Thornton Chase (1847-1912)

THORNTON CHASE (1847-1912)

Became a Bahá’í in 1894. “He played a key role in the organization of the Chicago Bahá’ís, and was a prominent teacher of the Faith. An insurance salesman, he travelled extensively, visiting Bahá’ís as he went. Through an extensive correspondence he was one of the focal points of the developing American Bahá’í community. He visited ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in Akka in 1907, recording his impressions in “In Galilee”. He also wrote a short introduction to the Bahá’í teachings (1909). He died in Los Angeles, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá making a special point of visiting his grave. Shoghi Effendi honoured him as one of the Disciples of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá.”
—A Concise Encyclopedia of the Bahá’í Faith, 102.

Thornton Chase died on 30 September 1912. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá visited his grave on October 19, 1912.