John Sidney Thrasher

John Sidney Thrasher

• John Sidney Thrasher was born in 1817 in Portland, Cumberland County, Maine.
• On 23 December 1851, Daniel Webster wrote in a letter to the President of the United States:
       "It appears that soon after the failure and breaking up of the late expecition of Narcisso Lopez, in the invasion of Cuba by him and the troops under his command, Mr. Thrasher was arrested and tried for high treason or conspiracy against the crown of Spain, condemned to eight years' imprisonment to hard labor, and sent to Spain in execution of that sentence. There is no evidence in the department to show what were to particular acts of treason or conspiracy alleged, or proved, against him. We have only the general statement, although pains has been taken [sic] to ascertain particulars. . . ."
• He married Rebecca Mary Fluker, daughter of Baldwin M. Fluker and Sarah Quentina Campbell, on 3 December 1860 in Macon, Bibb County, Georgia.
• The following appeared on 5 December 1860 in The Macon Daily Telegraph: (Married) In Macon, Monday evening, Dec. 3d, by Rev. Mr. Reese, John S. Thrasher, Esq., of New York city and Mrs. R. M. Menard of Galveston, Texas.
• Josephine Brooks Tainter wrote to Evelina Wood on 16 January 1861, "When I was in N. York I heard that Mrs Menard was to be married to a gentleman there, who is an Editor of reporter of some N. Y. paper - He is said to be worthless in every sense, and only wants to marry her because he thinks she is rich. I was told this by a person who knows him very well - I would have called on Mrs Menard - but did not hear that she was in the city - until a day or two before she left. "
• On Thursday, 6 March 1862, Green Wood recorded in his plantation daily account book: "Mr. Thrasher & Mr. J. G. Williams came this morning."
• On Monday, 17 March 1862, Green Wood recorded in his plantation daily account book: "Mr. & Mr. Thrasher left this morning."
• On Tuesday, 17 June 1862, Green Wood recorded in his plantation daily account book: "Mr. Thrasher & family came to stay," and on Monday, the 23rd, "Mr. Thrasher and family left for the up country this morning." Then on Sunday, 13th July, "Mr. Thrasher and family returned this evening from their up country trip."
• On Saturday, 17 January 1863, Green Wood recorded in his plantation daily account book: "Mr. Love got here with Mr. Thrasher's Negros."
• Gen. John Bell Hood spent a week at the Thrasher home in Atlanta during October/November 1863 convalescing following the amputation. . . .
• The following is a summary record of a letter written 13 January 1865 from New York by Rebecca Menard Thrasher to Archbishop John Mary Odin in New Orleans:
       Mrs. Thrasher came North last September with consent of the Sec(retary) of War at Richmond. Poor Doswell (Ménard) has been for 4 years an epileptic. The past summer she was again ordered from her home in Atlanta, Georgia. Dosie has grown quite tall and says he feels better. She writes about the child of Colonel Ménard, Odin's friend, a man who did good all the day long. Mrs. Thrasher saw her daughter Clara (Thrasher) at Mobile. Clara died September 24 in the Catholic faith. Mr. Thrasher went to Texas to send her means. She has not heard a word from him. Her means are limited and her health failing. (T.W.) Pierce has advanced her some money. She is possessed with the belief that her husband is dead. She asks Odin to write to Mr. Leclerc not to let any of her Galveston property be sold. Leclerc was Colonel Ménard's most trusted friend. In the midst of this her skeptical mind begins to give way to the yearnings of years that she may believe and that she may die in the faith of Colonel Ménard and her Clara. Does Odin think some money could be raised through E.J. Hart of New Orleans by mortgaging some of her property in Galveston? Her address is care of J.R. Bostwick, Bridgeport, Connecticut." [University of Notre Dame Archives]
• Rebecca Menard Thrasher's letter written to the Archbishop the following day (14 January 1865) is summarized as follows:
       She wrote again to the Archbishop on the following day: Since writing a few days ago she received a letter from a house in Havana telling her they heard from her husband November 26, Houston, and that funds are in their hands subject to her order. Odin will therefore not trouble to see (E.J.) Hart. Her only friend has been T.W. Pierce of Boston. Her prayers for him and Mother Thrasher come easily to her. She prays that Doswell (Ménard) may become worthy of his Father. Dosie is now with another doctor; he believes he will cure him; that is a good thing for epilepsy. She finds it hard to bear the loss of her child Clara (Thrasher). If Sister St. Agnes is in New Orleans, Odin is to tell her that her school pet has passed away. She asks Odin to point out a course of reading on the proofs from the Bible of tenets of the Catholic Church. Her address is care of J.R. Bostwick, Bridgeport, Connecticut. [University of Notre Dame Archives]
• Green Wood recorded in his book of Misc. Financial & Slave Records, an Account of Provisions Furnished to Mr. J. S. Thrasher's George, for the period December 1863 to September 1864 (midlings, meal, bacon, cornmeal, meat, potatoes), totaling $511.50, and settled by agreement on 14 February 1865. Below on the page, dated 14 January 1864, is a Memorandum of Articles Belong[ing] to Col. J. S. Thrasher, including shovels, double & single trees, hoes, log chain, harnesses, harrow teeth, smith tongs, "cole" chisels, plough rod, picks, steel punch, broad ax.
• On Thursday, 13 July 1865, Green Wood recorded in his plantation daily account book: "Mr. Thrasher came this evening," and on Tuesday, the 18th, "Mr. Thrasher left for Galveston."
• John Sidney Thrasher became a widower at the 9 July 1869 death of his wife Rebecca Mary Fluker.
• The following appeared on 10 July 1869 in The New York Herald: [Died] Suddenly, of inflammation of the bowels on Friday, July 9, Rebecca Mary, the beloved wife of John S. Thrasher, in the 49th year of her age. The remains will be at once taken to Galveston, Texas.
• The following appeared on 15 July 1869 in the Galveston Tri-Weekly News: The sad intelligence reaches us that Mrs. John S. Thrasher, formerly Mrs. Michael B. Menard, died in New York probably on last Saturday or Sunday, as the dispatch giving the information was dated on Sunday. The cause of death is not stated. Her remains are understood to be now on their way to Galveston, accompanied by Colonel Thrasher, to be buried in the Galveston Cemetery. It is quite superfluous to add that Mrs. Thrasher had many friends in this city by whom her death will be deeply lamented.
• The following appeared on 16 July 1869 in the Georgia Weekly Telegraph: We are pained to learn that Mrs. John S. Thrasher, wife of Colonel Thrasher, formerly Agent of the Southern Press Association, died in New York yesterday.
       Mrs. Thrasher was a sister of Mrs. T. R. Bloom, of this city, and was in Macon in full health about six weeks ago, on a visit to Mrs. Bloom.
       She went on to New York, was seized with inflammation of the bowels, and died after three days' illness.
• The following appeared on 22 July 1869 in The Galveston Daily News: Col. J. S. Thrasher favored us with a call yesterday, having come direct from his present home in the city of Norfolk [sic]. The remains of Mrs. Thrasher came to New Orleans by the steamship Bienville, where it was found necessary they should be interred for the present with a view to their removal to this city hereafter.
       Col. Thrasher has the sympathy of a large circle of acquaintances for his sudden bereavement. Mrs. Thrasher's death was only preceded by two days sickness.
       We are glad to learn that her son has recovered his health. He is now traveling with his step-father. Col. T. proposes to return to Galveston in a few months with a view to make it his permanent home. This will be gratifying  intelligence to his many friends here.
• The following appeared on 23 July 1869 in the Georgia Weekly Telegraph: The New Orleans Picayune of Sunday has the following:
       Col. John S. Thrasher, who has done much service to the public benefit, part of it with the Picayune, and who has been for some time living in New York, called upon us yesterday evening, looking hale and hearty.
       We were very sorry to learn that he is upon a sad errand, that of conveying the remains of Mrs. Thrasher to Galveston, her permanent home. She died on the 9th inst., in New York, after a brief illness.
       We sympathise deeply with our former and valued associate in his loss, and so will thousands of whom the past services and associations of Mr. Thrasher have made his name and character familiar.
• The following appeared on 4 October 1869 in the Galveston Tri-Weekly News: Col. John S. Thrasher, we are pleased to learn by announcement in the Civilian yesterday, has become one of the editors, proprietors and publishers of that journal. The Colonel is well posted in newspaper business as well as in politics and industrical affairs, and is well known to be able and energetic in whatever he undertakes. We most sincerely wish him pleasure and success in his new position.
• The following appeared on 5 October 1869 in the Houston Union: The Galveston Civilian will appear as a morning paper on Tuesday, with a new dress and an addition to its proprietorship in the person of Col. John S. Thrasher. It will undoubtedly take the lead as the simon pure Democratic journal of Texas.
• John Sidney Thrasher appeared in the US federal census of 1 June 1870 in Galveston, Texas, and a family of domestic servants.. Other members of the household included Michel Doswell Menard.
• He was an editor, according to the 1870 census.
• John Sidney Thrasher died on 10 November 1879 in Galveston, Texas.
• He was interred at Magnolia Grove Cemetery, Galveston, Texas.
• The following appeared on 18 November 1879 in The [Baltimore] Sun: Col. John S. Thrasher, an American, who was at one time the editor of the organ of the liberal party in Cuba, and who was arrested, tried by a court-martial, and sentenced to ten years' imprisonment at hard labor in Ceuta, with perpetual prohibition of returning to that island, but was afterwards released, died last week in Galveston, Texas, from apoplexy, superinduced by a stroke of paralysis. Colonel Thrasher was a native of Maine, but spent most of his life in the South. He was for many years editorially connected with the New Orleans Picayune. He was also once connected with the staff of the New York Herald. Afterwards he visited Mexico and South America as a representative of the Herald, and wrote a series of brilliant letters, which were much admired by the readers of that journal.
• For additional biographical information, see The Handbook of Texas Online.

• Last Edited: 5 Jul 2015

• Charts: Descendants of CAMPBELL Archibald & Rebecca Kirk