Wallace P. Thrasher, a well-known business man of Plainfield, was born in Cornish, N.H., May 10, 1850, son of Samuel Powers and Ann W. (Haven) Thrasher. His great-grandfather was Jacob Thrasher, a native of Connecticut, who first settled in Salisbury, N.H., and later in Cornish. The maiden name of Jacob’s wife was Eastman. Numerous descendants of his are distributed throughout Sullivan County.
John Thrasher, grandfather of Wallace P., was born in Cornish in 1782. He was a surveyor and a stone mason, and did a large contract business in connection with farming. He attended to a large amount of the legal business of Cornish and adjoining towns, and was a man of much natural ability and good judgment. His death occurred in 1862. He married Betsey, daughter of Peter Walker, of Cornish, and reared a family of six children-Martha, Ithamar, Esther, Sylvia, Samuel, and Dorothy. Martha became Mrs. Wheeler, and resided in Newport until her death. Ithamar, who was a large dealer in furs, and travelled through Vermont and New Hampshire purchasing goods, died in Corinth, Vt., in 1864, at the age of fifty-four years. He wedded Mary Ann Cotton, of Cornish, and his children were named: Benjamin, Francimore, Edwin, Ellen, Annette, Arthur, Carrie, and Henry. His sister Esther, who became the wife of Moses Wright, of Cornish, lived in that town and Unity, had a large family of children, and died in the latter town. Sylvia married Sylvester Stowell, of Cornish, a machinist, who followed his trade in Newport, N.H., and died leaving one daughter, Elizabeth. Dorothy Thrasher became the second wife of Sylvester Stowell, and died in Unity.
Samuel Powers Thrasher, also a native of Cornish, was born in October, 1815. After completing his education, he learned the trade of a stone mason, and subsequently became an extensive contractor. He constructed or remodelled nearly every bridge upon the line of the Vermont Central Railroad. He also erected churches, school-houses, and government buildings. In polities he always belonged to the Democratic party, and he was frequently nominated to public offices. He was finally elected to the State Senate, and was a member of that body at the time of his death, which occurred in Claremont, April 12, 1871. In his religious views he was a Universalist, and he took a deep interest in the church work. In Masonry he had advanced to the Royal Arch degree, and he was buried with the rites of the fraternity. He married Ann W. Haven, daughter of James and Calista Haven, of Newport, N.H. She became the mother of thirteen children, all of whom reached maturity. They were born as follows: Laura, September 4, 1845; Winfield Scott, May 5, 1847; Flora A., October 3, 1849; Wallace P., the subject of this sketch; Charles H., January 10, 1852; Frank P., September 10, 1853; Ned, January 30, 1855; James B., September 29, 1856; Samuel P., May 9, 1858; Emma E., May 16, 1860; Elmer J., January 22, 1862; George B., September 3, 1863; and Nettie M., January 22, 1865. Laura married Henry Seaver, a farmer of Norwich, Vt., and died May 30, 1895, leaving four children. Winfield Scott wedded Mary Allen, daughter of the Hon. Norman N. Allen, a prominent lawyer and an ex-State Senator of Dayton, N.Y. He studied law in the office of his father-in-law, with whom he is now associated, and is an expert in real estate and medical cases, being largely engaged as a referee throughout Western New York. He has had ten children, nine of whom are living. Flora married Frank L. Simmonds, a native of Franklin, N.H., who is now a machinist in Tilton. She has had four children, of whom three are living. Charles H., who became a building contractor, and erected many residences in Newton, Mass., and other towns adjoining Boston, died of lockjaw in a Boston hospital, May 3, 1892. He married Ida Dickinson, and was the father of seven children, all of whom are living in Newtonville, Mass. Frank P. is a member of the Paris Night Robe Company, Meredith, N.H. He first married Eva Stevens, of Claremont, who was the mother of three children. His second marriage was contracted with Imo Lanou, of Irasburg, Vt., who died some two years ago. Ned Thrasher, now a prosperous farmer in Rindge, N.H., served as Postmaster under both the Cleveland administrations. He married Emma L. Walker, of Rindge; and four of his five children are living. James B., who is a travelling salesman for a lasting-machine company of Boston, and has had a large experience as a shoe manufacturer, now lives at North Adams, Mass. He married Anna Glines, of Claremont. Samuel P. Thrasher is now the Secretary and Manager of the Connecticut State Law and Order League, and resides in New Haven. When quite young he ran away to sea; and, after sowing his wild oats, he became an ardent religious worker and a temperance reformer. He is an able and eloquent advocate of morality, and during the past year has delivered over two hundred lectures. He is now travelling in Europe. By his marriage with Etta Bristol, of New Haven, he became the father of six children, four of whom are living. Emma E. Thrasher is an instructor of stenography in Hartford, Conn. Elmer J. Thrasher, who is a sign painter, and has travelled a great deal in the Western States, married Esther Iler, and has three children. George B. Thrasher, who died in June, 1891, was a mechanic in the employ of the Winchester Arms Company of New Haven, Conn. Nettie M. Thrasher is now the wife of Edwin Sargent, a carpenter of Rindge, N.H., and has three children.
Wallace P. Thrasher began his education in the common schools. His advanced studies were pursued at the Kimball Union Academy and the Claremont High School. Subsequently, after teaching school for some time, he served an apprenticeship at the wheelwright’s trade. He had been engaged in that business and that of casket-maker for twenty years, when five years ago he suffered the loss of a leg by a carriage accident. He is now transacting a general legal business, is a Justice of the Peace, writes considerably for newspapers and magazines, and is actively interested in political affairs. He is a Democrat and prominent in the local organization. He has been a member of the Board of Selectmen, has served as Town Clerk, was upon the School Board for seven years, and was a candidate for the legislature in 1892. In religious belief he is a Universalist.
Mr. Thrasher married Eliza E. Dickinson, who was born in Cambridgeport, Mass., October 21, 1850, daughter of Aaron and Eliza (Marshall) Dickinson. Unity, N.H. Mr. and Mrs. Thrasher have nine children, born as follows: Weston M., January 18, 1872; Carlton W., October 8, 1873; Manton J., November 11, 1875; Annie M., June 13, 1878; Nettie E., June 4, 1881; Harry D., May 24, 1883; Morris M., June 25, 1885; Flora H., August 23, 1891; and Nina L., February 15, 1894. Weston M. is an expert wood-worker, and resides in Lewiston, Me.; Carlton W. is in a general store in Windsor, Vt.; and Manton J. is a drug clerk in the same town. The others reside with their parents.