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Historian's Report, Winter 1997/98

By Patricia Thayer Muno

As I read through the latest TFA membership list, I am amazed to learn there are so many new Thayers for whom I have no genealogical information. A year ago, our hard working membership chairman, Paul Goodwin Thayer, took upon himself the monumental task of personally contacting those individuals whose names I did not recognize, and requested that they send to me the names of their grandfathers at their earliest convenience. This was a very successful attempt, and I believe we heard back from most everyone Paul contacted.

Since that time, we have acquired a fair number of new TFA members, and once again, I am left perplexed as to where these new-found cousins fit into the overall Thayer framework. If you have joined us in the TFA within the last year and have not shared your genealogical information with me, please send it at your earliest convenience. We hope to at least be able to represent the families of our wonderful members in the forthcoming Thayer Genealogy publication. Please send a long, self-addressed, stamped envelope in the event I need to get back to you with any questions. I need at least the name of someone in your family with the Thayer surname who was born before 1920. If possible, please also include their approximate year and state of birth. For most individuals, sending the names of their grandfatherís is all that is needed to make their connection to the known Thayer lineages. Please do this right away, so we can be sure to include you and your family in the forthcoming genealogy. If you do not know your Thayer lineage to the year 1500 in England, I can likely help you through the Thayer Pedigree Referral Service.

Sharon Thayer Baxter, of Columbus, Ohio has agreed to represent the descendants of Jason Thayer, who was probably born between August and December in 1786 in New Hampshire or Connecticut--depending upon which census you are reading. Jason married first in about May 1826 at Clarksfield, Ohio to Tamor Ann Milliman, widow of Henry Christian Westfall. He passed as ìtwinî with brother, Ziba Thayer, in some records, but the Ohio census records give Ziba as 11 years younger. Both were supposed to have been born in Connecticut. The names of Jason and Zibaís parents are needed. Tamor was the 3rd daughter of Bryant Milliman and Susannah Rathbone of Rhode Island. Jason was in Clarksfield, Ohio by 1817 or 1818. In 1820 he was to be found in the Clarksfield Twp., Huron, Ohio census with one male between the age of 16-20, one male between 20-45. He is also in the Huron county, Ohio 1825 tax list.

In the history of Huron Co., Ohio, by Dr. F. E. Weeks, Wakeman Twp. "Jason Thayer, with his twin, Zibra Thayer, came to Clarksfield, Huron, Ohio Dec 1817. . . In 1833 He went to Ft. Wayne, IN, came back to daughters. He was 'overseer of the poor' in Apr 1822, Clarksfield Twp., OH."

In 1850 Jason was found living in Norwalk, Huron, OH at the county poor house as Superintendent, "Age 63, born NH." In that record, his second wife, Abigail, is listed as head, and the family appears to be living with the Eli and Susan Barnum family.

I suggested that perhaps Jason was a son of Bartholomew Thayer and Rebecca Brackett. I called descendant Ann Coon Guffey on 9 Apr 1995 and she stated that she was going to Coshocton Co., Ohio that summer and would get back to me if she uncovered any additional clues. Bartholomew's was the only other Thayer I have found living in that county. In a letter from Ann, dated 11 Apr 1996, she states she was convinced Jason and Ziba were NOT sons of Bartholomew.

Jason and Tamor had two daughters, both born in Clarksfield, Huron, OH: Mary Jane (born 1827) and Laura Mae (born 1828/1829). Tamor died in 1830 leaving

Jason a widower. Apparently, Mary Jane Thayer was raised by her motherís (Milliman) family, and in 1846 she became the wife of Truman Simons.

Ann Guffey states that after the girls' mother died, Laura went to live with her aunt and uncle, Electa (Milliman) & David Goodell in Wood Co., Ohio; and she reportedly died there in her youth.

Jason then married Abigail Abbott on 22 Apr 1832 in Huron County, OH, and they became the progenitors of a large group of Thayer descendants who settled in Huron, Fulton and Erie counties. All of these individuals remain in my "Unplaced" files. Jason died in 14 Dec 1850 in Wakeman, Huron, OH.

Jasonís brother, Ziba, was born about 1795/1798 (New Hampshire? Connecticut?). He married to Permelia (_____) of New York. No children have been identified. He was in Clarksfield, OH by late 1817. He left his belongings to the children of his brother, Jason. Ziba died in 1875 and is buried in the East Norwalk Cemetery, Huron Co., OH.

Sharon Thayer Baxter photo

Sharon Thayer Baxter

If you have information to share on the parentage of Jason and Ziba, please contact our Family Representative for this line:
Sharon Thayer Baxter
3265 Colony Vista Lane
Columbus, OH 43204
e-mail: thayer.2@osu.edu

Once again I would like to thank my numerous correspondents for their kind greetings sent this way during the Christmas Holidays. Also, it is not too late to send your early Thayer photos to our TFA photographer, Bob Thayer, along for inclusion in the forthcoming Thayer Genealogy publication.

The Thayer - Tayer- Theyer Families of Gloucestershire, England 1500-1660 book has been almost impossible to keep in stock. I have made 7 different printings of this book and expect that it will be in demand for some time. It continues to be sought after by new members as well as older members who wish to secure additional copies as gifts. As of yet, I have not increased the price, although my publishing costs continue to increase along with everything else. Please use the order form printed in this newsletter if you would like to order this book.

I would like to share with our readers the kind words of fellow member, Hanford Thayer of Langley, WA:

"Dear Patricia,
I received your hook and I have not stopped reading it. The book is wonderful-- so full of facts that very few Thayers know about. I have learned a lot in just a couple of days, and having been there on the grounds, it is so clear to me that I can look back 500 years and see the conditions of life at that time. It was truly a fascinating time for those who were there and now it is more of a wonderful history. To think that our family lived in those historic times is a gift of God.

I am reading "Lord Churchill's Coup" by Stephen Saunders Webb (Knopf, Inc.) And it gives the military and religious facts that one needs to know to understand the great changes in England and the Colonies, including our United States! The religious wars were terrible and it may have been the fate of our great grandfather and son to have died on the same day! Whenever you get the time in the future, that is one book you should read (from 1667-1690), grandfather Churchill was quite a man, a soldier, a gent, a lover, a diplomat, and a very good looking man. To the time of William the Conqueror and I have read every word of the book to page 223 and I can't stop!

Our Titanic Love Affair

Newsweek magazine issue of 23 February reports:

"If the tears being shed over 'Titanic' could be collected in rain clouds, El Nino would have stiff competition."

Ever since this compelling movie hit the big screens 8 weeks ago---the Titanic fans have literally been crawling out of the woodwork. Cousins we did not know existed have contacted me seeking more information on the family of John Borland Thayer. (See the Thayer Quarterly issue of Spring 1994, page 3, and related story in this issue). What most of our readers do not realize is that John Borland Thayer, his wife, Marian and their son Jack were not the only Thayers to have experienced this tragedy in the North Atlantic Ocean in 1912.

Fellow TFA member, Samuel Adams Francis, of Marion, MA has reported that Florence11 Briggs Thayer (George Andrew10, George Luther9, George Washington8, Luther7, Isaac6, Abraham5, Nathaniel4-3, Richard2-1 THAYER) and her first husband, John Bradley Cummings, were also on board the Titanic that fateful night that Cummings lost his life. Florence was born 31 Dec 1873 in Boston, Suffolk, MA.

From TFA member, Dawn Thayer Chandler of Battle Creek, MI, we receive the following:

"Lifeboat 4 (capacity 65 persons) was launched from the port side at 1:50 am under the command of Quartermaster Walter John Perkis. It was the sixteenth boat to leave the Titanic and contained 34 people. Among the passengers were Mrs. John Bradley Cummings (Florence Briggs Thayer b. 1874)."

Hopefully, an article on this family will be forthcoming for our Thayer Quarterly readers.

We have several "Obituary Readers" among our faithful TFA members. You could also be providing a valuable service to the Thayer family by joining this dedicated group. Just send any Thayer related obituary clippings you find in your local newspapers along to me.

There is still time to have your pre-1920 photographs included in the forthcoming Comprehensive Genealogy of the Thayer Families of America. Send your photographs to Robert Thayer at his listed address. Please mark each and every photograph with your complete name, address, and subject matter including complete names of subjects. Do not use a ballpoint pen, rather a felt-tip marker, and blot or allow time for the ink to dry before stacking photographs.

Your photographs will be carefully copied and the originals returned to you. The copies will become the property of Thayer Families Association. Selection of photographs for publication may depend on available space.

Please note the corrected phone number for TFA photographer, Bob Thayer:

TFA Photographer Robert William Thayer 1194 Parkwood Blvd Schenectady, NY 12308-2502 Phone: (518) 393-0929

Looking forward to being with each of you in Braintree the third week in June! If you have any questions concerning the Thayer Genealogy Project please contact me at:

Patricia Thayer Muno Thayer Family Historian 6885 SW 161 Place Beaverton, OR 97007-6336 e-mail: TriciaMuno@aol.com