Rev. Anthony Thacher

Disconnected Elisabeth Poole (Pole) as his mother. LJB 11/27/2021

Yarmouth on Cape Cod is one of the most beautiful towns on the Cape, and at one time included not only the present Yarmouth but also Dennis, which was made a separate township in 1794. The First Church of Yarmouth was founded in 1639, the early ministers in their order being Rev. Marmaduke Matthews, Rev. John Miller, Rev. Thomas Thornton and Rev. John Cotton, a grandson of John Cotton. It is particularly interesting to learn that one hundred and ninety-one Indians attended this little church during the pastorates of Miller and Thornton.

The names of those to whom the first grant was made were Antony Thacher (usually spelled Anthony), Thomas Howes and John Crow, who proceeded at once to organize the town, erecting a fort at Fort Hill near the old cemetery. Anthony Thacher was the oldest settler of the town and the most helpful man in the colony, his descendants being among the leading citizens of Yarmouth and Boston at the present day. The farm now owned by a member of the family, Hon. Thomas C. Thacher, belonged to his ancestor, and in his memory in 1905 he and others of his family placed a stone on the supposed site of the old house; the inscription reads as follows:

— Near this Site Lived and Was Buried ANTONY THACHER

He came to America in 1635 from Somersetshire England. Shipwrecked on Thacher's Island 1635. Settled in Yarmouth 1639. Three years later the Thacher family gave to the town a road called the Thacher Shore Road, built over what is supposed to be the location of the old Colonial road laid out by the early settlers of Yarmouth. Much of it runs through the Anthony Thacher farm.

There is an inscription on a tablet placed at its eastern end, worded as follows:

— THACHER SHORE ROAD

Given to the Town of Yarmouth in memory of HENRY C. THACHER by his wife and children 1908

Notes

• He was Curate at St. Edmund, Salisbury, from 1631 to 1635, under his brother Peter, who was pastor of the same church
• Came from Salisbury, Wiltshire, to Massachusetts Bay in 1635 on the James. (on or about 5 Apr 1635, "Anthony Thetcher, of Sar[u]m, tailor," was enrolled on the James of London, preparing to sail from Southampton.
• In Yarmouth, he was an innkeeper.

Links

• http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=78542410

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Antony Thacher

Birth: About 1588 Queen Camel, Somersetshire, England

Died Between 30 Jun 1667 and 22 Aug1667 Yarmouth, Barnstable Co., Massachusetts [5, 6]

Father: Peter Thacher, b. Between 1545 and 1549, d. Bef 07 May 1624, Queen Camel, Somersetshire, England

Marriage (1) Abt 1619

Spouse: Mary, bur. 26 Jul 1634, Salisbury, England

Children

1. Mary Thacher, b. Yes, date unknown, d. 15 Aug 1635
2. Peter Thacher, b. Yes, date unknown, d. 15 Aug 1635
3. Edith Thacher, d. 15 Aug 1635
4. William Thacher, b. Bef 1620, d. 15 Aug 1635
5. Benjamin Thacher, b. 13 Apr 1634, Salisbury, England , d. 01 Sep 1639, Salisbury, England

Marriage (2) About Feb 1635

Spouse: Elizabeth Jones, d. Aft 05 Mar 1667/68

They were married six weeks before sailing to America.

Children

1. John Thacher, b. 17 Mar 1638/39, Marblehead, Essex Co., Massachusetts , d. 8 May 1713, Yarmouth, Barnstable Co., Massachusetts
2. Judah Thacher, b. prob 1642, d. 4 Nov 1676, Yarmouth, Barnstable Co., Massachusetts
3. Bethia Thacher, b. About 1645, Yarmouth, Massachusetts , d. 9 Dec 1725, Bristol, Rhode Island

Notes:

Notes

He resided at Queen Camel, Co. Somerset, England, Marblehead (then Salem), Mass., and Yarmouth, Mass. He was a curate of the Church of England, and one of the original grantees of the town of Yarmouth, Mass.

Antony2 Thacher was born in Queen Camel in 1588-9. We have no distinct record of his birth there as the parish register of St. Barnabas' Church is not in existence covering that period of time, and the earliest date in the Diocesan transcript of that Register at Wells is 1601. But, as his father, Rev. Peter1 Thacher, was living then in Queen Camel as Vicar of St. Barnabas we are justified in assuming him to have been born there, especially so as it is recorded in the ordination papers of his brother, Rev. Peter2 Thacher of St. Edmund's that he, Rev. Peter2, was born in Queen Camel. As Antony2 Thacher was curate under his brother, Rev. Peter2 at St. Edmund's it has always been justifiably conjectured that he was younger than Rev. Peter2; and it is a matter of early family record that Antony2 Thacher died in Yarmouth, Mass., in 1667 aged about 80 years. These facts taken in connection one with another place the date of his birth as 1588-9.

The first absolute record which we have relative to him subsequent to his birth, is the record of the baptism of his daughter Edith3, who, according to the Diocesan transcript of the Queen Camel parish register at Wells, was baptized at Queen Camel by Rev. Peter1 Thacher (her grandfather) on February 7th, 1621-2. He probably spent his childhood in Queen Camel, but what was his residence from the time he gained his majority until the year 1621 we do not know. The tradition exists that he was a college graduate, but I have never, after much search, obtained any evidence that such was the case. In 1621 he was 32 years of age and for eleven years had been of man's estate. Where he was during these eleven years? His daughters baptism at Queen Camel in 1621-2 suggests his residence there at that time; and it has been thought by some, in which view I fully concur, that after reaching man's estate, having prepared for the ministry either under his father or perhaps at college, he was curate under his father at Queen Camel until the latter's death in 1624, and subsequently acted in the same capacity under his brother at St. Edmund's in Salisbury. The exact time of his becoming acquainted with St. Edmund's is not known. The parish register of St. Edmund's, No. 2, which covers the period of time previous to 1630, has been missing from the custody of the parish for many years; and it is in this book that probably would appear the record of the date of the first appearance of Antony2 Thacher at St. Edmund's. However, in the parish Register No. 3, there appears numerous entries made by him over his signature during the year 1631, 1633 and 1634, after which latter year his name disappears from the Register. I think that shortly after his father's death in 1624 he became curate at St. Edmund's under his brother Rev. Peter2, who had been installed as rector there 1622-3.

Who his first wife, Mary ----, was we do not know, except that her baptismal name was Mary. When and where he married her is not known; nor do we have any knowledge of her parentage. D. W. Allen in his Thacher genealogy, p. 32, says his son William3 Thacher was born previous to 1620; but upon what authority he makes the statement I have never discovered; but if the statement is correct then his marriage took place in 1619 or previously. Should the parish register of Queen Camel, covering that period, ever be discovered (1574-1624) we will probably find therein the record of his birth and possibly that of his marriage, and that of his child Wiliam3 and possibly that of Mary3 and Peter3. Otherwise these questions must be answered by deductive reasoning rather than by documentary evidence. Record Book No. 3 of St. Edmund's parish dates from January 21st, 1630 Old Style, 1631 New Style; and in that book there are numerous entries of Parish transactions attested to by Antony2 Thacher over his own signature as curate, amongst which I select the following, viz.:

"1634--April 27th Benjamin, son of Antony and Mary Thacher, borne on Sunday ye 13th day, between the hours of one and two oclocke in the morning, was baptized the 27th day of the same month of April 1634. "1634--July 26th, Mary wife to Anthony Thacher, cleric, was buried."

Shortly after his first wife's death Antony2 Thacher must have made up his mind to emigrate to New England, for we find that he embarked for New England from Southampton April 5th, 1635, on the ship James of London bound for this country. From the sailing list of the James, we see that he is entered thereon as being a "tayler" and that he had with him a servant, Peter Higdon; no mention by name is made of his second wife, Elizabeth Jones, whom he is said to have married six (6) weeks before sailing, nor is mention made of his children by his first wife (William3, Edith3, Mary3 and Peter3), who accompanied him, they being included among the wives and children not named, referred to in that list. It is however definitely known that his second wife did accompany him. Nor is mention made on the list of the James of his nephew, Thomas3 Thacher, who also accompanied him on this trip.

1635. February --; i.e., about 6 weeks previous to embarking on the James, he married Elizabeth Jones.

The probable cause of Antony2 Thacher's emigration was his desire to secure a home free from religious persecution then so prevalent in England; on account of this same religious espionage, he probably styled himself a "tayler" on the passenger list of the James, when in reality he was, or had been almost up to the time of sailing, a curate of the established English Church in Salisbury. He so styled himself in order to avoid the rigid scrutiny he would have had to undergo if he had announced himself as formerly curate of an English Church of pronounced Puritan faith. He may have been a "tayler" by trade, as curates of Puritan faith were many of them in the humble callings of life; but if such was the case, it is positive that in this country he never followed this trade, but was always regarded as a man of literary attainments and occupied a leading and prominent position in the community in which he dwelt. He was also accompanied on this voyage of the James by his "cousin," Rev. Joseph Avery, and his wife and children, between whom and Antony2 Thacher there had been entered into a league of perpetual friendship and an agreement to inhabit the same place. Rev. Joseph Avery's name, however, does not appear on the list of the James, and he probably came over under an assumed name to avoid scrutiny, as he was a Puritan priest.

The exact place of the landing in New England of the ship James, and the date of such landing does not appear to be agreed upon by the authorities; "Young's Chronicles" states that the ship arrived at Boston, June 3rd, 1635; "Freeman's Cape Cod" states that it arrived at Newbury, Mass., June 4th, 1635, and D. W. Allen's Thacher genealogy states that it arrived at Ipswich, Mass., June 4th, 1635. Wherever the passengers first landed, Antony2 Thacher and family sojourned a short time thereafter in Ipswich, Mass., during which time Rev. Joseph Avery received a call to preach in Marblehead, Mass. (then a part of Salem, Mass.), which call after some deliberation he decided to accept, Antony2 Thacher and their families having in the meantime removed to Newbury, Mass., with a view to settling there. Rev. Joseph Avery having accepted the call to Marblehead, he and his family of eleven all told, accompanied by Antony2 Thacher and his wife Elizabeth (Jones) Thacher, and his children by his first wife (William3, Edith3, Mary3 and Peter3), went to Ipswich, Mass., and there on April 11th, 1635 [sic. It should be August 11th, 1635], embarked for Marblehead.

The party embarked from Ipswich for Marblehead in a pinnace belonging to Mr. Isaac Allerton; and the vessel was wrecked on August 15th, 1635, and all on board were lost except Antony2 Thacher and his second wife, Elizabeth (Jones) Thacher. The entire episode of the wreck so frequently referred to by early New England chronicles is best set forth in Antony2's letter to his brother, Peter2 Thacher, written a few days after his rescue from the island on which he was cast after the wreck, which island has since been known as Thacher's Island. The storm which occasioned the wreck was a most memorable one, during which the tide rose some 20 feet; and it is said to have been the most terrific storm within the memory of the native Indians thereabouts.

A cradle coverlet of scarlet broadcloth originally trimmed with gold lace (which lace souvenir hunters have entirely picked off), said to have been originally the property of Anthony2 Thacher, and to have been rescued by him from the shipwreck, was still in 1872 in the possession of one of Anthony2 Thacher's descendants in Yarmouth, Mass., and was held by the family in great veneration, and has been used by the family for many generations as a ceremonial covering for their children at their baptisms.

From the letter of Anthony2 Thacher written after the shipwreck we see that when rescued from "Thacher's Island" he was taken to Marblehead, Mass. Colony, and there it will be seen from the following evidence he remained some time. Marblehead was not set off from Salem as a separate town until the year 1649; so while residing in that place he was in reality an inhabitant of Salem, Mass., of which town the territory subsequently set off as Marblehead then formed a part, viz:--

"Att the Court holden at New Towne, September 1st, 1635. "There is administration granted to Mr. Antony Thacher of the goods and Chattells of Mr. Joseph Avery, deceased, which he is to inventory and return the same to the next Court; and the said goods are to remain in his hands until further order be taken therein.

"An Inventory of the Goods and Chattells of Joseph Avery, deceased. Due to him from John Emery, Carpenter £7 0sh 0d Item: From Robert Andrews of Ipswich which he confesseth to be due and to be paid forthwith£2 0 0 Item: From Mr. Wm. Hilton£2 16 0 Or a sowe and pigs to that value testis Richard Hunt from Richard Kent of Ipswich 10 bushels of Indian corn which he acknowledges

"John Emery denys his debt; but Richard Knight, Nicholas Holle and John Knight, all three of Newbury can and will testify and prove it to be due; only he was by condicion to pay the said £7 in his work, which he was to do so soon as Mr. Avery did call upon him for it; out of which £7, there is something paid in labor already, as he can make appear. per me Antony Thacher"

It is well here to note that Antony2 Thacher always in signing his name spelt Antony without the "h." This was probably due to the fact that as a curate in the English Church he was in the habit of writing in Latin, as the church records in those days were in the majority of instances written in that language, they going so far even as to use the Latin forms of English baptismal names; and hence from writing his name Antonius (in Latin) he acquired the custom of writing it Antony in English, instead of Anthony, the more commonly accepted English form of the name. Whether my surmise is correct or not, "Antony" he was and not "Anthony" as he was so often style by the contemporaneous records and writers of his time.

"September 3d, 1635. Att the General Court houlden at New Towne. "It is ordered that there shall be fforty markes given to Mr. Thacher out of the Treasury towards his great losses."

In Governor Winthrop's History of New England, he states that the General Court awarded Mr. Thacher £26, 13sh 4d towards his losses; and divers other good people gave him besides.

In the list of first settlers of Salem, Mass., Antony2 Thacher is named as being of that place in 1635.

1636-7: "At a General Court houlden in Boston, 1st month, 9th day, 1636/7, Antony2 Thacher had granted him the small island at the head of Cape Ann upon which he was preserved from shipwreck, as his proper inheritance."

1637-8: On the first day of January, 1637 (1637/8) a meeting was held at Salem, Mass., and a vote of £100 was ordered, of which £8 were to be assessed upon the following inhabitants of Marblehead:

• * * 20 (acres) Anthonie Thatcher. * * * The figures preceding the name of Antony2 Thacher as well as those preceding all other names, represented the number of acres held by each inhabitant, upon which acreage the proportionate amount of the tax was assessed.

It is stated by some of the early authorities that Antony2 Thacher spent some time in Marshfield, as an inhabitant of that town, previous to his permanent settlement in Yarmouth, Mass.; but I have been unable to trace any such residence there, or to discover and foundation in documentary evidence to substantiate such statement, which I am inclined to think was an unfounded report.

1638: At a General Court in Plymouth, Plymouth Colony, December 18th, 1638. "Mr. John Crow, Mr. Thomas Howes of Mattacheese, alias Yarmouth, took oath of allegiance to the Kinge and fidelity to government; likewise Mr. Anthony Thacher took the same on the 7th day of January, 1638-9. This record above probably fixes the date upon which Antony2 Thacher first became associated with Yarmouth.

"At a Court of Assistants held (at Plymouth) the vii of January in the xiiij yeare of the reign of our Souvraigne Lord Charles, by the Grace of God, of England, Scotland and France, and Ireland, King, defender of the faith, etc. * * * The names of those to whom the grant of land at Matacheeset now called Yarmouth is made. Mr. Anthony Thacher, Mr. Thomas Howes, Mr. John Crow, Mr John Coite, to be enquired of The names of those that are proposed to take up their freedom at Yarmouth Mr. Madrick Matthews, Mr. Anthony Thacher, Mr. John Crow, Mr. Thomas Howes, and others."

At a General Court at Plymouth, March 5, 1638-9. "It is ordered by the Court that Mr. Nicholas Sympkins, William Palmer, Phillip Tabor, and Joshua Barnes, of the town of Yarmouth, shall be added to Mr. Anthony Thacher, Mr. Thomas Howes and Mr. John Crowe, committee of said place, to make an equal division of the planting lands now to be divided for the first time there, to each in and according to his estate and quality and according to instructions."

John3 Thacher, eldest child of Antony2 Thacher and Elizabeth Jones, his second wife, was born at Marblehead, Massachusetts Colony, March 17, 1638-9.

1639. The following record of Court proceedings at Salem, Mass. Colony, together with the preceding record of the birth of John3 Thacher at Marblehead, Mass., in the same Colony, show that Antony2 Thacher was at these dates occupied in transferring his interests from Marblehead, Mass. Colony to Yarmouth, Plymouth Colony; and that although he himself was already a large land owner of Yarmouth, he had as yet not transferred his family and made his permanent home there.

"Att Salem, 25th of the 4th month, 1639, ye 13th Courte. A complaint brought in by Mr. Antonie Thatcher against Jane James for things taken forth of his house wch she had received. Wherefore Jane James is bound in recognizance in some 3ll (shillings) to answer to this Court this tyme. The boys to be whipped by the Governor of the ffamilie where he had offended."

From the above official records we see that Antony2 Thacher was one of the original grantees of Yarmouth; and from the precedence of his name in these records it is to be inferred was the most important of the three original grantees. He was one of the first settlers of that town, and established his house and dwelling there late in 1639, on the border of the meadows in the Northwest part of the village. The exact spot on which his homestead stood was a little knoll about midway between the residence (in 1872) of Mrs. James G. Hallett and that of Mr. Dustin Eldridge at Yarmouth Port, Mass.

At a General Court at Plymouth, Dec. 3rd, 1639. Antony2 Thacher admitted freeman and sworn accordingly.

1639-40. At a General Court at Plymouth, March 3rd, 1639-40. "Where as Mr. Thacher, Mr. Crowe and Mr. Howes, the committee of Yarmouth, were complained of to have made unequal division of lands there; whereupon the said committee have exhibited a very formal division of said lands unto the Court which is well approved of. And the court doth further order that the said committee shall receive no more inhabitants into the said towne, except they bring certificates from the places whence they came under sufficient men's hands of the said places of their religious and honest character; which certificate shall be first allowed by the Governor and Assistants before such persons shall be admitted there."

In 1639 Antony2 Thacher became Town Clerk and Town Treasurer of Yarmouth, Mass., and he remained in such capacity until his death in 1667, when he was succeeded by Mr. Edmund Hawes.

1641. General Court of Yarmouth June 17th 1641. "Settlement of land controversy between Mr. Anthony Thacher, Mr. Nicholas Sympkins and William Chase."

Quarter Court at Salem, Mass., 1-12mo, 1641 "Peter Thatcher haled before Court for running away from Antony Thacher."

1641-2. Record of Quarter Court of Assistants at Boston, Mass., 1st of 1st month, 1641-2 (See Vol. I, p. 118, on file in N. Y. G. and B. Soc. Library). "Peter Thatcher, for plotting piracy, was committed, and to be whipt; Matthew Collaine, Robert Allen and another to be whipped for concealing plot of piracy."

These two preceding records are those upon which I base my surmise that the above mentioned Peter Thacher was Peter3 Thacher, son of Rev. Peter2 Thacher, of St. Edmund's, Salisbury, Eng., and a nephew of Antony2 Thacher; and that he, the above Peter3 Thacher, had accompanied his uncle Antony2 Thacher, to New England as his apprentice, and whose apprenticeship was at the above date probably expired, as he was probably born in 1616, and was hence about 25 years of age. Peter3 Thacher had also probably by this time received the money left him by his father in his will, from the hands of Antony2 Thacher and his maternal step-uncle, Christopher Batt, and he was in all likelihood very unruly and difficult to control.

1642. General Court of Election at Plymouth, June 7th, 1642. "Mr. Anthony Thacher sworn in as a member of the Grand Inquest."

General Court at Plymouth, September 27th, 1642. "Mr. Anthony Thacher appointed by the Court one of the Council of War. Anthony Thacher on list of freemen of Yarmouth and one of a list of those liable to bear arms in town of Yarmouth."

1643. General Court of Election at Plymouth, June 6th, 1643. "Mr. Anthony Thacher elected deputy to General Court from Yarmouth."

General Court of Election at Plymouth, October 10th, 1643. "Mr. Anthony Thacher present as deputy from Yarmouth. He was appointed one of the committee to provide a place of defense for the towne of Yarmouth against sudden assault."

1643-4. General Court at Plymouth, March 5th, 1643-4. "Mr. Anthony Thacher present as deputy from Yarmouth."

1644. General Court of Election at Plymouth, June 5th 1644. "Mr. Anthony Thacher elected deputy to General Court from Yarmouth, and appointed by Court Surveyor of Highways for the town of Yarmouth; and also licensed by Court to draw wine in Yarmouth."

General Court of Plymouth, August 20th, 1644. "Mr. Anthony Thacher present as deputy from Yarmouth, and appointed by the Court one of a committee of three to lay out farm land granted to Nathaniel Sowther."

1645. General Court at Plymouth, June 4th, 1645. "Mr. Anthony Thacher appointed on committee to prepare laws to overcome certain abuses."

General Court at Plymouth, October 20th, 1645. "Mr. Anthony Thacher present as deputy from Yarmouth."

1645-6. General Court at Plymouth, March 3rd, 1645-6. "Mr. Anthony Thacher present as deputy from Yarmouth."

1646. General Court at Plymouth, July 7th, 1646. "Edward Sturgis licensed by Court to keep and ordinary and draw wine in Yarmouth, provided Mr. Thacher draws out his. 'Repealed 20-8, 1646.' 'Mr. Anthony Thacher fined 6d for absence from Court.'"

1646-7. General Court at Plymouth, March 2nd, 1646-7. "Mr. Anthony Thacher being returned at the Court Register Keeper for Yarmouth was approved by ye Court."

1647. General Court at Plymouth, June 1st, 1647. "Mr. Anthony Thacher present as deputy from Yarmouth and he was granted £20 by Court for public services."

1648. General Court at Plymouth, June 7th, 1648. "Mr. Anthony Thacher awarded 110 acres upland and 26 acres of meadowland by the Court as his allotment for discovering, purchasing and other charges in the settlement of Yarmouth."

This allotment was a slight modification of the award made to him by the original committee of which he was one; the modification being due to a complaint made by some that his allotment in the original division was excessive. The decision of the Court here recorded seems to have been a virtual upholding of Mr. Thacher's original award, as the modification was but slight.

1651. General Court at Plymouth, June 5, 1651. "Mr. Anthony Thacher, present as deputy from Yarmouth and appointed by Court to try certain Indians on complaint made by Richard Sears."

1652. February 24th. "Mr. Anthony Thacher one of the jurors appointed by Court to lay out highway from Sandwich to Plymouth."

General Court of Election at Plymouth, June 7, 1652. "Mr. Anthony Thacher elected deputy to represent Yarmouth."

General Court, Plymouth, June 29th, 1652. "Mr. Anthony Thacher is allowed and appointed by the Court to administer the ordinance of marriage at Yarmouth as occasion may require."

1653. General Court of Election, Plymouth, June 7th, 1653. "Mr. Thacher one of the Surveyors of the Highway for Yarmouth."

1653-4. General Court at Plymouth, March 7th, 1653-4. "Mr. Anthony Thacher present as deputy from Yarmouth."

1654. General Court of Election at Plymouth, June 6th, 1654. "Mr. Anthony Thacher sworn as a member of the Grand Inquest."

General Court at Plymouth, June 20th, 1654. "Mr. Anthony Thacher one of the Jurors for to lay out the convenientest way from Sandwich unto Plymouth, which Jurors were sworn before Mr. Prence (Governor). Jurors submit plan for said way to the above Court."

General Court at Plymouth, August 1st, 1654. "Mr. Anthony Thacher present as deputy from Yarmouth. Mr. Anthony Thacher, Mr. Josias Winslow and Mr. Thomas Kingsley submit to the above court a report of the accounts of the Treasurer (of the Colony) as audited by them."

1656-7. General Court at Plymouth, March 5th, 1656-7. "A warrant was directed from the Court unto Mr. Anthony Thacher of Yarmouth, to require him personally to appear at the Court of Assistants to be holden in May next to make answer to a complaint of Janna an Indian Sachem, concerning some land formerly belonging to him in the liberties in Yarmouth, which was purchased of him by Mr. Thacher and Mr. Howes, and, as he saith, unpaid for."

1657. General Court at Plymouth, June 3rd, 1657. "I, Anthony Thacher doe testify that Captain Standish accepted of one cow of Barnard Lumbard in the summe of five pounds, which cow the said Barnard Lumbard promised to winter, and the Captain promised to allow him for it. This I can testify upon oath, and if I be called upon I shall be ready to doe it. (sgd) Anthony Thacher."

The signature given here above is copied from the printed record. His baptismal name it will be here noted is spelled Anthony and not Antony. I have never seen the original manuscript record; but am under the impression that in this original from which the printed copy was taken the name appears as Antony and the "h" was introduced by error on account of Anthony being the commonly accepted form of spelling. This may be, however, but an unjustified conjecture on my part, if it is so spelled in the original manuscript record, it is the only case of his so spelling his baptismal name that I am aware of.

In the year 1657, Mr. Anthony Thacher's name is on list of those in Yarmouth that had taken the oath of fidelity.

1657-8. General Court at Plymouth, March 2nd, 1657-8. "Mr. Anthony Thacher one of a committee summoned to appear before the Court to transact certain business."

1658. General Court of Election at Plymouth, June 1st, 1658. "Mr. Anthony Thacher sworn in as constable of Yarmouth. Mr. Anthony Thacher chosen as one of the Council of War. Mr. Anthony Thacher on a list of freeman of Yarmouth taken about 1658."

General Court at Plymouth, June 5th, 1658. "Mr. Anthony Thacher is required by the Court in settlement of the Indian Sachem Janna's claim to pay 20sh as his share in the matter; this decision to be final. This being the conclusion arrived at by Mr. John Alden and Mr. Josias Winslow appointed by the Court to settle the matter; they having heard the case May 14th 1658 and reported to the above Court.

1658-9. General Court at Plymouth, March 1st, 1658-9. "Mr. Anthony Thacher one of a committee appointed by Court to levy on inhabitants of Yarmouth to raise £40 or £50 a year to support a minister."

1659. General Court of Election at Plymouth, June 7th, 1659. "Mr. Anthony Thacher elected deputy to represent Yarmouth."

General Court of Plymouth, October 6th, 1659. "Mr. Anthony Thacher one of the Coroner's Jury to hold inquest on the death of Mary Chase of Yarmouth."

1660-1. General Court at Plymouth, March 5th, 1660-1. "Mr. Anthony Thacher, Mr. Thomas Howes, appointed a committee by Court to see that no more houses are erected at Yarmouth except by permission of the Court."

1661-62. General Court at Plymouth, March 4th, 1661-62. "The agents for the town of Yarmouth appearing at this Court according to an agreement to debate and determine a difference between them and others about whales, were desired by the Court to give their result concerning the matter unto the Court as being that whereunto they could stand, who gave in their answer as follows: "The sixt of the first month 61/62 Right Worsh. We intreat your worships reddily to accept these few lines for a positive answer to which we promise to stand; that the Treasurer shall have two barrels of oyle out of each whale according to his proposition made unto us for the year past, soe as there may be a full end of what troubles hath formerly past about about." witness our hands (sgd) Antony Thacher, Robert Denis, Thomas Boardman, Richard Taylor."

1662. General Court at Plymouth, June 3rd, 1662. "Mr. Anthony Thacher sworn as member of the Grand Inquest."

General Court at Plymouth, June 10th, 1662. "Mr. Anthony Thacher appointed one of the two excise officers of Yarmouth to take invoice of what liquors, powder, shot and lead are brought into the government of Yarmouth, and is ordered to report same to General Court each year."

General Court at Plymouth, October 3rd, 1662. "Mr. Anthony Thacher submits to Court invoice of Liquors brought into town of Yarmouth from June last to September 26th, 1662."

1663. General Court at Plymouth, June 1st, 1663. "Mr. Anthony Thacher present as deputy from Yarmouth."

1663-4. General Court at Plymouth, March 1st, 1663-4. "Mr. Anthony Thacher and Mr. Robert Denis submit invoice of liquor, powder and shot introduced into Yarmouth since May 1663." "Item: -- Mr. Thacher, 3 cases" (whether liquor, powder or shot does not appear.)

1665. General Court at Plymouth, June 7th, 1665. "Mr. Anthony Thacher present as deputy from Yarmouth. Court grants Mr. Anthony Thacher an equal share with certain others of certain lands obtained by one William Nicaison at Mannamoisett from natives illegally, without consent of the Court, leaving only 100 acres to Nicaison."

General Court at Plymouth, June 9th, 1665. "Final award of the Court in awarding land in the Nicaison controversy to Mr. Thacher and others."

General Court at Plymouth, October 3rd, 1665. "Mr. Anthony Thacher is authorized by the Court to make contracts of marriage in the township of Yarmouth, and likewise to administer an oath to any witness for the tryall of a case as occasion may require within said township, and likewise to administer an oath to give evidence to the grand inquest as there shall be occasion within said township."

"Mr. Anthony Thacher appointed an excise officer to recommend excise on liquor for the year at Yarmouth."

1665-6. General Court at Plymouth, March 6th, 1665-6. "Thomas Starr, Jonathan Barnes and Abraham Hedge were fined by Court for abusive carriage towards Mr. Anthony Thacher in his own house."

"Mr. Anthony Thacher's name on the list of select men of the town of Yarmouth approved by the Court." This is the first mention of these officers by the Court; they were elected by the townsmen.

1666. General Court of Election at Plymouth, June 5, 1666. "Mr. Anthony Thacher's name first on the list of select men for Yarmouth approved by the Court." They were elected by the freemen of the town to try cases involving not more than 40 shillings.

1667. Council of War at Plymouth, April 2nd, 1667. "Mr. Anthony Thacher a member of the Council; and he was appointed the one to act for Yarmouth to concert with military officers there situated for the good of the Government."

General Court at Plymouth, June 5, 1667. "Mr. Anthony Thacher as excise officer brings in report to the Court of liquor brought in to Yarmouth for the first year past." This invoice includes items up to the first week in June, 1667. He must, therefore, have been alive at that time.

In Swift's "Old Yarmouth" between pp. 90-91 is to be found a facsimilie of a document drawn up and signed by Antony Thacher dated April 4th, 1667. The original of a valuable document dated June 30th, 1667, and signed by Antony Thacher was at the time of the publication (1872) of D. W. Allen's "Thacher Genealogy" in the possession of H. C. Thacher, Esq., of Boston, Mass.

According to D. W. Allen's "Thacher Genealogy," an inventory of his estate was taken August 22nd, 1667. Freeman's "History of Cape Cod" says that he died on August 22nd, 1667. These two statements are consistent, as inventories of deceased individuals' estates were frequently taken immediately after death and before the funeral of the deceased. From what we have of record, however, we know that he died between June 30th, 1667 and August 22nd, 1667.

Court of Assistants at Plymouth, October 30th, 1667. "Letters were granted by the Court to John3 Thacher (his eldest son) to administer the estate of Mr. Anthony Thacher, deceased."

From the above record we see that he died intestate.

1667-8. Court of Assistants at Plymouth, March 5th, 1667-8. "Letters of administration were granted to Mistress Elizabeth Thacher and unto John3 Thacher to administer the estate of Mr. Anthony Thacher, deceased."

Antony2 Thacher was buried on his own land in Yarmouth, not far from the marsh, by a little button pear tree situated near said marsh; which pear tree is said to have been planted by his own hands, and which Alden in his "Epitaphs" states was standing in 1814. Swift in his "Old Yarmouth" states the tree was standing in 1884. The general location of his resting place is therefore known; but the identical spot is unknown, as his grave is not now, nor, as far as my knowledge extends, has ever been marked by a grave stone.

Descendants of Antony2 Thacher are eligible for membership in the Society of Colonial Wars and the Society of Founders and Patriots and in the Order of Americans of Armorial Ancestry. [8]

Sources:

	 1 Descendants of Thomas and Anthony Thacher, Allen, D. W., (Independent Printing House, Vineland NJ, 1872), 26.

2 Thacher-Thatcher Genealogy Yarmouth Branch, Totten, John R., (New York Genealogical and Biographical Society, New York, 1910), pp. 25, 68ff.

3 Descendants of Thomas and Anthony Thacher, Allen, D. W., (Independent Printing House, Vineland NJ, 1872), 27.

4 Thacher-Thatcher Genealogy Yarmouth Branch, Totten, John R., (New York Genealogical and Biographical Society, New York, 1910), pp. 25, 68.

5 Thacher-Thatcher Genealogy Yarmouth Branch, Totten, John R., (New York Genealogical and Biographical Society, New York, 1910), p. 68.

6 Find A Grave Memorial for Antony Thacher

7 Descendants of Thomas and Anthony Thacher, Allen, D. W., (Independent Printing House, Vineland NJ, 1872), 32.

8Thacher-Thatcher Genealogy Yarmouth Branch, Totten, John R., (New York Genealogical and Biographical Society, New York, 1910), pp. 68 - 82.