciudad de La Habana, Cuba Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMilitary Service - Leaving directly for Florida, he was enlisted by the Navy to serve as a spy. He was listed as correspondent by the New York Daily Telegram and worked from the flagship which lead the blockade off Havana. He was put ashore on four occasions, his primary mission was to evaluate gun placements. The first mission went smoothly. On the second mission, he rescued a woman news correspondent serving as a spy who had become suspect. As a result; he became suspect, and a reward for his capture dead or alive was set at 2000 pesos. The third mission took him to Cabanas fortress directly behind Morros Castle. He successfully entered the fort as a peddler with a push cart full of fruit and candies. He obtained the required information and left, but he was realised almost immediately afterward and a full scale search began. Charles managed the 7 kilometers to the rendezvous, however, he could not make contact because of the search. He stood in a coral swamp for sixteen hours which caused severe lacerations and infection to his legs. - Mar 1898 - Morro Castle, Havana, Cuba Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMilitary Service - On his fourth mission, he was captured and chained to the floor of a four foot high cell, in the dungeons of Cabana's fortress. The date of his capture was May 18, 1898. He was held several weeks, expecting execution at any moment. However, President McKinley had been informed of his capture and negotiations were underway to trade prisoners. Eventually, the brother-in-law of General Weyler, head of the Spanish forces and two other officers were traded for Charles' life. At least one newspaper carried an illustration of President McKinley and Charles shaking hands, with Charles thanking the President. A full account of which was printed in the on May 22, 1898. - 18 May 1898 - Cuba Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsOccupation - After the war Charles returned to Havana, reclaimed his quarry and reorganized the electric company. Both prospered for many years (25-30) He also built the first modern sugar mills in Cuba. There were several other interesting business ventures, including sugar beets in Texas power stations on the Rio Grande, and real estate. - 1899 - Havana, Ciudad de La Habana, Cuba Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth 
    Pin Legend  : Address       : Location       : City/Town       : County/Shire       : State/Province       : Country       : Not Set

  • Documents
    New York Passenger list
    New York Passenger list
    Ship Saratoga from Havana, Cuba. Arriving in New York on 22 September 1909.

  • Sources 
    1. [S5] Compiled by D Stephen Thrall., Thrall Genealogy 1630-1965, (Grant Leslie Thrall 1976), 119.

    2. [S5] Compiled by D Stephen Thrall., Thrall Genealogy 1630-1965, (Grant Leslie Thrall 1976).

    3. [S5] Compiled by D Stephen Thrall., Thrall Genealogy 1630-1965, (Grant Leslie Thrall 1976), 119 (Reliability: 3).

    4. [S5] Compiled by D Stephen Thrall., Thrall Genealogy 1630-1965, (Grant Leslie Thrall 1976), 75 (Reliability: 3).