Hello!

I got the list of mailing lists from maiser and was pleased to see one
for Thatcher. While I'm interested in all of the lines in my family,
this one is closest to my heart, 'cause it's the name I was born with!!:)

I don't know how long it's been going, but I did sent a REVIEW command
and saw there were only 6 of us on the list. A nice, cozy family.

Since there are so few of us, I didn't think there'd be a problem with
posting my Tha(t)cher line. I'd like to see your lines, too. If you've
posted them publicly already, I'd appreciate your sending them to me
privately. If not, it might be a nice way to get to know each other.

Anyway, here goes! (I'm not really sure when the second "t" was added,
so I'm guessing.)

Rev. Peter THACHER (1545-1624)
Antony THACHER (1588 - 1667) m. (2) Elizabeth JONES
John THACHER (1639 - 1713) m. (1) Rebecca WINSLOW
John THACHER (1675 - 1764) m. Desire STURGIS
Rev. Roland THACHER (1710-1775) m. Abigail CROCKER
Dea. Roland THACHER (1745-1813) m. Elizabeth NYE
Timothy THATCHER (1774-1833) m. Dorotha PHELPS
Buckley THATCHER (1806-1863) m. Emerancy CULVER
Charles Phelps THATCHER (1848-1901) m. Laura Esther DAVIS
Charles Paul THATCHER (1890-1932) m. Edith Frances
TEWKSBURY
Bruce Sterling THATCHER (1923-s.l.) m. Eloise Marie
DONALDSON
Carol Denise THATCHER (1951-s.l.)<--me!:)

I have a GEDCOM file of all the people in the D.W. Allen book on Thomas
and Antony Thacher. If you're interested, let me know.

I'm really just getting started and the Allen book is my main resource at
the present. More will be forthcoming.

Carol Thatcher Hall
jimncarol@earthlink.net

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Here is everything I have on THACHER. Can anybody add, subtract, or
change?

1 Reverend PETER THACHER, b. 1547/49, Queen Camel, Somerset, England
11 Reverend PETER THACHER, b. 1587/1588 Queen Camel, Somerset, England,
Rector of St. Edmonds, Salisbury, England, m.
ca 1613 Anne (?) who d. 1634, m. (2) 1635, Alice Batt.
111 John Thacher, b. 1615, d. 1622 (7 yrs)
112 Peter Thacher, b. 1616, d. ca 1642 (26 yrs)
113 Reverend THOMAS THACHER, b. 1 May 1620 probably Queen Camel, Somerset,
came from Salisbury, Wiltshire, although the family was from Somerset,
d. 15 Oct 1678, Weymouth, MA, married 11 May 1643, ELIZABETH
PARTRIDGE-KEMP, born ca 1625, Duxbury, died 2 Jun 1664, married (2)
Jul 1664, Margaret Webb, widow of Jacob Sheaffer, who died Feb 1694.
Came to America with his uncle, Anthony in the "James" from
Southhampton, arriving Boston 4 Jun 1635. He went to Ipswich with
his uncle and other friends, but avoided the peril of their return in
August in which all but Anthony and his wife were lost in a shipwreck.
He studied under the Rev. Charles Chauncey of Scituate. He was
ordained 2 Jan 1645, was made a freeman 1645, his knowledge of science
aquired for him a great reputation as a physician, and he composed a
Hebrew lexicon. He and his second wife, Margaret, removed to Boston,
joned the first church, 4 Aug 1667. In Oct 1669, to save the feelings
of his fellow worshipers, he took dismissal to the church at
Charlestown, and on 16 Feb following, was installed . In 1674, he
with Increase Mather, was added to former licensers of the press.
1131 Thomas Thacher, b. ca 1645.
1132 RALPH (RODOLPHUS) THACHER, b. ca 1649, Weymouth, MA m. 1 Jan 1669, at
Duxbury, Plymouth, RUTH PARTRIDGE. In 1678, he was constable,
Duxbury. In 1679, he had a grant at the South River. He was town
clerk of Duxbury, from 1685 to 1694. He moved to Chilmark, Martha's
Vineyard in 1697, where he preached for many years. In Jun 1711,
gave to his son, Rodolphus, an estate of 60 acres. He was buried Rose
Hill Cem., Groton, CT. In 1676, Ralph Thacher harvested NE
of Bumps Meadow (Hist of Duxbury).
11321 Thomas Thacher, b. 9 Oct 1670, d. 1697.
11322 Elizabeth Thacher, b. 1 Mar 1672.
11323 Ann(a) Thacher, b. 26 Nov 1673, d. prior 1684.
11324 Ruth Thacher, b. 1 Nov 1675.
11325 RALPH (RODOLPHUS) THACHER, born 9 Jan 1677, Duxbury, died 1757 or
1773, Groton CT, married ca 1707/1711, Tisbury, Duke, MA, PATIENCE
SKIFFE, born 1682, Martha's Vineyard.
113251 Hephizabah Thatcher, born ca 1708, bp 2 Jul 1721, First Ch of
Lebanon, CT, m. 18 Nov 1724, Hezakiah Loomis.
113252 Thomas Thatcher, born ca 1710, bp 2 Jul 1721, First Ch of Lebanon.,
married bef 1740, Hannah Tupper.
113253 Sarah Thacher, born ca 1712, married 13 Dec 1737, New Milford, CT,
Joel Harvey.
113254 Ebenezer Thatcher, born ca 1714, bp 2 Jul 1721, First Ch of
Lebanon.
113255 John Thacher, b. ca 1716, married Lois (?).
113256 ELIZABETH THATCHER, b ca 1718, bp 2 Jul 1721 First Church of
Lebanon, Lebanon, CT, m 6 Dec 1740, at Brooklyn, CT, ROBERT VINE.
113257 Joanna Thatcher, b. ca 1720, died young.
113258 Mercy Thacher, b. ca 1722, d. ca 1812, married 12 Apr 1742,
Brooklyn, CT, Ebenezer HYDE, b. 12 Apr 1719, Canterbury, CT, d. 24
Nov 1801.
113259 Benjamin Thatcher, b. ca 1724/25, bp 26 Nov 1725, First Ch of
Lebanon, m. 9 Oct 1754, Lebanon, Desire Yarrington.
11325A Ruth Thatcher, b. ca 1726/27, bp 4 Jun 1727, First Ch of Lebanon,
died young.
11326 Lydia Thacher, b. 24 Jan 1679, died 26 May 1756 at 77 yrs, m.
Jonathon Peterson.
11327 Mary Thacher, b. 8 Mar 1682.
11328 Anna Thacher, b. 30 Mar 1684.
11329 Peter Thacher, b. 17 Aug 1686.
1132A James Thacher, b. 1688.
1133 Peter Thacher, b. 18 Jul 1651, Salem, MA bp 20 Jul 1651, Harvard
Class of 1671. (not known why his mother was there at the time!)
1134 Patience Thacher, b. ca 1653, married William Kemp.
1135 Elizabeth Thacher, b. ca 1655, married Nathaniel Davenport, who was
killed 19 Dec 1675, m. (2) 1677, Samuel Davis.
114 Anne Thacher, b. 1622
115 Martha Thacher, b. 1623
116 Elizabeth Thacher, b. 1625
117 John Thacher, b. 1627
118 Samuel Thacher, b. 1635/6, d. 1646 (9 yrs)
119 Paul Thacher, b. 1638, d. 1638.
12 Anthony Thacher, b. 1588/89, Somerset, Eng, d. 22 Aug 1667, Yarmouth,
MA. m.(1) Mary (?) (2) Eliz. Jones.
121 William Thacher, b. before 1620.
122 Edith Thacher, b. 1621/2/
123 Mary Thacher, b. ca 1623
124 Peter Thacher, b. ca 1625
NOTE: William, Edith, Mary, & Peter, all died in shipwreck 1635 with
wife, Mary.
125 Benjamin Thacher, b. 1634.
By second wife
126 John Thacher, b. 1638, d. 1713, m. (1) Rebecca Winslow, m (2) 1683/4
Lydia Gorham.
1261 Peter Thacher, born 1665, died 1736, married Thankful Sturgis.
12611 Peter Thacher, born 1712, died 1775, married Anne Lewis.
1262 Joshia Thacher, born 1667, died 1702, married Mary Hedge.
1263 Rebecca Thacher, born 1669.
1264 Bethia Thacher, born 1671, died 1734.
1265 John Thacher, born 1674, died 1764, married Desire (Sturges) Dimmock.
1266 Elizabeth Thacher, born 1677, died 1720.
1267 Hannah Thacher, born 1679, died 1689.
1268 Mary Thacher, born 1682, died 1682.
by second wife:
1269 Judah Thacher, born 1693 died 1775, married Sarah Coosby.
126A Joseph Thacher, born 1699, died 1763, married Ruth Hawes.
126B Benjamin Thacher, born 1701, died 1768, married Hannah Lunebert.
126C Thomas Thacher, born 1705, died 1746, married Thankful Barter.
127 Judah Thacher, d. 1676 Yarmouth, m. Mary Thornton;
1271 Elizabeth Thacher, born 1667, married (1) Joshua Lee (2) Peter
Thatcher (as third wife).
1272 Thomas Thacher, born 1669, died 1701
1273 Judah Thacher, born 1676, died 1705.
128 Bethia, married Jabez Howland, d. Bristol, RI, 1725.
13 John Thacher, b. 1590/91, d. 1653, Queen Camel, Somerset m. Rebecca (?)
who d. 1662. 131 John Thacher, d. 1621
132 Rebecca Thacher, b. 1623
133 Ann Thacher
134 Elizabeth
135 Martha Thacher
136 Sarah(?) Thacher
137 Peter Thacher, born 1635, died 1669.
14 Giles Thacher, b. 1591, d. 1602. no issue.
15 Thomas Thacher, b. ca 1593, m. 1621 Alice (?)d. 1650, Queen Camel,
m.(2) Marie Lokier ca 1651.
151 Thomas Thacher, born 1628.
152 William Thacher, born 1629, died 1668.
153 Peter Thacher.
154 Anne Thacher.
155 Mary Thacher.

Additional from Hist of Duxbury; Bethia Thacher m. Jabez Howland; Patience
Thacher(who died 26 May 1756 at 77 1/4 yrs) m. Jonathon Kemp of Duxbury.

Many thanks,
Dick in VaBeach, researching REEKS, anywhere, anytime.
rwreeks@juno.com or richard.reeks@sourcebbs.com

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

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[Image]

Antony Thacher's Letter Concerning

the Wreck of the Watch and Wait

off Cape Ann, Massachusetts, 15 August 1635

There are several versions of this letter in different
publications. I don't know which one is the correct one, if,
indeed, any of them are. However, the differences between the
versions are minor and the drama remains the same in all of them.
This version is from Allen. Some of the narrative is rambling and
almost incoherent in places, but I think we can forgive Antony for
any literary indiscretions, since the letter was written only a
few days after the tragedy. All of the strange spelling, italics,
and sentence structure are from the original (as quoted in Allen),
although I have broken some of the long paragraphs into smaller
ones to make the text a little easier to read.

I must turn my drowned pen and shaking hand to indite the story of such sad
news as never before this happened in New England. There was a league of
perpetual friendship between my cousin [Joseph] Avery and myself, never to
forsake each other to the death, but to be partakers of each other's misery
or welfare, as also of habitation in the same place. Now upon our arrival at
New England, there was an offer made unto us. My cousin Avery was invited to
Marblehead to be their pastor in due time; there being no church planted
there as yet, but a town appointed to set up the trade of fishing. Because
many there (the most being fishermen) were something loose and remiss in
their behavior, my cousin Avery was unwilling to go thither, and so
refusing, we went to Newbury, intending there to sit down.

But being solicited so often, both by the men of the place and by the
magistrates, and by Mr. Cotton, and most of the ministers, who alleged what
a benefit we might be to the people there, and also to the country and
commonwealth, at length we embraced it, and thither consented to go. They of
Marblehead forthwith sent a pinnace for us and our goods. We embarked at
Ipswich, August 11, 1635, with our families and substance, bound for
Marblehead, we being in all twenty-three souls, viz.: eleven in my cousin's
family, seven in mine, and one Mr. William Elliot sometime of New Sarum, and
four mariners.

The next morning, having commended ourselves to God with cheerful hearts, we
hoisted sail; but the Lord suddenly turned our cheerfulness into mourning
and lamentations, for on the fourteenth of August, 1635, about ten at night,
having a fresh gale of wind, our sails being old and done, were split, the
mariners, because that it was night, would not put to her new sails, but
resolved to cast anchor till the morning. But before daylight it pleased the
Lord to send so mighty a storm as the like was never known in New England
since the English came, nor in the memory of any of the Indians. It was so
furious that our anchor came home, whereupon the mariners let out more
cable, which slipped away. Then our sailors knew not what to do; but we were
driven before the wind and waves.

My cousin and I perceived our danger, and solemnly recommended ourselves to
God, the Lord both of earth and seas, expecting with every wave to be
swallowed up and drenched in the deep; and as my cousin, his wife, and my
tender babes sat comforting and cheering one the other in the Lord against
ghastly death, which every moment stared us in the face, and sat triumphing
upon each one's forehead, we were, by the violence of the waves and the fury
of the winds (by the Lord's permission), lifted up upon a rock, between two
high rocks, yet all was one rock, but it raged with the stroke which came
into the pinnace, so as we were presently up to our middles in water as we
sat. The waves came furiously and violently over us and against us, but by
reason of the rocks' position could not lift us off, but beat her all to
pieces.

Now look with me on our distress and consider of my misery who beheld the
ship broken and the water in her, and violently overwhelming us; my goods
and provisions swimming in the seas, my friends almost drowned and mine own
poor children so untimely (if I may so term it without offence), before mine
eyes, drowned and ready to be swallowed up and dashed to pieces against the
rocks by the merciless waves, and myself ready to accompany them. But I must
go on to an end of this woeful relation.

In the same room whereat he sat, the master of the pinnace not knowing what
to do, our foremast was cut down, our mainmast broken in three pieces, the
forepart of the pinnace beat away, our goods swimming about the seas, my
children bewailing me as not pitying themselves and myself bemoaning them,
poor souls, whom I had occasioned to such an end in their tender years, when
as they could scarce be sensible of death. And likewise my cousin, his wife
and his children, and both of us bewailing each other, in our Lord and only
Saviour, Jesus Christ, in whom only we had comfort and cheerfulness,
insomuch that from the greatest to the least of us, there was not one
screech or outcry made, but all as silent sheep, were contentedly resolved
to die together lovingly, as since our acquaintance we had lived together
friendly.

Now as I was sitting in the cabin room door, with my body in the room, when
lo, one of the sailors by a wave, being washed out of the pinnace, was
gotten in again, and coming into the cabin room over my back, cried out, "We
are all cast away, the Lord have mercy upon us. I have been washed overboard
into the sea and gotten in again." His speech made me look forth and looking
towards the sea, and seeing how we were, I turned myself to my cousin and
the rest, and spake these words: "Oh, cousin, it hath pleased God to cast us
here between two rocks, the shore not far off from us, for I saw the tops of
trees when I looked forth." Whereupon the master of the pinnace, looking up
the scuttle-hole of the quarter deck, went out at it, but I never saw him
afterward. Then he that had been in the sea went out again by me and leaped
overboard towards the rocks, whom afterwards also I could not see.

Now none were left in the barque that I knew or saw, but my cousin, his wife
and children, myself and mine and his maid servant. But my cousin thought I
would have fled from him, and said unto me, "Oh, cousin, leave me not, let
us die together" and reached forth his hand unto me.

Then I, letting go my son Peter's hand, took him by the hand and said:
"Cousin, I purpose it not; whither shall I go? I am willing and ready here
to die with you and my poor children. God be merciful to us and receive us
to himself, " adding these words, "the Lord is able and willing to help and
deliver us."

He replied, saying, "True cousin, but what His pleasure is, we know not: I
fear we have been too unthankful for former deliverances, but he hath
promised to deliver us from sin and condemnation, and bring us safe to
heaven, through the all-sufficient satisfaction of Jesus Christ; this
therefore we my challenge of him."

To which I, replying, said "that is all the deliverance I now desire and
expect," which words I no sooner said, but by a mighty wave I was, with a
piece of the barque, washed out upon part of the rock where the wave left
me, almost drowned; but recovering my feet, I saw above me on the rock, my
daughter Mary, to whom I had no sooner gotten, but my cousin Avery and his
eldest son came to us, being all four of us washed out by one and the same
wave. We went all to a small hole on the top of the rock, whence we called
to those in the pinnace to come unto us, supposing we had been in more
safety then than they were in. My wife seeing us there crept up into the
scuttle of the quarter deck to come unto us; but presently came another
wave, and dashing the pinnace all to pieces, carried my wife away in the
scuttle as she was, with the greater part of the quarter-deck unto the
shore, where she was cast safely but her legs was something bruised, and
much timber of the vessel being there also cast, she was sometime before she
could get away, being washed by the waves. All the rest that were in the
barque were drowned in the merciless seas. We four by that wave were clean
swept away from off the rock also, into the sea, the Lord in one instant of
time disposing of fifteen souls of us according to his good pleasure and
will.

His pleasure and wonderful great mercy to me was thus: Standing on the rock
as before you heard, with my eldest daughter, my cousin and his eldest son,
looking upon and talking to them in the barque, whenas we were by that
merciless wave washed off the rock, as before you heard, God in his mercy
caused me to fall by the stroke of the wave, flat on my face, for my face
was towards the sea, insomuch that I was sliding off the rock into the sea,
the Lord directed my toes into a joint of the rock's sides, as also the tops
of some of my fingers, with my right hand, by means whereof, the wave
leaving me I remained so, having in the rock only my head above the water,
when on the left hand I espied a board or plank of the pinnace. And as I was
reaching out my left hand to lay hold on it, by another coming over the top
of the rock, I was washed away from the rock, and by the violence of the
waves was driven hither and thither in the seas a great while, and had many
dashes against the rocks.

At length, past hopes of life, and wearied in body and in spirit, I even
gave over to nature, and being ready to receive in the waters of death, I
lifted up both my heart and hand to the God of heaven (for note, I had my
senses remaining perfect with me all the time that I was under and in the
water) who at that instant lifted my head above the top of the water that so
I might breathe without any hindrance by the waters. I stood bold upright as
if I had stood upon my feet, but I felt no bottom, nor had any footing for
to stand upon, but the waters. While I was thus above the water, I saw by me
a piece of the mast, as I suppose, about three feet long, which I labored to
catch into my arms. But suddenly I was overwhelmed with water and driven to
and fro again and at last I felt the ground with my right foot, when
immediately, whilst I was thus groveling on my face, I presently, recovering
my feet, was in the water up to my breast and through Gods great mercy, had
my face unto the shore, and not to the sea. I made haste to get out but was
thrown down on my hands with the waves, and so with safety crept to the dry
shore, where blessing God, I turned about to look for my children and
friends, but saw neither nor any part of the pinnace where I left them as I
supposed. But I saw my wife about a butt length from me getting herself
forth from amongst the timber of the broken barque. But before I could get
to her she was gotten to the shore. I was in the water after I was washed
from the rock before I came to the shore, a quarter of an hour at least.

When we were come each to the other we went and sat down on the bank. But
fear of the seas' rolling and our coldness, would not suffer us there to
remain. But we went up into the land and sat us down under a cedar tree,
which the wind had thrown down, where we sat about an hour almost dead with
cold. But now the storm was broken up, and the wind was calm, but the sea
remained rough and fearful to us. My legs were much bruised, and so my head
was; other hurt I had none, neither had I taken in much quantity of water,
but my heart would not let me sit still any longer, but I would go to see if
any more were gotten to the land in