Untitled - citizen hylbom blog

970 SOUTHEASTERN MASSACHUSETTS
Nov. 4, 1828; William T., April 26, 1830; and
Calista C, Aug. 12, 1835. Deacon Thacher died
in the old home in Attleboro, Mass., Sept. 20,
1863, aged eighty-four years. His widow
passed away June 8, 1883, aged eighty-seven
years.
(VII) Peter Thacher (6), only son of Deacon
Peter (5) and his wife Saloma (Dunham),
was born July 20, 1812, in Attleboro,
Mass. He acquired his early school training
in the home schools and furthered his education
in the Wrentham and Amherst (Mass.)
Academies. Thereafter he remained for a
year assisting his father on the home farm.
jQoing to Taunton in 1830, he was there employed
for a period as a house carpenter. His
next experience was as a mechanic, beginning
in 1834 work for the Boston & Providence
Railroad Company, and he soon thereafter became
their superintendent of construction.
Becoming master of this line of work, in
which he was engaged as a contractor and
builder—with the exception of three — years
from 1836 to 1849, he superintended to full
operation the building of some thirteen different
railroads, among them the Stoughton, the
Norwich & Worcester and the Taunton & New
Bedford roads. During the years 1843-44-45
he was occupied in constructing Forts Warren
and Independence in Boston harbor.
Of him it was deservedly said by Mr.
Wright, superintendent of engineers of Fort
Warren : "He possesses a thorough acquaintance
with the business and combines great intelligence
with an uncommon degree of faithfulness
in the discharge of duty. I feel
assured that whoever is so fortunate as to command
his services will esteem him a great acquisition."
In 1859 Mr. Thacher obtained control of
the Rowe patent bridge and operated in the
line of bridge building under the firm name
of Thacher, Burt & Co. He soon removed to
'Cleveland, Ohio. Here he became one of the
active and prominent citizens of the city. He
was soon the leading bridge builder in the
West and constructed bridges on most of the
original railroads in the States of Ohio, Michigan,
Indiana and Kentucky. During the
early part of the Civil war, in 1862, he constructed
the bridge over the Cumberland river
at Nashville, Tenn., which was later burned.
Withdrawing from the firm above named in
1865 he afterward became engaged in other
enterprises, and as it had previously success
followed him in his efforts.
Although a adopted city, Cleveland, and was active in
various lines. He held various public offices
of importance and trust. Public and charitable
institutions received his attention. He
was greatly interested in Masonry and held
the highest honors in lodge, chapter, council
and commandery;
very busy man Mr. Thacher
ever took a great interest in the affairs of his
was one of the organizers
of the Scottish Rite body of Freemasonry
in Cleveland. He died there. He was an officer
of several literary and historical societies.
In March, 1849, Mr. Thacher married
Sarah Adams Estabrook, of West Cambridge,
Mass., and the marriage was blessed with children,
Peter, John and Annie.
(VII) John Thacher, son of Deacon
Peter (5) and his wife Susan (Carpenter),
and the occupant of the old Thacher homestead,
was born there Nov. 4, 1828, and there
he passed his long, usefvd life. After the
usual elementary school training given to
farmers' sons of that period, young Thacher
was sent to further his education in that famous
old New England school known the
country over—
Phillips Academy at Andover,
Mass. After leaving the academy he for a
time himself was engaged in teaching school.
He settled down, however, to agricultural pursuits
on the old farm— a tract of 225 acres—
that had been the field of operation of his forefathers,
and became a full-fledged .farmer.
Of a quiet, kindly disposition and manner,
Mr. Thacher went along in the even tenor of
his way through life and silently accomplished
much in the community in which he moved
by his example— a consistent Christian life of
the type of the earlier Thachers. A man of
high intelligence, of good judgment, careful
in all his acts and conclusions, his reputation
was that of a conservative, safe counsellor and
one of integrity, whose word was ever as good
as his bond. His mind was of the kind that
enabled him to form opinions and to clearly
express them and with that force that instilled
confidence. His long continuance in official
relations was proof of his fitness for them
and of his high standing in the community.
He was thoughtful and considerate of those
who had been less fortunate in this world's
goods than himself and in his quiet, unostentatious
manner scattered here and there along
his pathway considerable sunshine. In short,
he filled a position in society in keeping with
that of his godly ancestors— one toward the
elevation of his fellow man.
Mr. Thacher was associate county commissioner
of Bristol county for over fourteen
years and filled that important office until his
death. He also filled the offices of select-