Putnam patriot., 1928-07-05
HIKING TO THE LAST /, GEO. B. THAYER DIES
Venerable Pedestrians Dead Body Found In Highway
 Near Manchester
Was Returning From Visit With Son
 In Putnam

When George B. Thayer, 76. left Putnam for his home in West Hart | ford, there was no inkling nor thought that the venerable pedestrian had set out on his last hike. His body was found beside the highway in Manches- ter last Thursday afternoon. He had succumbed to a heart attack. Possibly could the widely known globe trotter, lawyer and writer. have known that | death was 10 soon overtake him, he would have it happen just as it did happen--while he was in harness. Mir. Thayer was in Putnam during the week 10 visit his son Charles T. Thayer and family. He came on foot over the road and left the same way. He set out for Chepaehet to make d visit. He was seen by a Danielson friend walking along and was offered 1 lift which he promptly scorned. This was the last time he was seen alive by relatives or friends in this section.
 Early Storeseepcr
 MT. Thayer was born in Rockville May i3,1S53. He kept store and post office at Vernon before going to Hart ford in 1886. He engaged in news paper work Always interested in physical culture, for a time he had charge of physical training at the Y. Nj. C. A. Then he became super l intcndent of the Charity Organiza- ton society. He gave up his news paper work to study law and grad uated from Yale Law School in 1897. He was then Il years old. He re turned for a post graduate course and in 1898 began the practice of his profession.
 Mr. Thayer enlisted in Company K for the Spanish American War. At the outbreak of the World War he sought to enlist but was rejected. He finally got into I. NJ. C. A. ser vice and went over seas.
 Always an enthusiastic pedestrian l Mir. Thayer set out at the age of 70 to circle the globe. This he did at an expense of but sl 600. In 1886 he crossed the continent on a high wheel bicycle. Including the return jour ney he covered ll,000 miles on his wheel. Following his return he wrote an interesting book, "Pedal and Path"
 He wrote many articles for news papers and magazines. Another vol- nme he wrote was Trips to Hell" An autographed copy of this book was presented by Mir. Thayer to the Put nam Lodge of Elks.
 Adopted War Orphans
 Mr. Thaver "adopted' many French war orphans. and interested others in showing the same interest in the children of Europe. To each Of the foreign children whom he adopted he sent q photograph of himself be- fore he saw them. so they would re- eognize him upon arrival. The scheme worked successfully, Co Mir. Thayer' g intense happiness, and in the homes where these orphans lived he was treated like one of the family, his hosts putting the very best in thelr poor households before him.
 Mir. Thayer has been living for some years at the home of Roy C. Webster, No. 1003 Pennington ave nue. West Hartford. Mir. Webster is n member of the circulation depart ment of the Hartford Courant foi a man of his years Mir. Thayer waa unusually rugged, brisk, with youth ful disposition, and flashing blue eyes which were on the alert up to the last for new reigns to conquer afoot
 Funeral Saturday
 Funeral services were held in the auditorium of the William II. Hail High School in West Hartford Sat. urday at D. m. and was public. Rev James F. Halliday, pastor of the West Hartford Congregational church ofliciated. Prayers were said at the burial in the family plot in the Rock. vile cemetery at 4.30 p. m. The bearers were six of the boys who were members of Mr Thayer's class in physical education which he conduct ed about twelve years ago at his fofm. CT home on Pleasant street, West Hartford.