Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 10.djvu/138

 THAYER

THAYER

in July. 1N.")1. ami l;ir;j;o numbers, aggregating 5000 men and women, followed and during the civil war that resulted between these settlers and the pro-slavery immigrants, Mr. Thaj'er gave freely of his strength, time and money to the saving of Kansas until its freedom was insured. He soon after extended his colonization plan into "Western Virginia, where he founded the town of Cereilo, settled by colonists from the free states, and secured that section of Virginia to the Union. He was a Republican representative from the Worcester district, Mass., in the 35th and 30th congresses, 1857-61, serving as chair- man of the committee on public lands. While in congress he became famous for his speeches on Central America Colonization, Suicide of Slavery and the Admission of Oregon. He was a dele- gate to the Republican national convention at Chicago in 1800. During the civil war, Mr. Thayer proposed to Frederick Perry Stanton, secretary of Kansas, a plan for the military colonization of Florida, which was approved by Presid<'nt Lincoln and the majority of congress, and supported by great meetings held in New York and Brooklyn, but which did not material- ize. In addition to manufacturing interests, in- cluding the erection of the Adriatic mills in Worcester, he invented a sectional safety steam- boiler; an automatic boiler cleaner, and a hydraulic elevator. He was an honorary mem- ber of the Worcester Society of Antiquity, and besides his congressional speeches (1860), he is the author of: Lectures (1886); History of the Kansas Crusade (1889). and various contribu- tions to magazines and to the press. He was married, Aug. 6, 1845, to Caroline Maria, daughter of Collins and Caroline (Silsby) Capron, and they hud seven children, of whom Clara married Charles H. Perry, M.D., of Worcester, and John Alden Th.ayer, Harvard, A.B., 1879, Columbia, LL.B., 1889, practised law in Worcester. Eli Thayer died in Worcester.:Mass., April 15, 1899.

THAYER, Emma Homan, author and artist, was born in N.-\v York city, Feb. 13, 1842; daughter of George W. and Emma Homan. She attended Rutgers Female college, New York city, and studied art in the National Academy of De- sign, exhibiting many figure paintings at the Academy, She was married, first in 1860, to George A. Graves, who died in 1864; and secondly in 1877, to Elmer A. Thayer, removing to Den- ver, Col., in 1882, where she made paintings of the flora of that region. She was one of the original members of the Art league of New York, and is the author of: Wild flowers of Colorado (1885); irjVrf Flowers of the Pacific Coast (1887); The English American (1889); Pctronilla, the Sister (1898); A Legriid of Glenwood Springs (1900); Dorothy Scudder'a Science (1901).

THAYER, James Bradley, educator and author, was born in Haverhill, Mass., Jan. 15, 1831; son of Abijah Wyman and Susan (Brad- ley) Tliayer; grandson of William Tiiayer and Jonathan Bradley. His father was editor of the Essex Gazette, 1835; resided in Piiiladelpliia, Pa., 1835-40; in Amherst, Mass., 1840-41, and subse- quently in Northampton, Mass. James B. Thayer attended the common schools; was graduated from Harvard, A.B., 1852, LL.B., 1856, mean- while teaching a private school in Milton, Mass., 1852-54; was admitted to the Suffolk county bar in December, 1856; practised law in partnership with William J. Hubbard from 1857 until the latter's death in 1862; continued independently until 1865, and as partner of P. W. Cliandler until 1874. He was also master in chancery for Suf- folk county, 1864-74. He was married, April 24, 1861, to Sophia Bradford, daughter of the Rev. Samuel Rii)ley of Concord, Mass. He was Royall professor of law at the Harvard Law school, 1873-93, and Weld professor of the same, 1893- 1902. The honorary degree of LL.D, was con- ferred upon him by Iowa State university in 1891, by Harvard in 1894, and by Y'ale in 1901. Dr. Thayer was secretary of the Loyal Publication society of Boston, 1861-65; a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and a member of the Massachusetts Historical society. He is the author of: Letters of Chauncey Wright (1877); A Western Journey icifh Mr. Emerson (1884); Cases on Evidence (1892); The Origin and Scoj)e of the American Doctrine in Constitu- tional Laic (1893); The Teaching of English Laio in Universities (1895); Cases on Constitutional Late (2 vols., 1895); The Development of Trial by Jury (1896); A Preliminary Treatise on Evidence at the Common Law (1898), and contributions to scientific publications. He died in Cambridge, Mass., Feb. 14, 1902.

THAYER, John Milton, senator, was born in Bellingliam, Mass., Jan. 24, 1820; son of Elias and Ruth T. (Staples) Thayer, and grandson of William and Hannah Thayer. He was graduated from Brown university in 1841; was married in 1843, to Mary Torrey Allen of Sterling, Mass.; was admitted to the Nebraska bar in 1855, and engaged in practice in Omaha. He was appointed brigadier-general of the territorial forces opera- ting against the Indians, and was major-general, 1855-61. He commanded the troops in the Pawnee war of 1859, and captured the whole tribe; was a member of the territorial legislature in 1860, and on the outbreak of the civil war was commis- sioned colonel, 1st Nebraska volunteers. He com- manded the 3d brigade, 3d division, under Gen. Lew Wallace at Fort Donelson, Tcnn., and the 2d brigade, 3d division. Army of Tennessee, at Shiloh. He was promoted brigadier-general, U.S.A., Oct.