Thorpe Family History & Genealogy

Charlotte Vieux Wife of Hiram P. Thorpe

Jim Thorpe (FAMOUS AS JIM THORPE) Olympic medal record Men's athletics Representing the United States United States Gold medal – first place 1912 Stockholm Decathlon Gold medal – first place 1912 Stockholm Pentathlon Thorpe's final event was the decathlon, his first (and as it turned out, his only) decathlon. Strong competition from local favorite Hugo Wieslander was expected. Thorpe, however, easily defeated Wieslander by more than 700 points. He placed in the top four in all ten events, and his Olympic record of 8,413 points would stand for nearly two decades. Overall, Thorpe won eight of the 15 individual events comprising the pentathlon and decathlon. American athlete and Olympic gold medalist. A member of the Sac and Fox Nation, Thorpe became the first Native American to win a gold medal for the United States. Born: May 22 or 28, 1887 Near Prague, Oklahoma, Indian Territory Died: March 28, 1953 (aged 65) Lomita, California Height: 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) Weight: 202 lb (92 kg) College: Carlisle Career history As player: Canton Bulldogs (1915–1917, 1919–1920) Cleveland Indians (1921) Oorang Indians (1922–1923) Rock Island Independents (1924) New York Giants (1925) Rock Island Independents (1925) Tampa Cardinals (1926) Canton Bulldogs (1926) Chicago Cardinals (1928) As coach: Indiana (1915) (assistant head coach)[3] Canton Bulldogs (1915–1920) Cleveland Indians (1921) Oorang Indians (1922–1923) Tampa Cardinals (1926) Career highlights and awards First-team All-Pro (1923) NFL 1920s All-Decade Team 2× Consensus All-American (1911, 1912) Career NFL statistics Player stats at NFL.com Head coaching record Career: 14–25–2 Pro Football Hall of Fame College Football Hall of Fame James Francis Thorpe (Sac and Fox (Sauk): Wa-Tho-Huk, translated as "Bright Path"; May 22 or 28, 1887 – March 28, 1953) was an American athlete and Olympic gold medalist. A member of the Sac and Fox Nation, Thorpe became the first Native American to win a gold medal for his home country. Considered one of the most versatile athletes of modern sports, he won Olympic gold medals in the 1912 pentathlon and decathlon and played American football (collegiate and professional), professional baseball, and basketball. He lost his Olympic titles after it was found he had been paid for playing two seasons of semi-professional baseball before competing in the Olympics, thus violating the amateurism rules that were then in place. In 1983, 30 years after his death, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) restored his Olympic medals. Thorpe grew up in the Sac and Fox Nation in Oklahoma, and attended Carlisle Indian Industrial School in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, where he was a two-time All-American for the school's football team. After his Olympic success in 1912, which included a record score in the decathlon, he added a victory in the All-Around Championship of the Amateur Athletic Union. In 1913, Thorpe signed with the New York Giants, and he played six seasons in Major League Baseball between 1913 and 1919. Thorpe joined the Canton Bulldogs American football team in 1915, helping them win three professional championships; he later played for six teams in the National Football League (NFL). He played as part of several all-American Indian teams throughout his career, and barnstormed as a professional basketball player with a team composed entirely of American Indians. From 1920 to 1921, Thorpe was nominally the first president of the American Professional Football Association (APFA), which became the NFL in 1922. He played professional sports until age 41, the end of his sports career coinciding with the start of the Great Depression. He struggled to earn a living after that, working several odd jobs. He suffered from alcoholism, and lived his last years in failing health and poverty. He was married three times and had eight children, before suffering from heart failure and dying in 1953. Thorpe has received various accolades for his athletic accomplishments. The Associated Press named him the "greatest athlete" from the first 50 years of the 20th century, and the Pro Football Hall of Fame inducted him as part of its inaugural class in 1963. A Pennsylvania town was named in his honor and a monument site there is the site of his remains, which were the subject of legal action. Thorpe was portrayed in the 1951 film Jim Thorpe – All-American by Burt Lancaster, and appeared in several films himself. Early life Information about Thorpe's birth, name and ethnic background varies widely. He was baptized "Jacobus Franciscus Thorpe" in the Catholic Church. Thorpe was born in Indian Territory of the United States (later Oklahoma), but no birth certificate has been found. He was generally considered to have been born on May 22, 1887, near the town of Prague, Oklahoma. Thorpe himself said in a note to The Shawnee News-Star in 1943 that he was born May 28, 1888, "near and south of Bellemont – Pottawatomie County – along the banks of the North Fork River ... hope this will clear up the inquiries as to my birthplace."However, most biographers believe that he was born on May 22, 1887, as that is what is listed on his baptismal certificate. Bellemont was a small community, now disappeared, on the line between Pottawatomie and Lincoln Counties.Thorpe referred to Shawnee as his birthplace in the 1943 note. Thorpe's parents were both of mixed-race ancestry. His father, Hiram Thorpe, had an Irish father and a Sac and Fox Indian mother.His mother, Charlotte Vieux, had a French father and a Potawatomi mother, a descendant of Chief Louis Vieux. He was raised as a Sac and Fox,and his native name, Wa-Tho-Huk, translated as "path lit by great flash of lightning" or, more simply, "Bright Path." As was the custom for Sac and Fox, he was named for something occurring around the time of his birth, in this case the light brightening the path to the cabin where he was born. Thorpe's parents were both Roman Catholic, a faith which Thorpe observed throughout his adult life. Thorpe attended the Sac and Fox Indian Agency school in Stroud, Oklahoma, with his twin brother, Charlie. Charlie helped him through school until he died of pneumonia when they were nine years old. He ran away from school several times. His father then sent him to the Haskell Institute, an Indian boarding school in Lawrence, Kansas, so that he would not run away again. When his mother died of childbirth complications two years later, he became depressed. After several arguments with his father, he left home to work on a horse ranch. In 1904 the sixteen-year-old Thorpe returned to his father and decided to attend Carlisle Indian Industrial School in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. There his athletic ability was recognized and he was coached by Glenn Scobey "Pop" Warner, one of the most influential coaches of early American football history. Later that year he became orphaned after Hiram Thorpe died from gangrene poisoning after being wounded in a hunting accident, and Jim again dropped out of school. He resumed farm work for a few years and then returned to Carlisle Indian Industrial School.

Sarah Thorpe of Lake Tyers Australia was married to Mountga Mahemmed on June 17, 1902 at St James Church in Orbost, East Gippsland Shire County, Victoria, and they were together until Sarah's death in 1910 in Sale, Wellington Shire County. Sarah Thorpe had a child Leslie Mongta.

Thomas E Thorpe of Camden, Kershaw County, SC was born on August 6, 1930, and died at age 67 years old on June 15, 1998.

Rachel (Thorpe) Mongta of East Gippsland Shire County, VIC Australia was born to William Thorpe and Lillian Wilson. She married Alexander Mongta on June 17, 1902 at St James Church in Orbost, East Gippsland Shire County, Victoria, and they were married until Rachel's death in 1910. Rachel Mongta had children Sarah Lillian Mongta, Walter Mongta, Leslie Mongta, and Peter Roderick Mongta. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Rachel (Thorpe) Mongta.

Donna Lee Thorpe was born on June 30, 1947 in Jersey City, Hudson County, New Jersey United States. She was married to John Steven Thorpe on May 21, 1966 in Middle Township, Cape May County, and they were together until John's death on May 5, 2008 in Nesquehoning, Carbon County, Pennsylvania. Donna Thorpe has children Wayne Thomas Thorpe, Colleen Camille Thorpe, Shannon Patricia Kane, Jeanne Theresa Thorpe, and Erin Kyle Smith. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Donna Lee Thorpe.

Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Violet Lila Thorpe .

Wayne Thomas Thorpe was born on August 20, 1964 in Cape May, Cape May County, New Jersey United States to John Steven Thorpe and Donna Lee Thorpe, and has siblings Colleen Camille Thorpe, Shannon Patricia Kane, Erin Kyle Smith, and Jeanne Theresa Thorpe. Wayne Thorpe married Jennifer Marion Thorpe in 1984 in Jim Thorpe, Carbon County, Pennsylvania, and has children David Sebastian Thorpe, Daniel Jeremy Thorpe, Nicholas Neri Thorpe, Stephan Raymond Thorpe, Kristin Marie Thorpe, Jessica Lee Thorpe, and Jenna Tiffany Thorpe. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Wayne Thomas Thorpe.

Erin Kyle (Thorpe) Smith was born to John Steven Thorpe and Donna Lee Thorpe, and has siblings Colleen Camille Thorpe, Wayne Thomas Thorpe, Shannon Patricia Kane, and Jeanne Theresa Thorpe. Erin Smith married Adam Troy Smith in 2000 in Jim Thorpe, Carbon County, Pennsylvania United States, and has children Joshua Daniel Smith and Alexander David Smith. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Erin Kyle Smith.

Laurie Ellen (Lennard David) Thorpe was born on March 22, 1958 in Long Island, Nassau County, New York United States. She married Lawrence Gene David on March 31, 1993 in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California and they later divorced on July 13, 2007 in Los Angeles. They had children Cazzie Laurel David and Romy Marion David. She married Robert Bartholomew Thorpe in 2012 in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Laurie Ellen Thorpe.

Jennifer Marion (Case) Thorpe was born on March 18, 1958 in Jim Thorpe, Carbon County, Pennsylvania United States. Jennifer Thorpe got married to Wayne Thomas Thorpe in 1984 in Jim Thorpe, Carbon County, and has children David Sebastian Thorpe, Daniel Jeremy Thorpe, Nicholas Neri Thorpe, Stephan Raymond Thorpe, Kristin Marie Thorpe, Jessica Lee Thorpe, and Jenna Tiffany Thorpe. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Jennifer Marion Thorpe.

Shannon Patricia (Thorpe) Kane was born on October 18, 1968 in Cape May, Cape May County, New Jersey United States. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Shannon Patricia Kane.

Stephan Raymond Thorpe was born on September 15, 1988 in Jim Thorpe, Carbon County, Pennsylvania United States. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Stephan Raymond Thorpe.

Kristin Marie Thorpe was born on September 19, 1990 in Jim Thorpe, Carbon County, Pennsylvania United States. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Kristin Marie Thorpe.

Jessica Lee Thorpe was born on November 10, 1991 in Jim Thorpe, Carbon County, Pennsylvania United States. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Jessica Lee Thorpe.

Jenna Tiffany Thorpe was born on November 5, 1994 in Jim Thorpe, Carbon County, Pennsylvania United States. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Jenna Tiffany Thorpe.

Daniel Jeremy Thorpe was born on April 7, 1985 in Jim Thorpe, Carbon County, Pennsylvania United States. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Daniel Jeremy Thorpe.

David Sebastian Thorpe was born on April 7, 1985 in Jim Thorpe, Carbon County, Pennsylvania United States. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember David Sebastian Thorpe.

Colleen Camille Thorpe was born on December 17, 1966 in Cape May, Cape May County, New Jersey United States to John Steven Thorpe and Donna Lee Thorpe, and has siblings Wayne Thomas Thorpe, Shannon Patricia Kane, Erin Kyle Smith, and Jeanne Theresa Thorpe. Colleen Thorpe married Thomas Allen Mertz in 2017 in Kunkletown, Monroe County, Pennsylvania. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Colleen Camille Thorpe.

Jeanne Theresa Thorpe was born on December 15, 1972 in Cape May, Cape May County, New Jersey United States to John Steven Thorpe and Donna Lee Thorpe, and has siblings Colleen Camille Thorpe, Wayne Thomas Thorpe, Shannon Patricia Kane, and Erin Kyle Smith. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Jeanne Theresa Thorpe.