Thomas THAYER, son of Richard THAYER, was christened 16 Aug 1596 at Thornbury, Gloucestershire, England. Thomas died 2 June 1665 in Braintree, MA. He married Margery WHEELER 13 April 1618 at Thornbury, England. She was born 25 April 1600 at Thornbury, England, the daughter of Abel WHEELER and Jane SHEPHARD. Margery died 13 Feb 1672/73 in Braintree, MA.

The immigrant Thomas THAYER is the progenitor of the largest of the three branches of the THAYER Family of America.

Thomas THAYER appears in the records in America on 24 Feb 1639/40 when he was granted land at Mt. Wollaston (now Braintree) MA for his family of 9 heads for "40 acres more, there being in all 76 acres upon the same covenant of the three shillings per acre."

There has been much speculation concerning the exact year of immigration for Thomas THAYER. Some say as early as 1630, others as late as 1645--which was most certainly too late. In 1994, Raymond Alexander ("Rick") THAYER, TFA secretary, called the New England Historic Genealogical Society to ask about a list of possible ships which may have transported the THAYER immigrants to the Colonies. He spoke with Dave Dearborn, who was referred as an expert on the subject and was surprised to learn that the only entry ever given and available there was the name of the Captain of the ship John DRIVER, which brought Thomas to the Port of Boston, having left Weymouth, England in 1637. Evidently this was in reference to the goods which Thomas shipped from the Port of Weymouth on 22 April 1637 on the ship Speedwell. It is my understanding that the "names of the passengers were not recorded unless they also happened to be exporting dutiable goods, though some exceptions are to be found to this practice."

**Source: Genealogical Gleanings in England Passenger and Ships to America 1618-1668, by Peter Wilson Coldham

When Rick called NEHGS once again in 1995, he spoke with Mr. Dearborn's Assistant, Jerry Anderson, and was informed that there, were two recorded sailing vessels in the period between 1607 and 1670 with the THAYER name; one, the "Blessing" captained by John DEVINE, which evidently brought Thomas to Boston Harbor on 8 April 1637 the other was the "Speedwell" which followed shortly thereafter and carried Thomas' goods.

**Source: The Complete Book of Immigrants, Volume I, 1607-1670, by Peter Wilson Coldham

Thomas THAYER was a shoemaker, as can be seen by his will, dated 21 June 1664. This has been published in full in the 1835 THAYER Memorial by Dr. Elisha THAYER and elsewhere. Birth; Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Thornbury, Gloucester, England parish register, "Thomas TAYER," Godfathers were Thomas GIBBS and William DIMERY. Marriage; Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Thornbury, Gloucester, England .

**Source: Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Thornbury, Gloucester, England parish register.

**Source: Re; The Thayer, Tayer, Theyer Families of Gloucestershire, England 1500-1660 by Patricia Thayer Muno, 1995

Abstracts of Early Wills, Thomas Tayer, of Brantrey, in Suffolke, in the Massachusetts Colonie, of New England, Shoemaker, 24th June 1664, doe make this my last will. Vnto my wife, Margery, that now is, all my lands, goods and estate in Brantrey, during the tyme of her life, and after her decease I giue vnto my sonne, Thomas Tayer, his heiers & assigns all my ground, being over Monotoquot River, within the limmitts of Brantrey, with the tymber and other wood growing or fallen vppon the same, with the other the appurtenances, part of which ground he hath already in his possession. Vnto Fardinando Tayer, my sonne, his heiers and assignes (ymmediately after the decease of Margery, my wife) my house and orchard therevnto belonging, lyeing in Braintrey, with all the planting ground and pasture lyeing betweene ye high way and the River, called Monotoquot River, aforesaid, And on the other side of the high way from the south side of the barne to the end of the lotte. Further my will is, that the said Fardinando, shall haue free liberty to cut fale and Carry away fier wood for his and his now wifes owne burning, of and from my lott called Twenty acre Lotte, during his and his said wifes life. Vnto my sonne, Sidrache Tayer, his heiers and assignes, ymmediately after the decease of Margery, my wife, a parcel of ground in Brantrey, which shall begin at the corner of the barne next his dwelling house and shall run with a straight line to the vpper end of the lott. I giue twenty acres of land more vnto the said Sidrach, his heiers and assignes [as before] land in Brantrey, next vnto the ground of Henry Neale, provided he, his heiers and assignes, permit my sonne, Fardinando, & his now wife, to take wood thereof for their owne burneing during their naturall lives, as before expressed. I giue all my goods and Chattells vnto by grand Children, to be equally divided amongst them. If any of my said Children shall appeare to be discontented & murmor at this my last will and testament, Then my will and minde is, That any such child, one or more of them, shall haue but five shillings for their portion, and the portion or portions of any such Child or Children so murmoring and discontented, as aforesaid, shall be equally divided amongst the rest of my Children and Grand children. I appoint m wife, Margery, & sonne, Fardinando, executors of this my last will and testament.

Thomas Thayer, Sarah Sauill, Ruth Basse, Margery Flint. [all signed with an “X”]

13 Sept 1665. Sarah Sauill & Ruth Basse deposed.

[On the other side of the original will, is the following, which is not on record:]--

“Wee, Ferdinando, Thomas, and Sydrach Thayer, children of Thomas Thayer, deceased, That is to say upon Aduice & counsell, The abouesayd Ferdinando, who by his fathers will is made executor [of] his fathers last Will and Testament seeing some Inequality, especially in the behalf of his elder brother, with some litell to Sydrach, in consideration that brotherly loue may continue, doth grant to his beloued brethren all the land aboue the highway excepting Two acres, which two acres is bounded on the line running from the highway from the south side of the land where the barne stood and so upon a streight line to the south corner of goodman Prays line; all on the south side of this, to be to Sydrach, to him & his heires for euer, and the said Ferdinandoes to come Inward towardes Thomas from that line seuen rods [ ] broad towards Thomas, and the rest to bee to Thomas, to his heires execuqutors and assignes foreuer. This being a full and unanimous agreement betweene the three brethren. And wee, the Aboue said Thomas, Ferdinando & Sydrach doe heerby engage ourselues, Joyntly and seuerally, for himselfe, neuer to make any disturbance, either of other any expression in our fathers will notwithstanding.

Witness our hands this thirtieth of June one Thousand six hundred sixty fiue. [No signatures.]

Inventory of the estate of Thomas Thayer senr of Braintree Late deceased, taken by Francis Elliott, John French, Samuell Tomson, 7th June, 1665. 13th Sept. 1665. Ferdinando Thayer deposed.

**Source: Probate record and footnote: New England Historical and Genealogical Register, "Abstracts of Early Wills", Vol. 13, October 1859 pages 335-337.)

Old Thomas Thayer dyed 2d. 4 mo. 1665. Margery Thayer dyed 11 d. 12 mo. 1672" Thayer’s Family Memorial, from Braintree Records. Children: Thomas Thayer, Jr. was probably married in England, to Hannah or Anna —. They had eight children, viz: Thomas, Elizabeth, Isaac, John, Experience, Isaac, Ebenezer, Deborah. He died Aug 9, 1663 at the age of more than 70; his wife, Anna, deceased Feb 7, 1698, a. about 73.

Ferdinando, second son of Thomas and Margery Thayer, m. Huldah Hayward, of Braintree, Jan. 14, 1652. “He lived in raintree, until after his father’s death,” says Dr. Thayer, “when he removed to Mendon, Mass. With a colony from Braintree and Weymouth, where many of his descendants are living at this day.” (1859) Ferdinando and Huldah Thayer had 12 children, five or six born in Braintree, the others in Mendon. The names of the children were: Sarah, Huldah, Jonathan, David, Naomi, David, Thomas, Samuel, Isaac, Josiah, Ebenezer, Benjamin. Huldah died at Mendon, Sept. 1, 1690; Ferdinando d. March 28, 1713.

Shadrack, youngest son of Thomas and Margery, m. Mary Barrett 1. 11. 1654, and settled in Braintree. Shadrach and Mary had two children: Rachel, and Tryall. She died 2. 2. 1658. The second wife of Shadrach was Deliverance Priest. By this connection he had seven children, viz: Freelove, Mary, Timothy, Samuel, Ephraim, Hannah, William, He died Oct 19, 1678. Deliverance, his widow, d. Jan. 17, 1723, a. about 79 years. (Footnote taken from “Thayer’s Family memorial, pp. 136-153.)