Rash's Surname Index
Notes for John Borland Jr. THAYER
Mr. Thayer was born in this city. After leaving the University of Pennsylvania in 1881, he entered the service of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company as clerk in the Empire Line office, in which position he served about eighteen months, when he was transferred to the general freight department, serving two years in the bureau of claims and eighteen months in the rate department.
Upon the reorganization of the freight department, with J.S. Wilson as general freight traffic agent, Mr. Thayer was appointed chief clerk, which position he held three years, when he was appointed freight solicitor, United Railroads of New Jersey division.
In February, 1889, Mr. Thayer left the service of the company to engage in private business. He returned to the company on May 1, 1892, as division freight agent of the Northern Central Railway, with headquarters at Baltimore. On December 1, 1894, he was promoted to the position of assistant general freight agent, with headquarters at Philadelphia; on March 10, 1897, general freight agent in charge of through traffic, and on May 1, 1899, general freight agent of the company, and also of the Northern Central Railway, Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad, and West Jersey and Seashore Railroad Companies.
On June 1, 1903, Mr. Thayer was made fifth vice-president in charge of traffic. On October 10, 1905, upon a change in the organization of the company, he became fourth vice-president; on March 24, 1909, he was advanced to third vice-president, and on March 3, 1911, he was made second vice-president.
Mr. Thayer was a director of the Long Island Railroad Company and various subsidiary companies.
John B. Thayer, one of the heroes of the Titanic disaster, would have celebrated to-day the fiftieth anniversary of his birth.
He, his family and his social and business associates had looked forward with pleasurable anticipation to his attainment of the half-century mark. An athlete, devoted to home and family, moderate in his tastes, of exceptional ability and remarkable initiative, he was generally regarded as one who had already become on of the greatest powers for the industrial development of this city.
Grateful passengers have told how Mr. Thayer awakened them in their berths and insisted upon their preparing to leave the ship. His cheery, stalwart presence was everywhere in those last moments. Death found him steady, ready and manfully doing his best for others. These things will be remembered to-day by those who he saved and by thousands of others to whom his memory will be an inspiration.
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