Thayer, Ebenezer, 1734-1792

The Reverend Ebenezer Thayer (1734-1792) was born in Braintree, Mass., was graduated from Harvard College in 1753, became an itinerant minister, and then served as a tutor at Harvard, 1760-1766. He was ordained at Hampton, N.H., in 1766 and settled there permanently as pastor of the Congregational church.

Ebenezer Thayer, Jr., an officer of the Massachusetts militia. In 1776, Colonel Thayer commanded a militia regiment raised for the defense of Boston. In the fall of 1780, he was in charge of a three-month regiment of militia raised to support the Expédition particulière, the French expeditionary army under the command of Rochambeau. The regiment was placed under the command of William Heath and stationed in Rhode Island. After the war, Ebenezer Thayer commanded a militia regiment that was part of Benjamin Lincoln's force that suppressed Shay's Rebellion. By 1789, Thayer had been promoted to Brigadier General and commanded a brigade in 1st Division, Massachusetts Militia, stationed at Braintree and Boston.

Reverend Ebenezer Thayer (1734-1792) preached throughout Massachusetts and New Hampshire during the late 18th century. He was born, died, and served as a settled pastor in Hampton, New Hampshire for 26 years. Thayer married Martha Cotton (1739-1809) in 1766 and the couple had six children: Ebenezer Thayer (1767- ), Nathaniel Thayer (1769-1840), Martha Thayer (1771- ), John Thayer (1773- ), Catherine Thayer (1779- ), andAndrew Eliot Thayer (1783- ).