TFA Family Historian's Report
By Patricia Thayer Muno
The next forthcoming publication in the Thayer family genealogies will soon be going to press. This work, which deals with the descendants of the immigrant, Nathaniel Thayer, signifies the culmination of vision and much hard work.
Nathaniel, who was christened in Thornbury, Gloucester, England on 10 May 1640, was one of three immigrating Thayers to have come to Massachusetts from Thornbury during the Colonial period. He came to America in 1660 and settled in Taunton, Bristol, MA. At this writing, Nathaniel's descendants consist of 13 generations. His descendants are known to have settled in the 40 following states (listed by largest population first): MA, VT, NY, NH, MI, ME, CT, MN, OH, NE, WI, IL, CA, RI, OR, PA, AZ, WA, MT, IA, WY, GA, FL, CO, NJ, IN, ID, MD, NV, AK, MO, ND, SD, TN, OK, VA, KS, AL, AR, TX as well as in Tasmania, Australia and perhaps elsewhere.
If you are in this line of Thayers and have not shared your family records, it may be too late to include your information. It is NOT, however, too late to share your pre-1920 Thayer photographs for possible inclusion in this book. Therefore, this is the last call for photos of the descendants of Nathaniel Thayer and Abigail Harvey. Genealogical information can still be accepted for the descendants in the line of Nathaniel and Abigail, but that information may have to wait for a future publishing project.
I have just completed the preliminary editing and formatting and will be sending the text along to Gordon David ("David") Thayer of Salem, Oregon for final editing and formatting. I am gratefully indebted to David for his help in this project. An announcement will appear in a future issue about the availability of this volume.
I am looking for someone with an interest in photography to help with future TFA publishing projects. If you would be interested, please contact me at the address listed on the last page of this newsletter.
The formatting and editing of the following volumes in the Genealogy Project, which are entitled A Comprehensive Genealogy of the Thayer Family of America, will continue as planned. The third publication will be on the descendants of the immigrant, Richard Thayer, who came to America in 1641. The fourth, and largest compilation will be on the descendants of Thomas Thayer who came to America in 1637. Due to the enormity of these families, these compilations will be comprised of multiple volumes. This second publication, which will be entitled The Descendants of Nathaniel Thayer, Immigrant to America 1660 will be in one volume inclusively in over 300 pages.
We have one new Family Representative to announce this quarter, Dean Edward Thayer, representing the following line.
Henry Osborne Thayer was born 8 Jan 1840 in Aberdine, Monroe, MS. He married 4 Nov 1865 in Marion County, TN to Helen Elizabeth BOULT. Helen was born 3 May 1844 in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO. Henry was the son of Orwell7, (Windsor6, Stephen5, Samuel4, Thomas3, Ferdinando2, Thomas1) THAYER and Harriet OSBORNE. They were the parents of two known children born in Lebanon, Boone, IN: Edwin (6 Jan 1867 - 4 Feb 1955) and Earl (7 Oct 1871- 1934). Individuals having information, stories or photos to share on the descendants in this line are urged to contact Dean at the following address:
Dean Edward Thayer 1335 Wawona St. Manteca, CA 95377-6707 DThayer683~Jaol.com
On 24 Sep 1998 I received the following e-mail message from Donald Owen Thayer of Garden City, NY: ìI will be in England all next week. If I have a free day, where should I go? I leave on the 26th and will check my e-mail last at 16:00.î I advised Don that once we find his earliest known ancestorís connection to one of the three immigrating Thayers, he would likely find that Thornbury was the home of origin. Don later stated in a message from England on 2 Oct 1998: ìI am still in England. Last Sunday I was in Bristol. Thornbury was a 5- minute taxi ride away. I had a free hour and visited Thornbury Castle, the town, a graveyard and church. and the Wheatsheaf Inn (closed) oldest Pub. I will be back in NY tomorrow night.î
Don sent me a few of his photos and a brief history of the Manor and the Castle of Thornbury. Please see his query that follows.
Query
Elijah James THAYER was born 30 Jun 1858 in Jefferson City, Cole, MO. He married 3 Dec 1884 to Mary Alice GORDON in Vernon County, MO. He died 14 Nov 1926 in Emporia, Lyon, KS. He resided in Wamego, Pottawatomie, Kansas in 1900 and was in Emporia, KS by 1920. Elijah and Mary were the parents of Elbert D., Jessie I., Nellie M., Lyman D., Mary S., Rupert and Genevieve THAYER. Who werehisparents?
There was an Elijah Thayer living in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO in 1850 and in Prairie Twp., Montgomery, MO in 1860. Was that individual possibly the father of Elijah James Thayer? Any information about Elijah Thayer of St. Louis welcome:
Donald Owen Thayer 153 Lincoln Street Garden City, NY 11530 don@minoxlab.com
The brief Spanish American War between the United States and Spain took place between April and August of 1898 over the issue of the liberation of Cuba. During the course of the war, the US won Guam, Puerto Rico and the Philippine Islands.
TFA member, Arthur Ralph Thayer of Grayling, MI has shared information from the book Official Souvenir---Michigan Volunteers of í98--A Complete Photographic Record of Michiganís Part in the Spanish-American War of 1898,published by G. F. Sterling and Company, Detroit, MI. In a letter sent 15 June 1998, Art states ìÖthere was the 31st, 32nd, 34th and 35th Michigan Volunteers with each containing Companies A through M, with 108 men in each company. That makes just over 5600 Michigan men who served in that war according to this book; and only three were Thayers. I have no idea about their lineage, as the book doesnít give that type of information...î
A list of those Thayers who were listed in this book follow:
Fred A. Thayer; Pvt. Battle Creek. Company K; 35th Michigan Volunteers.
Was he possibly Frederick A.9 (Alanson8, John Green7, Peter6-5, Thomas4-3, Ferdinando2, Thomas1) Thayer?
William Thayer; Pvt. Ypsilanti. Company G; 31st Michigan Volunteers.
Alonzo M. Thayer; Pvt.; Detroit. Company M. 32nd Michigan Volunteers.
I believe Alonzo M. Thayer was the following individual: Alonzo10, (Nelson Oliver9, Simeon8, David7, Reuben6, Isaac5-4-3, Ferdinando2, Thomas1) Thayer.
Readers are encouraged to contact our TFA Military Representative if they have information on the identity of the above Thayer individuals:
Richard Leon Thayer
844 Lewis Ave
Billings, MT 59101-5844
tayermt@imt.net
(406) 245-3598
Here are the other Thayers that I know of that served in the Spanish American War:
Willard Ziba THAYER
Born 23 Jun 1849 Evans Mills, Jefferson, NY. Grandson is TFA member, Ed Brown of Troy, NY, who states Willard was a soldier and was remembered as having lived in a soldierís home. Ed further states Willard was ìbelieved to have been injured during the Spanish-American War and never returned to his family after the war. The story goes on to say he spent the remaining years in a soldiers home for veterans. My father mentions that he may have suffered from "shell shock".
Ira Payne THAYER
Born 13 Jan 1861 Patchogue, Long Island, NY. Granddaughter is TFA member Berta Ramona Thayer Panama. He was called "Jira Thayer" the Spanish spelling of his name. Berta shared the following information: "Ira was an officer in the U.S. Army and fought in the Spanish-American war in Cuba. He was later sent to Panama with the Army Corp of Engineers (he was a trained engineer himself) to build the Canal. He liked the country so much that he married a local girl and stayed on."
Royal Wescott THAYER
Born 4 Jan 1874 in Sharpsville, PA. He was the uncle of TFA member Paul Goodwin Thayer of Staunton, VA. Paul's brother, the late Royal Cranford Thayer, "He was unmarried and enlisted in the Army at Louisvile, KY, Spanish-American War as a Surgeon."
Tobias THAYER
Born Jun 1882 Damascus, Washington, VA. He went to Oliver Springs, TN in a covered wagon with his father in 1887 or 1888. Joined the Army in 1901 and fought in the Spanish-American War. Moved to Morristown, TN in 1941 and worked as a plasterer and brick mason.
QUERY
TFA President Albert Thayer Morton writes: "On my voice mail tonight was a message from a Mr. Brasher, who lives in New Mexico. They have discovered the remains of a ship off the coast of Mexico, which went down in 1859. The name of the ship was the John Elliott Thayer.
"Since I don't know anything about such a ship, I contacted RickEast (Raymond Alexander Thayer), and Rick will do some research in the ship records of the Boston area, and contact Mr. Brasher. If any of you have any information, please contact RickEast and let him know."
I can only suggest that the ship was named for the following individual. This John Eliot Thayer comes from one of Massachusetts' most wealthy families.
John Eliot THAYER was born 21 Aug 1803 in Lancaster, Worcester, MA. He married first on 2 Mar 1837 to Anna FRANCIS. He married a second time 2 Oct 1855 to Cordelia Adeline GRANGER. John Eliot Thayer died 29 Sep 1857. His father was Nathaniel THAYER and his mother was Sarah TOPPAN.
He was a highly successful investment banker in Boston in firm of John E. Thayer & Brother (Nathaniel). He had two sons. John Eliot Thayer Jr. who died age four. Also Ebenezer Francis Thayer who was born 1837 in Cambridge, MA and died 1858 in Avignon, France.
Any reader having information on ship is encouraged to write:
Raymond Alexander Thayer
39 Newbury Ave.
North Quincy, MA 02171-1601
RickEast@ix.netcom.com
QUERY
Searching for the parents of William Herriot THAYER, born about May 1850 in New Brunswick, Canada. He married about 1881 to Margaret Ellen BOSHEIMER William died about 1915, possibly in Atchison, Atchinson Co., KS. The family was living there in 1900. He may have been a brother of James G. Thayer who also resided there in 1900.
William Herriot Thayer
William and Margaret were the parents of the following children, all thought to have been born in Atchinson, KS:
1. Kathryn E. (or D.) THAYER Oct 1882
2. Bernice E. THAYER Jan 1886
3. Janet Mae THAYER 5 May 1888
4. Charles H. THAYER May 1891
5. Mildred M. THAYER Abt 1901
Great grandson, Paul Bartholomew, states: "Will THAYER worked on the Eads Bridge in St. Louis before settling in Atchison, Kansas. In Atchison, he owned Thayer Foundry, married and raised a family." The accompanying photo in Paul's possession of William taken about 1900.
Anyone having knowledge of this family please contact:
Paul Bartholomew
4245 Gertrude
St. Louis, MO 63116
pbart933@aol.com