Yes, it is that time again, the time that we are reminded of the Boyertown Opera house fire of 1908. Augusta Bertha Thompson, age 32, died in this horrific fire in Boyertown. Mrs. Thompson and her son had attended the performance. Somehow Alfred escaped and walked home and told his father what had happened.

Augusta would leave behind a grieving husband (Amos), grieving parents (Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Klinger of Clayton, New Jersey), as well as two grieving sisters. The death of Augusta Thompson left a nineteen month old daughter Anna and an eight year old son Alfred motherless. We cannot imagine the grief the family felt with the loss of this young mother.

Four hundred three miles and fifty-two days later, another Thompson family would begin the mourning process. A mother has just lost her two sons, Nils and Tommy Thompson. Nils Thompson, age nine, was always a great help to his widowed mother. He had escaped the fire by jumping from a window. However, after being unsuccessful in his search for his little brother Tommy, Nils went back into the building to find him. Both boys died. Mrs. Thompson, a widow, lost her nine year old and seven year old sons.