John H. Thacher was born in 1873 in Kansas City, Missouri. He received a B.A. in 1895 from Princeton University. He married Edith Gilman in 1906, and had the following children: John (1908), Edith (1910), and Nicholas (1915.) In 1912, he joined the Missouri National Guard, and on October 6, 1915 he was commissioned a Captain in the Missouri National Guard, 1st Missouri Field Artillery Battalion. On June 19, 1916, he was ordered to active duty, and from July 4 to December 15, 1916, he served on the Mexican border at Laredo, Texas. On December 22, 1916, he was mustered out of the federal service at Fort Riley, Kansas. On August 5, 1917, he was drafted into federal service as a member of the Field and Staff, 2nd Missouri Field Artillery Regiment. He was in training at Camp Doniphan, Fort Sill, Oklahoma, from 1917 to 1918, then on February 16, 1918, he assumed command of Battery D, 129th Field Artillery Regiment. On June 9, 1918, his unit arrived at Le Havre, France. On July 11, 1918, Thacher was relieved from his command of Battery D, and replaced by Captain Harry S. Truman. Thacher was appointed adjutant, 1st Battalion, 129th Field Artillery. On February 27-28, 1919, he was promoted to Major and assumed command of the 110th Ammunition Train. On April 29, 1919 he received an honorable discharge from military service. John H. Thacher died in Saratoga, California in February, 1960.
From the description of Thacher, John H., 1872-1960 (U.S. National Archives and Records Administration). naId: 10627513
