Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1889, volume 6).djvu/96

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THAYER
THEONDECHOREN

age, but left after the first year and began to teach, at the same time studying divinity. He was ordained in 1832, and in 1833-'45 was pastor of the 1st Universalist society in Lowell, where his ministry was important in the history of Universalism in New England. During the crusade against Universalism, in 1840-'2, he established and edited in its defence the “Star of Bethlehem,” and with his co-worker, Rev. Abel C. Thomas, wrote the “Lowell Tracts” in the same interest. Mr. Thayer was called to a pastorate in Brooklyn, N. Y., in 1845, where he edited the “Golden Rule” in the interest of the fraternity of Odd-Fellows. After six years he returned to his old parish in Lowell. In 1859 he became pastor of the Shawmut avenue church, Boston, which charge he resigned in 1867. In 1862 Dr. Thayer assumed the editorship of the “Universalist Quarterly,” which contains some of his most important literary work. He continued these labors, with an interval of travel in Europe and the East, until his last illness. He received the degree of D. D. from Tufts college in 1865, and he was for many years on the board of overseers of Harvard. Dr. Thayer was a biblical scholar of rare breadth, and a pioneer in Universalist literature. He wrote much verse that has never been collected, and published “Christianity against Infidelity” (Boston, 1833; enlarged, Cincinnati, 1849); “Bible Class Assistant” (Boston, 1840); “History of the Origin of Endless Punishment” (1855); “Theology of Universalism” (1862); and “Over the River” (1864).


THAYER, William Makepeace, author, b. in Franklin, Mass., 23 Feb., 1820. He was gradu- ated at Brown in 1843, studied theology, and was settled over the orthodox Congregational church at Ashland, Mass., in 1849-'57. In consequence of a throat trouble he relinquished his pastorate, and on his return to Franklin in 1858 devoted himself to literary work. In 1857 and 1863 he was a member of the legislature, and in 1860-'76 he was secretary of the Massachusetts temperance alliance. He has written many religious and juvenile books, the first of which was published in 1852. In "The Bobbin Boy" (Boston, 1859) he originated the conversa- tional style, and its success was so great that he wrote his succeeding biographies in dialogue. After "The Pioneer Boy" (1863) was published, the same style was adopted by other writers. His most popular works are a series of biographies (10 vols., Boston, 1859-63) ; ".Youth's History of the Rebellion "(4 vols., 1863-'5); "White House Se- ries " (1880-5) ; and " Marvels of the New West " (Norwich, 1887). Nearly 1,000,000 copies of his works have been sold, " From Log-Cabin to the White House " exceeding 300,000 copies, two thirds of them being sold in Europe. " The Poor Boy and Merchant Prince " (Boston, 1858), " The Good Girl and True Woman" (1859), "The Pioneer Boy," " Tact, Push, and Principle " (Boston, 1880). " From Pioneer Home to the White House " (Nor- wich, 1882), and "From Tannery to the White House " (Boston, 1885), have each reached 50,000 copies. Many have been republished in England, and some have been translated into German, French, Italian, Greek, Swedish, and Hawaiian. Mr. Thayer has also edited the " Home Monthly "and " Moth- er's Assistant " (Boston).


THEAKER, Thomas Clarke, commissioner of patents, b. in York County, Pa., 1 Feb., 1812; d. in Oakland, Md., 16 July, 1883. He received a good English education, removed to Bridgeport, Ohio, in 1830, and was principally occupied as a machinist and millwright. He served in congress as a Republican in 1859-'61, and was an unsuccessful candidate for the ensuing congress. He was made a member of a board of commissioners who were appointed to investigate the workings of the patent-office, and was afterward made by President Johnson commissioner of patents, serving from 17 Aug., 1865 till 6 June, 1868.


THEBAUD, Augustine J. (tay-bo), clergy- man, b. in Brittany in 1807; d. in Fordham, X. Y, 17 Dec, 1885. He studied for the priesthood, and after his ordination was for several years engaged in missionary work in Brittany. He afterward went to Rome and entered the Society of Jesus. In 1838 he came to the United States and was ap- pointed professor in St. Mary's college, Ky., where he remained until that institution passed from the control of the Jesuits in 1845. He then taught physics and mathematics in St. John's college, Fordham, of which he was president in 1846-'52. He was then made pastor of St. Joseph's church, Troy, where he began his investigations in Irish history. He was afterward transferred to New York, where he continued the same line of research, the result of which was the publication of " The Irish Race," a work that placed him in the first rank as a philosophic historian, and of which Dr. Orestes A. Brownson wrote that it had caused him to change life-long opinions on questions of para- mount importance in the philosophy of history. Father Thebaud went to Canada, where he re- mained a year, and then returned to New York. The rest of his life was spent in missionary labors and literary pursuits. He was a frequent con- tributor to Roman Catholic periodicals. Besides the work already mentioned he published "Gen- tilism"; "The Church and the Moral World"; and " Twit-Twatso."


THEKAKISQUI, Iroquois chief, b. in central New York in 1756; d. in 1802. Owing to his bravery and skill in the use of arms and in hunt- ing, he became a chief at the age of twenty. He made several raids ou the Spanish colonies, and rendered considerable assistance to the English in the wars of the Revolution. He led a body of In- dians into the Carolinas, devastated the country with fire and sword, and brought back numerous slaves into the Iroquois territory. He gave up part of the lands of his tribe to the government of the United States in 1794. Under his sway his people turned their attention to agriculture, and made some advances in civilization.


THELLER, Edward Alexander, journalist, b. in Canada East about 1810; d. in Honitas, Cal., in 1859. He was graduated as a physician, and, having actively participated in the Canadian re- bellion of 1837, was arrested, tried, convicted, and sentenced to death. Escaping from prison, he came to this country, and, after residing in New York in 1841-2, went to California in 1853, and was editor of several newspapers. He was at one time superintendent of public schools in San Fran- cisco. He published "Canada in 1837-'8: Show- ing the Causes of the Late Attempted Revolution and its Failure " (2 vols., Philadelphia, 1841).


THEONDECHOREN, Joseph, Indian convert, d. near Tadoussac, Canada, 26 June, 1652. Previous to his conversion it is related that he could take live coals and red-hot pebbles in his hands and mouth without sustaining any injury, and plunge his arm into boiling water, and he attributed this power to satanic influence. He became a Christian in 1641, and endeavored to imitate the missionaries in everything and conform to their mode of life. The Jesuit relations contain extracts from sermons that he preached, which are remarkable for fervor and rude eloquence. He went with Father Jogues