Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1882-11-17
DEATH OF DIR. $. W. TAlAYER.
Some Memorial Of a Long and Uscfu

\ ucpuiturc from lie was efltclul TcleuSc
from prolonged suffering, it is also an occa.
sion for wide and deep mourning, No man
in this community had so many personal
| friends, who were warmly attached to him
by ties of especial strength, and who will
feel his decease as Il keen personal loss. Nc
man shared more fully the public esteem
and regard. The removal from among us of
such eminent professional skill and of such
unsclfish goodness rs were embodied in him
is great public atlliction.
Samuel White Thaycr was born in Brain
tree, this State, May 81, 1917, and was the
| oldest son of DIR. Samuel White Thayer and
Ruth Packard Thayer, formerly of Thetford.
His carly life was passed i'll his native town.
until the year 1882 when his father moved
his family to ThetfOrd TO secure for it the
| advantages of the celebrated academy there.
Young Thayor fitted for college at that place,
| and al Hanover, n. H., with the intention of
going through Dartmouth but circumstances
prevented. and in 1885 he entered his fathers
office as a student of medicine. lie attend.
ed a course OF lectures in Dartmouth Medical
College, and in 1887 went to Woodstock and
was elected demonstrator of anatomy in the
Medical College there, which position he re-
tanned until 1871. In 1888, he took his de
gree Of NJ. d., and two years later, 1t the
earnest solicitation of his friend, Governor
Charles Paine, who was then engaged in
building the Vermont Central ialroad, he
removed to Northiiold, which was at that
time, and for quite a number of years after,
the headquarters Of that railroad. lie soon
acquired an cnviabc reputation for medical
and surgical skill, and established an extern
sive practice. lie pursued also his studies
in Natural History, and made large and
valuable collection of the minerals and shells
OF Vermont, which he gave to the academy
nj Mortified. In the Spring of 1854, Dr.
Thayer removed TO this city, and at once
entered upon large and successful prac-
tee here and throughout the ncighboring
region.
Upon the breaking ont of the rebellion in
1861, Governor Erastus Fairbanks, recogniz-
ing the importance of securing for the Yer
mont troops competent medical officers, APP
pointed Dir. Thaycr chairman of the State
Board of Medical Examiners, his associates
being DIR. i. L. Phelps OF Windsor, and DIR.
:. Newell of ST. JohnsIury In this capacity
he personally examined every med cal officer
appointed by the Governor to positions in the
Vermont re 1imcnts, besides making many OF
the pnyscl examinations required by law
for the enlisted men. In 1864 the STA e Leg
i>lature created the Office of geon-Gencial
and DR.. Thaycr was appointed to the posi-
ton by Governor Smith. The office was
new one, with neither prectdc or orginlzi-
ton but III. Doctor brou. ht to his office the
same energy ana comprehension of what was
required mat characterized all his dolngs,
and the department was soon in sound con-
dlt!On ready at II moments notice to send
new medical officers TO the field, promote
those already there, furnish Information to
the friends OF sick and wounded soldiers, re-
Ccivc and forward delicacits and comforts,
AMI in any other way to contribute TO the
health and happiness Of the State troops He
established and organized tIc three military
hospitals, coated at Burlington, MONTPELIER
and Brattltboro, with capable and efficient
medical Stalls, and SO beneficial were these
institutions, that soldiers from other States
inflicted with that scourgc of army life,
chronic dinrrhpl, were sent to them for treat
mcn,. While holding his pOsitionipon Gov
crnor Smiths staff, lie was sent by him to
consult with the authorities at Washington
concerning an intended raid upon Burlug-
ton. The Doctor had a personal interview
with President Lincoln, and received from
HIM autograph instructions to General Dix,
Then commander Of the Department of the
East. DIR. Thayer also held II commission as
assistant army surgeon |. 5. A., from the
General Government, and was brevetcd as
med cal director at the close of the war.
In May, 1870, at the request of Governor
Smith, who was then prcs!den. Of the North
crn Pacific railroad, DIR. 1hayer went to
Minnesota aud organized Il system of medical
service for the employees of that read, who
were scattered through the state from Lake
Superior to the Red River of the North The
service proved to be so beneficial and Success
full that it was soon adopted by other promi-
nent railroads in that State. During this
part of his career he was invited by many
prominent citizens of Dakota to take up his
residence IN that Territory and be rewarded
by an election as delegate to Congress but
the invitation was dechned In 1879, in
| company with the officials OF the Nor hcrn
| Pacific, he visited the northern terminus IN
Oregon and while upon this tiip, and during
| his previous connection with the Northern
Pacific, he made complete collection of
! the woods and grains grown along the road
which was exhibited at the Vienna eXposi-
ton, and proved so attractive that, at the re-
quest Of the exposition commissioners he al
| lowed them TO remain there. In the Winter
OF 1873, he returned to this city and resumed
| his practice.
Previous to this DR.. Thaycr had performed
an important public service in reorganiZng
and developing the Medical Department Of
the University of Vermont. A medical col
ege existed here from 1923 to 1886, which
had graduated during that time IA Students
Many distinguished physicians were interest
| ed in lis management, but owing to com
petition with another well established
school in the State, they found themselves
Obliged to close their doors for want of stu.
dents" In 1850, Dir. Thayer, then a resi-
dent of Northfield, visited Burlington and