The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1942-05-21
F. A. THAYER, 81, DIES
AT HIS HOME YESTERDAY
Was Dean of Garrett County
Bar, Having Been Admitted
To Law Practice In
May, 1888

Frederick Augustus Thayer, almost
88 years of age, dean of the Garrett
County bar, and we'll known Oakland
resident for more than sixty-five
years, died at his home on Oak street
about / so o'clock yesterday morning,
May 90 after an illness of more than
three months duration.
Mr.. Thayer was confined to his
home with heart ailment the first
week in February and became bed
fast in March. Previous to February
he had been attending to his business
regularly and going to the office
daily in spite of his advanced age.
A man of varying activities during
the early part of his career he served
as States Attorney, postmaster of
the Oakland office, a bank director
and president, court auditor, and was
much interested in the work of the
Methodist church and Sunday school,
holding important positions. therein.
Mr.. Thayer was born in this county
August /, 1854, and acquired his early
education in the public and private
schools of this area and from private
tutors. When he attained his major
ity he took up the study of law under
the tutelage of Thomas J. Peddicord
and was admitted to the bar in May,
1883. He Immediately opened an Of
flee in Oakland and successfully car
ried on his practice for seven years
when he gave it up and accepted the
position of postmaster, having been
appointed in 1890 by President Har-
risOn
After four years of service he re-
sumed his interrupted practice.
For five years he was clerk to the
board of county commissioners and
for a similar period served as deputy
clerk of the Circuit Court
In 1895 he was nominated on the
Republican ticket for the office of
States Attorney and was elected by
large majority. He served in this
capacity for twelve years
He was also one of the founders of
the First National Bank, established
in 1900; has always been a director
and member Of the board and has been
its president since its organization
with the exception of about three
years. He was president at the time
of his death.
He had also been court auditor for
many years, ever since the death of
the late Edward H. Sincell with
whom he was at one time associated
in the practice of law. He was a men,
Der of the Odd Fellows, Shealtiel
lodge, of Oakland, which laid out the
Oakland cemetery. The organization
is now extinct.
For the past twenty-five or thirty
years he has confined his activities
mostly to office practice. Last year
he was named by the Court of
Appeals on a committee to formu-
late new rules of practice and pro-
cedure which went into effect Septem-
Der l, 1871.
In religious activities he was the
senior member of St. Paul's Meth
odist church; was a member Of the
Board of Trustees for many years,
and president of that body at the
time of his DEATH He was supcrin-
tendent of the Methodist Sunday
School for twenty years, succeeding
the late Rev. j. NJ. Davis.
October l, 1884, Mr.. Thayer mar
ried Miss Maggie Peddicord, daugh-
ter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Thomas
j. Peddicord.
Surviving are three children, Dr.
Rebecca Thayer, Wooster, Ohio;
Ralph 7. Thayer, Hagerstown, and
Frederick A. Thayer, Jr., Oakland
Another child died in infancy. Mrs
Thayer died quite number of years
ago.
The body will be taken to St
Paul's church at noon tomorrow and
funeral will be conducted at o'clock,
with Rev. Minor Sprague, pastor, of
ficiating. Interment will be in Oakland
cemetery.