Untitled - citizen hylbom blog

Thomas, born July 18, 1651, in Salem, Mass.,
was graduated from Harvard College in 1671,
and was tutor there for several years afterward,
having Cotton Mather as one of his
pupils. He spent some time in England, where'
ineffectual efforts were made to induce him to
confurm to the Established Church. After
his return he was ordained the first pastor of
the chujch in Milton in 1681, and labored
there for the remainder of his life. He attained
not« as a preacher and was called on to
speak on many important public occasions.
His convention sermon (1711) is preserved in
manuscript in the library of the Massachusetts
Historical Society. He married Nov. 21,
1677, Theodora, daughter of Rev. John Oxenbridge;
she died Nov. 18, 1697, aged thirtyeight,
and he married (second) in 1699 Susanna
Bailey, widow of Rev. John Bailey, of the
First Church of Boston. She died in 1724,
aged fifty-nine years, and he married (third)
Elizabeth, widow of Joshua Gee, of Boston,
and daughter of Judah Thacher, of Yarmouth,
Mass. His children were: Theodora, Bath-
sheba, Oxenbridge, Elizabeth, Mary V., Peter,
John, Thomas and John (2).
(III) Rev. Peter Thacher (2), bom Oct. 1,
1688, was graduated from Harvard College in
1706 and ordained Nov. 2, 1709, as first pastor
of the church at Middleboro, Mass. He
continued such relations with the church for
some — thirty-five years until his death, April
22, 1744. He married Mary, daughter of
Rev. Thomas Prince, of Old South Church,
Boston, and sister of Thomas Prince, the
donor of Prince Library at Boston.
(IV) Rev. Peter Thacher (3), born in Middleboro,
Mass., Jan. 25, 1715, married Nov.
30, 1749, Bethiah, daughter of Obadiah Carpenter,
of Attleboro, and ten children blessed
the union, of whom four, Peter, Thomas,
Obadiah and John, enlisted from the homestead
in Attleboro for service in the Revolution.
Mr. Thacher was graduated from Harvard
College in 1737. He came to preach for
the Second Congregational Church on or soon
after the organization of the East parish of
Attleboro, 1743. Later he was given a call
to settle, and though he preached for them he
was not ordained over the church until in
November, 1748. His pastorate was continued
with the church until the fall of 1784. He
had received a stroke of paralysis which incapacitated
him for longer service. His death
occurred Sept. 13, 1785, when he was aged
seventy years. He was a highly respected and
useful man. It is noteworthy that with the
close of his life, including the term of years
SOUTHEASTERN MASSACHUSETTS 969
occupied by him in the ministry, the services
of this line of Thachers in the ministry in this
country and England in the direct male line
covered a period of 227 years — a record perhaps
unparalleled. He requested that he
be 'Hburied back of his pulpit" in the church
yard, and his remains lie in what is known as
the Kirk cemetery.
It was one of the brothers of Rev. Peter
Thacher of Attleboro of whom President John
Adams said: "He (Oxenbridge Thacher) was
the second who gave the first impulse to the
Ball of Independence, the first being James
Otis." This Oxenbridge Thacher, who was
graduated from Harvard in 1738, became a
successful lawyer and took an active part in
opposition to the English government during
the early stages of the Revolution, being
that time one of the four representatives
Boston in the General Court.
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(V) Deacon Peter Thacher (4), son of
Rev. Peter (3), born Oct. 21, 1753, in Attleboro,
Mass., married Nanne, daughter of Capt.
John Tyler, and they had four children.
(VI) Deacon Peter Thacher (5), son of
Peter (4), born March 30, 1779, in Attle-
boro, Mass., married (first) Saloma, daughter
of Abial Dunham, of Attleboro. Mr.
Thacher, like his father, was occupied in farming.
He lived on the homestead, in the
house built by his forefather. Rev. Peter
Thacher. Deacon Thacher was a tall, dignified
gentleman of the old school, whose
presence would attract attention, and Ids
manJy bearing command respect, anywhere.
A man of intelligence, of excellent judgment,
just and honorable in all his dealings
with his fellow men and one who held the confidence
of the community in which he had
lived so long, he was respected by all and often
called upon to settle estates and act as guardian
of minor children. He was careful and
slow to reach conclusions, weighing matters
carefully, but when once formed he stood by
them. He was chosen the first president of
the Bristol County Agricultural Society. He
served as treasurer of a number of societies
through life. He was a deacon in the church
for fifty or more years. In the War of 1812
he enlisted for service, and was detailed for
the responsible work of transporting specie for
the payment of the soldiers.
To Deacon Thacher and his wife Saloma
'^
Dunham) were born four children. After
the death of Mrs. Saloma Thacher the Deacon
married (second) Susan Carpenter, of Foxboro,
Mass. Four children blessed the second
marriage: Susan B., born Jan. 19, 1827; John,