The Thayer family of Saratoga Springs descend from an English ancestor, Richard Thayer, the first one of the name known in America. He was born in England, where he married, and died at Braintree, Massachusetts, August 27, 1695. His three first children were probably born in England and came with him to this country. He was admitted a freeman of Braintree in 1640. Children: Richard, Zachariah, Deborah, Joel, Abigail, Hannah, Nathan, the last four born in Braintree.
(II) Richard (2), son of Richard (1) Thayer, the founder, settled in Braintree, Massachusetts, where he died December 4, 1705. He married, October 24, 1651, Dorothy Pray. Children:
- Dorothy, born June 30, 1653;
- Richard (3), June 31 [sic], 1655, married Rebecca Micall;
- Nathaniel, January 1, 1658;
- Abigail, February 10, 1661;
- Johanna, December 13, 1665;
- Sarah, December 13, 1667;
- Cornelius, of whom further mention.
(III) Cornelius, son of Richard (2) and Dorothy (Pray) Thayer, was born at Braintree, July 18, 1670. He resided all his life at Braintree.
He was married, in 1694, to Abigail Copeland. Children:
- Cornelius, born 1695, married Rachel Spear, of Braintree, settled in Dorchester, Massachusetts;
- Moses, 1698, married Christian Aspinwall;
- Gideon, March 1, 1700;
- David, 1702, married Dorothy Blanchard;
- Ezekiel, 1704, married Mehitable White;
- Elikiam, 1706, married Deborah Hersey, of Milton, and settled in Dorchester, Massachusetts;
- Hezekiah, of further mention;
- Jeremiah, born 1710;
- Abigail, January 11, 1712;
- Jeremiah (2), August 20, 1716.
(IV) Hezekiah, seventh son of Cornelius and Abigail (Copeland) Thayer, was born in 1708, died October 19, 1854. He married, November 13, 1729, Christian (Aspinwall) Thayer, widow of his brother, Moses Thayer, who died at the age of twenty-five years. Children:
- Hezekiah, of further mention;
- Thankful, born September 11, 1732;
- Dorcas, August 3, 1734;
- Silas, July 20, 1742;
- Noah, July 11, 1745.
(V) Hezekiah (2), eldest child of Hezekiah (1) and Christian (Aspinwall) (Thayer) Thayer, was born September 30, 1730. He married, in 1751, Mary Stetson. Children:
- Levi, of whom further;
- Rufus, December 10, 1754;
- Reuben, 1758;
- Samuel;
- Nancy;
- Dorcas, December 7, 1764;
- Ames Thankful.
(VI) Levi, eldest child of Hezekiah (2) and Mary (Stetson) Thayer, was born February 2, 1752. He settled in Braintree, Massachusetts. He married, 1774, Hannah Curtiss, born December 13, 1752, died February 18, 1864. Children:
- Levi, born May 11, 1775;
- Susanna, 1779, died 1852;
- Alpheus, March 18, 1781;
- Zenas, of further mention;
- Abel, July 21, 1789;
- Otis, October 14, 1794.
(VII) Deacon Zenas, fourth child of Levi and Hannah (Curtiss) Thayer, was born at Braintree, Massachusetts, May 18, 1784; removed to Braintree, Vermont, where he died December 11, 1848.
He was brought up to the business of a boot and shoe manufacturer. He was a deacon of the Baptist church of Braintree, Vermont, for over thirty years, and was held in the highest regard by all who knew him. He married (first) June, 1804, Esther Holbrook, who died March 19, 1809. He married (second) October 7, 1809, Sallie Burrige, born April 2, 1792, in Braintree, Vermont. It was after his second marriage that he settled in Vermont. Children of first wife:
- Esther, born September 25, 1805;
- Silas H., of further mention;
- Ruth, January 27, 1809.
Children of second wife:
- infant, February 23, 1811;
- Zenas, January 15, 1813, removed to Warren, Winona county, Minnesota, in 1856 he assisted in settling that town and was elected a member of the state legislature, he also held the office of justice of the peace for ten years, he married Sarah Ford;
- Levi C., March 12, 1816, married Mary Wood and settled in Sharon, Vermont;
- Marian C., February 4, 1818, died at the age of eighteen years;
- Mary V., March 14, 1821, married James H. Brackett;
- Joseph, January 13, 1823, died in infancy;
- George W., April 23, 1825, married Martha Thomas and settled in Middlebury, Elkhart county, Indiana;
- Nancy A., October 7, 1827, married Caleb Holbrook and settled in Ashland, Massachusetts;
- Sarah J., July 2, 1830, died in childhood;
- Elijah H., May 11, 1832, married Maria A. Bailey and settled in Boston, Massachusetts, where he was engaged in mercantile life;
- Samuel P., January 23, 1834, died February 3, 1835.
(VIII) Silas H., son of Deacon Zenas and Esther (Holbrook) Thayer, was born in Braintree, Massachusetts, February 19, 1807. He was educated in the schools of Braintree, Vermont, and later became a farmer of that town where he died December 1, 1850. He married, July 4, 1839, Harriet Keziah Spear. Children:
- Viola H., born May, 1840, married A. W. Perry, of Braintree, Vermont;
- Orvis S., December, 1843;
- Foster J., of further mention;
- Myron N., March, 1846, died 1885;
- Lewis T., March, 1848.
(IX) Foster J., son of Silas H. and Harriet Keziah (Spear) Thayer, was born at Braintree, Vermont, February 6, 1844. He was educated at the public schools and at Orange County Academy, Randolph, Vermont. After completing his studies he settled in Boston, where he engaged in the retail shoe trade. After some years in business there he transferred his business to San Francisco, California, where he remained until 1875. In that year he located in Saratoga Springs, New York, and engaged in the hotel business. In 1890 he became manager of the Vermont House, in which capacity he is serving at the present time (1910). He is a member of the Masonic Order, affiliated with the lodge, chapter and commandery of Saratoga Springs and is a Noble of the Mystic Shrine, Oriental Temple of Troy, New York. His social club is the Saratoga. He is well known in the hotel world and is deservedly popular.