THE people

Leif Edward Thoresen

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

STATUS: 
Victim
DATE OF Birth:
1897
Place of Birth:
Chicago,
 Illinois,
 Cook County,
  United States
Date of Death:
 July 24, 1915
Place of Death:
Chicago,
 Illinois,
 Cook,
 United States
GENDER:
M
OTHER KNOWN NAMES:
ETHNICITY:
Norwegian
KNOWN ADDRESS:
3142 West Diversey Avenue ,
 Chicago ,
 Illinois,
  United States
RELATED TO:

Albert Martin Thoresen, father
Hilda Blytt Thoresen, mother
Harry Thoresen, brother
Chester Thoresen, brother
Ruth Thoresen, sister
Dorothy Thoresen, sister
Lillian Thoresen, sister

At the time of the tragedy.

AGE:
18
MARITAL STATUS:
Single
ROLE:
passenger
ORGANIZATIONAL AFFILIATION:
Western Electric
ORGANIZATIONAL ROLE:
Office work, Department 1017

other information

CEMETERY:
Mt. Olive
IDENTIFIED BY:

Emil L. Sawmlish
3124 Logan Boulevard
Chicago, Illinois

OTHER NOTES:

Leif Thoresen was one of one of six children of Albert Martin Thoresen and Hilda Blytt Thoresen. Albert and Hilda were both born in Oslo (Christiania) Norway and emigrated to the US in 1892. The family officially became United States citizens on January 3, 1916 — a mere five months after the Eastland Disaster.

At the time, Leif had two brothers including Harry, 22, and Chester, 4, and he had three sisters including Ruth, 20, Dorothy, 16, and Lillian, 13. Dorothy's birthday was July 10 and had just celebrated her 16th birthday two weeks before the disaster.

Like many other families and people in Chicago, little if anything was ever said about the Eastland Disaster. The Thoresens never spoke of it with their children and grandchildren other than to say that Leif died in the disaster and the difficulty they experienced trying to identify his body.

CITATION:

Eastland Disaster Relief (Chicago Chapter, American Red Cross) · 1918 · Page 131-132
Eastland Disaster (Cook County Coroner's Office) · July 24, 1915· Page 18
Eastland Disaster victims' ledger (Western Electric Company) · Page 61
Tribune (Chicago, Illinois) · July 31, 1915, Saturday · Page 17
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/16913637/leif-edward-thoresen

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:
Carol Connolly (niece); Paul Uhl (grandnephew)
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