The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-08-23

sons In Utah. TO Cache valley. where
he has lived almost continuously ever
since.
Mr., Thatcher attended the Deseret
university In the spring OF 1861 and
In the summer was married TO Miss
Lettie Farr, a niece of the late Lorn
Farr, first mayor of Ogden From 1861
until recent years Mr.. Thatcher was
prominently identified With the re-
ligiouS and political history of the
community. he Was jealous worker
for the Mormon church, and his
broken health OF recent years was
largely due TO the hardships which he
underwent In the religious labors OF
his youth.
In 1861 nc was made seventy by
President Brigham Young and at
tached TO the second quorum. He took
up his residence In Logan and built
the first frame house in that city
That winter the Indians were making
inroads on the settlers of northern
Utah. and a force of minute men"
was organized for defense. Moses
Thatcher was n minute man" in the
company of Captain Thomas E. Kicks.
Later. for more effective defense. the
county was organized into the Cache
military district. and Moses Thatcher
became the captain of company of
fifty cavalrymen. He afterwards
served on the stats OF Colonel Ricks
and General Hyde.
For a short time he lived In Salt
Lake. where he was an employe In the
store of n. S Ransohoff &c Co. He
10 hna
ciatcd with his father In the general
mercantile business under the firm
name of Thatcher & Son. In 1866 he
went to Salt Lake to learn telegraphy.
but shortly after his arrival was sent
TO Europe on q mission by President
Brigham Young. He was gone two
years, during which time his health
became seriously impaired
In Mercantile Business.
On returning from Europe he ro.en.
tered the mercantile business at Lo-
gan. and afterwards became manager
of the Logan Cooperative institution.
which was afterwards merged with
the Il. C. NJ. l. and became its Logan
branch. and of which Moses Thatcher
continued as manager until 1879.
In 1870, on the organization of the
Utah Northern Railroad company, he
was elected a director and secretary
of the company. Later he became
general superintendent of the line.
and under his supervision branch lines
into Idaho were built.
Mr.. Thatcher represented Cache
and Rich counties In the territorial
legislative council for ten years. He
was one OF the earliest advocates of
statehood for Utah and was active In
iaboring with congress to secure the
admission OF Utah TO the Union. He
was a member OF the constitutional
convention of 1872 and one OF the
delegates who went to Washington to
urge the admission OF the state to the
Union
When the Cache valley stake of the
Mormon church was organized In 1877
Moses Thatcher was unanimously
chosen president OF the stake. On
April o. 1879. he was ordained men,
Der of the quorum OF the twelve apos-
ties by President John TAYLOR. That
fall he went 10 Mexico at the head of
the first party of Mormon missionaries
TO enter that republic His success
was so marked that under his leader
ship permanent Mormon colonies were
later established and continued in
Mexico. During the next few years
he made twenty-three visits TO Mexico.
During the seventeen years he was an
apostle he travelled on an average 49,
600 miles wear, Notable of his work
as an apostle OF the Mormon church
was his successful mission OF peace
TO Washable the warlike Indian chief,
at the Wind River agency, who sought
10 eXterminate the whites for the muir
der OF his son.
In Democratic Politics.
In 1896 and 1896 Moses Thatcher
took an active part in Democratic poll
tics and was the Democratic choice
for United States senator in the event
of Democratic legislature, At about
this time differences of opinion arose
between Moses Thatcher and other
Of his quorum, and at the
April conference he was not sustained
as a member of his quorum. and In
the fall of that year was officially
from the priesthood. AL
though not member of the priest
hood, Mr., Thatcher has always re-
mained a devout member of the Nor
mon church.
In 1896 Mr. Thatcher was candi.
date for United States senator from
Utah. but was defeated, and in 1898,
though he was rendered the senator
ship by majority of the legislature.
he declined 10 accept II.
Since that time Mr. Thatcher has
not been active In public life His
health has been poor and he has de.