Genealogical and Family History
of the
STATE OF MAINE

Compiled under the editorial supervision of George Thomas Little, A. M., Litt. D.

LEWIS HISTORICAL PUBLISHING COMPANY
New York
1909.

[Please see Index page for full citation.]

[Transcribed by Coralynn Brown]

[Many families included in these genealogical records had their beginnings in Massachusetts.]

THAYER In the early records of New England is found mention of the immigrants Richard and Thomas Thayer and their families, and no mention of any other immigrants of this name is recorded. From the best obtainable information they must have come into Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1630, or thereabouts. They were with that company of settlers which came from Braintree, Essex county, England, and located in Massachusetts, and named their new settlement after the ones they had left over seas. Richard and Thomas Thayer settled in Braintree about the same time, but whether they were related is a matter of which no man of today has any positive knowledge. Men of each family have attained prominence in public life, and not a few have been ornaments of the learned professions, or been noted for success in commercial life. (I) Thomas Thayer, the immigrant ancestor of a numerous progency, first comes into notice as a freeman, receiving a grant of lands in Braintree in 1636. The lands to which he then acquired title descended in the male line through an unbroken successsion until 1872, at which date they were still owned by his descendant, Jaconias Thayer. Thomas Thayer, shoemaker, of Braintree, made his last will and testament June 21, 1664, and the same was admitted to probate Sept. 13, 1665. By this he gave to his wife Margery "all my lands, goods and estate, whatsoever, situate lying and being in Braintree, during the term of her natural life," and after her death to go to his sons Thomas, Ferdinando and Shadrach, as directed. He mentions land on the Monotoquott river, house, barn, orchard, planting ground, pasture and woodland. He bequeaths all his goods and chattels to his grandchildren, to be equally divided between them. The only children mentioned of Thomas Thayer and Margery, his wife, are Thomas, Ferdinando and Shadrach, who were probably born in England, and came with their parents while young to America. (II) Ferdinando, second son of Thomas and Margery Thayer, resided with his parents in Braintree until after the death of his father, when with others he removed to a new plantation called Nipmug, afterward Mendeon, Worcester county, where he was one of the largest proprietors of the township. "His residence or homestead was a little south of the present center of the town, on the Providence road; he held many offices of honor in his town and commonwealth; was a man of wealth in his day and age of the world, and his sons were all provided with farms by him, and several of his sons became extensive land dealers, and many of his descendants occupy those farms to this day (1908), and have never changed names on title for over two hundred years." At the outbreak of hostilities in King Phillip's war, the settlement at Mendon was broken up, and the settlers fled to Braintree and Weymouth, where they stayed until 1679 or 1680, before returning to their desikcate homesteads. The records of Mendeon covering the period from the settlement of the town till 1675 were destroyed during King Phillip's war, and there is no record of the six children of Ferdinando Thayer born during that time. Ferdinando Thayer married, Jan. 14, 1652, Huldah Hayward, of Braintree, Mass. She died at Mendon, Sept. 1, 1690; he died at Mendon March 28, 1713. Their twelve children, the first five born in Braintree: Naomi, Huldah, Jonathan, David (died young), Naomi, Thomas, Samuel, Isaac, Josiah, Ebenezer, Benjamin and David. (III) Isaac (1), eighth child and fifth son of Ferdinando and Huldah (Hayward) Thayer, was born in Mendon, where he passed his life as a farmer, upon land given him by his father. He married (first) first day, second month, 1691 or 1692, Mercy Ward, who died Dec. 18, 1700. His second wife, whom he married in 1703, was Mary, who died in 1830. Children of 1st wife: Mercy, Isaac, Ebenezer and Comfort. Children of 2d wife: Mary, John, Nathaniel, Moses, Samuel, Joseph and Ichabod. (IV) Isaac (2), eldest son and second child of Isaac (1) and Mercy (Ward) Thayer, was born in Mendon, Sept. 24, 1695. He first settled in Mendon, where three of his children were born, and then removed to Bellingham. He married March 18, 1716, Miriam Thayer, born June 3, 1699, daughter of Josiah and Sarah (Bass) Thayer, granddaughter of Ferdinando and Huldah (Hayward) Thayer. Children: Issac, Susannah, Ichabod, Josiah, Jacob, Abraham (died young), Miriam and Enice (twins), Mary, Abraham, Noah, Rebecca and Bathsheba. (V) Ichabod, third child and second son of Isaac (2) and Miriam (Thayer) Thayer, was born in Mendon, March 31, 1721, and settled in Milford. He married, in 1742, Hannah Cheney, formerly Bigelow, of Weston. Children: Hannah (died young), Ichabod and Elijah. (VI) Ichabod (2), second child and elder of the two sons of Ichabod (1) and Hannah (Bigelow) (Cheney) Thayer, born March 6, 1745, died March 10, 1796, aged fifty-one years, in Milford, where his life was passed. He married, in Feb., 1765, Mary Marsh. Children: Hannah, Asa, Charlotte (died young), Alexander, Arba, Ziba, Rufus, Arsuba, Charlotte, Otis, Polly and Ichabod. (VII) Alexander, fourth child and second son of Ichabod (2) and Mary (Marsh) Thayer, was born in Milford, March 15, 1771. He removed to Paris, Maine, about the year 1796, and there engaged in farming in what was then a new country. He died March 9, 1809, aged only thirty-eight. He married, June 28, 1798, Esther Spaulding, who died July 30, 1841. Children: America and Almira. (VIII) America, only son of Alexander and Esther (Spaulding) Thayer, born in Paris, Maine, July 5, 1799, died in Paris April 21, 1873, aged seventy-four. He was a farmer in comfortable circumstances, took an interest in public affairs, kept well informed of the world's progress and raised a family that was a credit to him. He married Feb. 7, 1823, Caroline Prentiss, born in Paris, Maine, Oct. 4, 1800, daughter of Deacon Caleb and Mary Webber (Morgan) Prentiss, and died Aug. 4, 1871, in the seventieth year of her age. She was a woman whose children inherited from her many of the qualities that gave them a superior standing in the community where they grew up and elswhere. Children: Julia Lauretta, Alexander H., Emily Clark, Mary Prentiss, Julia Miranda, Augustus Spaulding, Caroline Victoria, Josephine Augusta and Orlando America. (IX) Dr. Augustus Spaulding, sixth child and second son of America and Caroline (Prentiss) Thayer, was born in Paris, Maine, March 18, 1835. His literary education was acquired in the public schools of his native town, Norway Liberal Institute, at Norway, Gould Academy, Bethel, and Paris Hill Academy, Paris. In the spring of 1861 he commenced the study of medicine with the late Dr. Thomas H. Brown, of Paris Hill. The following winter he attended his first course of medical lectures at the Maine Medical School, Bowdoin College, after which he continued his studies in the Portland School for Medical Instruction until the fall of 1863. He then entered the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania, from which institution he graduated in March, 1864. In the following May he located in Portland, Maine, where he commenced the practice of his profession and has since continued there in active practice up to the present time (1908). The winter of 1874 he spent in the hospitals of New York and Philadelphia in post-graduate work. He was city physician of Portland from February, 1866 to April, 1868; was instructor in the Portland School for Medical Instruction from 1878 to 1903; was physician to the Maine General Hospital from 1874 to 1905, and is now on its staff of consulting physicians. During the thirty-one years Dr. Thayer served at the Maine General Hospital his work was entirely gratuitous. Many philanthropic physicians contribute much service to the poor and needy without price or hope of reward, but it is seldom that one gives his time and skill without recompense for so long a period. From 1893 to 1897 he was a member of the board of U. S. pension examiners. It is now forty-four years since Dr. Thayer, a young and hopeful beginner in the practice, settled in Portland and offered is services to the public. From then till now he has been an active, earnest, skillful worker in alleviating suffering, and has attained high rank as a physician, and accumulated a competency. He is highly esteemed as a professional man and as a citizen. He is a member of the Portland Clinical Society, the Cumberland County Medical Society, the Maine Medical Association, the American Medical Association, and is an ex-president of the Portland Natural History Society, the Portland Athletic Club, the Portland Economic Club, and an honorary member of the Portland Fraternity Club. He is also a member of the following divisions of Free Masonry: Ancient Landmark Lodge, No. 17, Greenleaf Royal Arch Chapter, No. 13, St. Albans Commandery, No. 8, Knights Templar, and Maine Sovereign Consistory. In politics he is a Democrat, he has never been active as a politician. For many years he has been a member of the First Universalist Church of Portland. Dr. Augustus S. Thayer married (first), Jan. 1, 1867, Mary Hubbard Marble, born Feb. 10, 1844, died Dec. 5, 1874, daughter of Jarvis C. and Mary (Hubbard) Marble, of Paris. He married (second) Jan. 11, 1882, Annie Laurie Soule, born in Brewer, Nov. 22, 1859, dau. of Gilbert and Eliza (Mills) Soule. Child of 2d wife: Mary Florence, born Oct. 30, 1872. She married, June 12, 1895, John Murray Quinby, and now resides in Newton, Mass. They have three children: Thayer, b. Oct. 23, 1898. George H., born March 26, 1901. Priscilla, born Sept. 28, 1904. THAYER (for preceding generations see Thomas Thayer I). (III) Captain Thomas (2), third son and sixth child of Ferdinando and Huldah (Hayward) Thayer, died May 1, 1738. He married, 1688, Mary Adams, and settled in Mendon. Children: Mary, Thomas, Samuel, Temperance, David, Elizabeth, John, William, Margaret and Jemima. (IV) Samuel, second son and third child of Capt. Thomas and Mary (Adams) Thayer, was born March 28, 1696. He married, 1719, Mary Thayer, a distant cousin, and settled in Mendon. Children: Abigail, Samuel, Zilpha, Mary, Thankful, Comfort, Margaret, Susannah and Stephen. (V) Samuel, eldest son and second child of Samuel and Mary (Thayer) Thayer, was born June 10, 1721. He married (first), May 3, 1754, Sarah Farmer, of Uxbridge, where he settled. Children: Amos, Jabez, Asa, Lois, Patty or Polly, Eunice, Louisa and Nahum. Mrs. Thayer died in 1778 or 1779 of smallpox, contracted while nursing her son Jabez, who was in the army. Samuel Thayer married (second), 1782, Sarah Walker, and had children: Stephen, Samuel and Mary. (VI) Dr. Stephen, eldest child of Samuel and Sarah (Walker) Thayer, was born Feb. 10, 1783, in Uxbridge, died May 24, 1852. He attended the Ipswich Academy, and studied medicine with Doctor Muzzie, of Ipswich, receiving the degree of Doctor of Medicine from Mass. Medical Society. He practied his profession in Vassalborough, China, Fairfield and Waterville, removing to the latter place in 1835, and had a large practice, both medicl and surgical, in the counties of Kennebec and Somerset. During the war of 1812 he served as surgeon for a short time in Lieut.-Col. Herbert Moor's regiment. He was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention held in Portland, Maine, Oct. 11, 1819, and was a charter member of the Waterville Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, and its first treasurer. He married (first) at Vassalborough, Maine, May 13, 1808, Sophia Carleton, and shortly after removed to Fairfield, same state. Children: 1. Dr. Albert C., born March 3, 1809, died Dec. 28, 1834; married Dec., 1833, Ann E. Putnam, of Dexter, Maine and had one son, who died in childhood. 2. Charles H., see forward. 3. Sophia Ann, born March 11, 1812, married Oct. 15, 1840, Dr. Reuben Atwood, and they had children: Charles R. and Frances A. 4. Mary Y., born May 20, 1813, died Nov. 3, 1833. 5. Stephen S., born May 5, 1814, died Dec. 4, 1861; married Jan. 7, 1848, Hannah Blackwell, who died Feb. 3, 1871; their children: Albert C., Charles H., Mary L. and William J. 6. Harriet N., born March 8, 1816, died in Waterville May, 1908. 7. George, born May 28, 1817, died Sept. 8, 1818. 8. Emeline F., born Jan. 22, 1819, married Nov. 5, 1852, William L. Howe, who died Oct. 8, 1882; they had one child, Ida Ellen; Mrs. Howe died June 25, 1906. 9. Almira, born March 6, 1821, died Sept. 23, 1891;p married Aug. 6, 1848, Sherman Hale, who died Jan. 10, 1886; they had one child, Mary E. 10. George H., born Dec. 28, 1822, died June 16, 1906; they had one child, Samuel B. 11. Martha C., born May 6, 1825, died Oct. 2, 1891; she married April 3, 1849, Charles T. Whitney, who died Nov. 1, 1865; children: Florence E., Julia E., Charles Emmons, Clarence Eugene and Arthur Ermon. 12. Lorenzo Eugene, born Feb. 3, 1828, died Oct. 3, 1894; he married first Jan. 3, 1854, Sarah A. Chase, who died April 15, 1887; they had children: Frank L., Edward E. and Samuel C.; he married second Mrs. Nellie Chase Eastman, of Saco. Dr. Thayer married (second) Feb. 10, 1832, Mary Carleton. (VII) Charles H., second son of Dr. Stephen and Sophia (Carleton) Thayer, was born Oct. 14, 1810, and died Jan. 11, 1864. He was educated in the schools of his native city. After his marriage he settled in Fairfield, but removed from thence to Waterville in 1839, and there engaged in the mercantile business on the southwest coner of Maine and Temple streets, remaining for a number of years, and then sold out to the old firm of Thayer & Marston. Mr. Thayer has taken a prominent part in the various interests of Waterville, serving as selectman for a period of thirteen years, and as a director of the old Waterville Bank. He was a Whig and Republican in politics. He married, Oct. 3, 1837, Susan E. Tobey, who died Oct. 15, 1893. They had one child, Frederick Charles, see forward. (VIII) Frederick Charles, A.M., M.D., only child of Charles H. and Susan E. (Tobey) Thayer, was born in Waterville Sept. 30, 1844. His education was a liberal one; he attended the public schools of Waterville, the Waterville Academy, Franklin Family School for Boys at Topsham, Maine, entered Waterville College in 1861, and became a student at Union College in 1863. He studied medicine under the preceptorship of Dr. James E. Pomfret, of Albany, New York, attended the medical lectures at the Albany Medical College and was graduated from the Maine Medical School in 1867. Dr. Thayer was president of the Kennebec County Medical Association in 1878, president of the Alumni Association of the Medical Department of Bowdoin College, which he was instrumental in founding, in 1885-86. The degree of Master of Arts was conferred upon him by Colby University in 1884. He was a member of the legislature, 1885-86, and in the latter year delivered the annual oration before the Maine Medical Association; president of this association 1887-88; alderman of Waterville, 1889. He has served in the state militia as assistant surgeon and surgeon of the Second Regiment, as medical director of the First Brigade and surgeon-general on the staff of Governor Henry B. Cleaves. He was the first president of the Waterville Trust Company and for a long period was one of the dirctors. He is a director of the W.W. & F. Railroad Company. He was one of the founders and has been president of the Waterville Clinical Society; has been president of the Board of United States Pension Examining Surgeons of Augusta, consulting surgeon to the Maine Central General Hospital at Lewiston, and to the City Hospital at Augusta. Dr. Thayer has been master of Waterville Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons; commander of St. Omer Commandery, Knights Templar; grand commander of the Grand Commandery of Maine, grand warden of the Grand Encampment, Knights Templar, U. S. of America, and enjoyed the distinction of having the thirty-third degree in Masonry conferred upon him. By his skill and success in important surgical cases, Dr. Thayer early gained an eminent position in his profession, which he has since maintained. In addition to his extensive business interests he has been prominently identified with all movements for the progress and development of the city for many years. He was president of the Centennial Committee of One Hundred, and of the executive committee, and the success of the celebration was largely due to his faithful attention and his efficient generalship. He still (1908) resides in the house in which he was born, No. 214 Main street. Dr. Thayer married Dec. 2, 1871, Leonora L., daughter of Judge William B. Snell, of Washington, D. C. They have no children.