Brigadier General James B. Thayer Oregon Military Museum, Camp Withycombe is taking shape in Clackamas, Oregon according to 95 year old TFA Founder General James Thayer who turns 96 in March.
By Don Muno, Editor/Publisher “The Comprehensive Genealogy of the Thayer Family of America”
Following a return call from Gen. James Thayer, Saturday 27 th in the year of our Lord January 2018, I put pen and ink to paper to record the following information for all interested. Oh, sorry, just woke up from an afternoon nap where I was exploring Thornbury Castle in 1500 England where Patricia Thayer’s genealogy journey lead to 45 years ago, and I haven’t quite adjusted; Patricia just asked me to write down my conversation with Jim. OK, Ok… I’m at my lap top and there is no paper, pen or ink in sight. My grandkids would say I’m ‘BAD’ and haven’t ‘landed’ yet. It’s good that Microsoft Word is functioning as I think I just misspelled half of the words in this paragraph.
It’s true, at the moment, all is ‘right’ with the world, Trump is in Switzerland, Patricia is at her computer in the library, James is in Lake Oswego and I’m breathing without my C pap. It’s the little things that often are the most important. I believe it was the novelist James Joyce whose main character, “Molly,” once said, “many of us live lives in quiet desperation.” Maybe that’s why his novel Ulysses was banned all of those years from inquiring US readers. Today few US readers are inquiring and fewer read English. After all, reality is relative…pun intended! Einstein was the first to coin our reality/relativity as being MC2 or perhaps that was Dr. Suess. I think I just landed…
Thayer readers near and far: ‘distance is not what it used to be.’ As Trump is trying to reinstate the Monroe Doctrine, the world continues to shrink, borders included. The TFA executive board returned to their homes throughout the western hemisphere following our last Thayer Reunion at West Point, and a few more Thayers have joined TFA and are now receiving the Thayer Quarterly. Over 1,400 Thayers now follow Patricia on Facebook and cheer her on as she untangles Thayers found on ‘Ancestry’ who have been wrongfully attached to others bearing like names and with similar geographic locations and with near identical timelines.
Most of you have no idea the mess that takes place with genealogy and central computer access for one and all. Just as Patricia answers 100 emails and returns to editing the 8th Volume of the Comprehensive Genealogy of the Thayer Family of America, another 200 Thayers reach out to her. Even with her autoimmune disease, she perseveres on, often racking up long hours beyond the 8 hour day, yesterday it was 16 hours. As one Auburn, New York Thayer cousin, Fred Pelland Lindsay recently stated, Patricia is a ‘National Treasure’; I have to agree.
Taking time off from KISS concerts and orchestrating key aspects of the Thayer Military Museum in Oregon, Tommy Thayer is off to Hawaii this weekend as work on the Museum continues 24/7. Other living members of General Thayer’s family are also involved in this massive project. General Thayer’s son John, who also lives in Oregon, is a contributing family member along with his other two sons Jim and Mike.
Five million dollars was set aside to acquire all the collections to fill the Thayer Museum. It is estimated this will take about a year. The Columbia Maritime Museum is joining in the effort. The auditorium I once mentioned may be a future phase. The beginning funds raised was 6 million and now is 20 million. It will likely be a ‘must’ future destination for many Thayer descendants. Perhaps the Oregon Trail will once again lead east coast Thayers westward.
General Thayer tells me there are now three buildings making up the museum, including a military stable. A 141 page book called Formations outlines the museum project. Fifteen sections within the book describe its development of Exhibits, Graphics, Technology, etc. Visitors will be greeted with a kiosk explaining the museum contents and history. Included in the collections will be the lifetime collection of General Thayer’s awards, medals and many accomplishments which now compete for wall space in his home office. Within the Museum will include Patricia’s life work The Comprehensive Genealogy of the Thayer Family of America where you will likely find yourself along with your family.
Individual copies of Thayer volumes can be secured through Patricia: 3618 North 225 East, North Ogden, Utah, 84414. Updated information of the Thayer Military Museum progress will also follow as it is made available to me through future conversations and visits to Oregon. For more detailed info and drawings along with photos see… (museuminfo@oregonmilitarymuseum.org)