My Genealogy Hound

T. D. THATCHER, one of the earliest settlers of Sharon township, Buffalo county, and a man who has been actively identified with the best interests of his locality, is T. D. Thatcher, the subject of this brief biographical notice. Mr. Thatcher came to Buffalo county in 1871, taking a homestead of eighty acres at that date in Sharon township, where he settled and where he has since lived. He had then just turned into his twenty-first year, was newly married and came West in pursuance of the farmer-editor’s advice “to grow up with the country.” He came direct from his native place in Medina county, Ohio, where he was born March 2, 1850, and where he grew up to maturity and resided till moving West. Having had the misfortune to lose his father when he was hardly two years of age, and being one of a large family of children, Mr. Thatcher was, in a measure, in youth, his own preceptor, guardian and counselor, and has made his way almost entirely alone in the world. What education he received he obtained mainly in contact with the practical affairs of life, supplementing this with a meager common-school training, such as could be had by irregular attendance at the district schools during the winter months. He was brought up partly on the farm, partly at the dairy business, being chiefly engaged in cheese making, following this as a pursuit after growing up until moving West in 1871. The close application and exacting duties of his position in the latter business broke down his health, and it was partly also to regain this that he left Ohio and moved to Nebraska. He has been steadily engaged in farming since settling in Buffalo county and has succeeded far beyond the average in his chosen calling. To his original homestead of eighty acres he has added by purchase from time to time, until now he owns 240 acres, all of which he has under cultivation and yielding him a revenue in some shape. He is one of the wide-awake, progressive and successful farmers of the Wood River valley in Buffalo county, noted as it is for its enterprising, substantial, well-to-do citizens. He is also a stock-holder and member of the board of directors of the Shelton State Bank, which institution he assisted in organizing, and with the affairs of which he has been actively identified since. Mr. Thatcher has never suffered the buzzing of the bee for public office to interfere with his private pursuits or disturb the serenity of his mind. He has found his chief enjoyments, as well as his highest reward, in attending strictly to his own business. He has a pleasant home and an interesting family, to which he gives his time and which yield him in return for his care and thoughtful solicitude in their behalf that highest form of earthly happiness, peace and contentment, garnished with those delightful home loves and fire-side attachments, which neither wealth can buy nor position give. Mr. Thatcher was married in 1870, the lady whom he selected for a life companion being Miss Flora M. Blanchard, a daughter of William M. Blanchard, of Medina county, Ohio. Four children have graced this union, all girls, the eldest of whom is now dead — Emma H., Angie, Lora and Hazel. Mr. Thatcher’s father, as already stated, died when he was young. His christian name was Buckley and he was a native of New York; married and came West, settling in Medina county, Ohio, where he followed the peaceful pursuit of agriculture till his death, which took place in 1852 and was caused by a railroad collision. Mr. Thatcher’s mother, Emerancy Culver, was also a New Yorker by birth, and following the fortunes of her husband to the West, she discharged her duties of wife during his life and a mother before and after his death, in a way becoming her sex, rearing to maturity a family of nine children, to whom she gave up to her latest hour wholesome advice, and enforced this with an example in her own person of a pious, christian mother, having been a life-long member of the Congregational church. She died in 1886, at the age of seventy-seven. The children who survived her were Roland C., Gilbert J., Melvina, Georgia, Mattie, Sarah, Abbie, Charles P. and Timothy D., the last mentioned being our subject. Mr. Thatcher and his excellent wife are members of the Presbyterian church and generous contributors to benevolent and charitable work.