fur ▁h f . ▁was ▁the ▁biggest ▁in ▁I cel and ▁during ▁the ▁inter - war ▁years . ▁His ▁descend ants ▁include ▁some ▁of ▁I cel and ' s ▁most ▁powerful ▁and ▁well ▁known ▁figures . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁ ▁Thor ' s ▁father , ▁J ens ▁Chr . ▁J ensen , ▁was ▁a ▁master ▁builder . ▁Thor ▁had ▁eleven ▁sib lings ▁and ▁four ▁half - s ister s . ▁Thor ▁did ▁well ▁in ▁his ▁studies ▁but ▁lost ▁his ▁father ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁eight . ▁Two ▁years ▁later , ▁he ▁was ▁sent ▁to ▁a ▁free ▁board ing ▁school ▁for ▁or ph ans ▁in ▁C open hagen . ▁In ▁ 1 8 7 8 , ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁his ▁studies ▁and ▁after ▁reaching ▁confirm ation ▁age , ▁Thor ▁was ▁sent ▁to ▁Bor ð ey ri , ▁a ▁small ▁trad ing ▁settlement ▁in ▁the ▁north - west ▁of ▁I cel and , ▁because ▁his ▁head master ▁knew ▁an ▁I cel and ic ▁merchant ▁there . ▁ ▁Thor ▁adapted ▁quickly ▁to ▁I cel and , ▁learning ▁I cel and ic ▁and ▁reading ▁medieval ▁I cel and ic ▁sag as . ▁A ▁certain ▁wid ow ▁moved ▁to ▁Bor ð ey ri ▁with ▁two ▁children ▁in ▁to w — a ▁boy ▁and ▁a ▁girl . ▁The ▁girl ▁was ▁called ▁Mar gr ét ▁ Þ orb jör g ▁Krist ján sd ó tt ir ; ▁she ▁and ▁Thor ▁fell ▁in ▁love , ▁and ▁remained ▁together ▁for ▁over ▁si xty ▁years , ▁having ▁twelve ▁children . ▁ ▁Business