Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Thacker Family Marker

Found this wonderful marker at Park Cemetery in Carthage, MO. If you look close you can even see the watch chain and buttons.



Beneath is towering monument of clay
Our ever sacred dead are laid away
JESSE THACKER
Died Nov 14, 1887
Age 67Y 7M 19D's
TO FATHER
This is the sacred spot where Father lies
Here sleeps his dust the soul,
Triumphant Flies
Above the boundless blue & starry skies
Celestial bands of angels with him shine,
Kept pure and white by highest powers divine.
Eternal heaven his spirit eyes shall see,
Redeeming love his endless theme shall be.

JANE W. Wife of
Jesse Thacker
Died Oct. 16, 1878
TO MOTHER 
Sleep on dear Mother in thy lonely bed
Though thou art silent still by thee we're led
Although thy cheerful smiles we cannot see
Yet we shall never cease from loving thee,
And by and by when transient life is o'er
We'll meet in heaven and meet to part no more



Information from Find-A-Grave Contributor.
About Jesse Thacker:
Jesse Thacker spent his early life in Illinois and accuired wealth in farming and various business activities.

He came to Carthage, Missouri in 1866 and bought a large farm north of the city for himself and his family. By 1872 his many business interests included being president of First National Bank, being a mine owner,

He owned some 4,000 acres in Jasper County, part of which was mining ground. In 1873 he opened his hardware store in his new building. While running his hardware store should have been a full time job, he had also opened the Grand Opera House with Mr. Chambers, making the City of Carthage home to two opera houses. Mr. Chambers left the partnership, so Jesse Thacker was probably one of the busiest men in town, as well as one of the wealthiest. In 1879 his very prominence caused him to be brutally assaulted by a man looking to rob him, however, he recovered from the incident.

The hardware store sold everything in the hardware line, woodenware, glassware, notions, wagon material, corn shellers, steel goods, fence wire, oak, cook stoves and more. When the fire of devastated the north side of the square occured in January of 1880, it was this brick building that stopped the fire from consuming the entire north side of the square.

In 1881 Jesse Thacker built another building and was also building a new brick residence on Central St. just north of the square during this period. In September 1881 the new building was ready of occupancy and it was annount that it had been rented to wealthy merchants from Tennessee for a dry goods establishment which was opened on October 1, 1881.

Originally he was a member of the Methodist Church but, according to the sketch of his life in the 1883 history of Jasper County, "more recently he has joined the band known as the Holiness people." The book he is holding apparently indicates this religious interest of his later years.

In November of 1887 Jesse Thacker went out to his stables to saddle his mare and in the dark she apparently did not recognize him and kicked him, once in the bowel and once in the knee. The kick proved fatal, and on November 14, some 38 hours after the incident, Jesse Thacker died.

About the Monument:
The children of Jesse Thacker also erected the most expensive monument ever to grace Park Cemetery. From a full length portrait of Jesse, a life-sized statue was carved of carrara marble in Leghorn, (Livorna) Italy by Italian sculptors working from the photograph.

The base of it is of Scottish marble and the work was done in Aberdeen, Scotland, By Scottish carvers. The base and pedestal are of Scotch granite, the base being 4 feet square. The total height of the monument is 15 feet 8 inches. It weighs 20,050 pounds and was completed at a cost of between $1,500 and $2,000 and took 8 months to construct. The base and the top were shipped separately and assembled in Carthage.

The lot purchased was large enough for all five Thacker children.


DOROTHY
Baby Dau. Of
Frank & Pearl
Haven
Mar. 18, 1904
Feb. 12, 1908
--
FREDDY Son of
C. & L. Haven
Died Nov. 17, 1871
Aged 8 Y's 3 M's 15 D's

McKINDREE P. THACKER
Born Oct. 18, 1839
Died Mar. 4, 1903

CARRIE P.
Dau. of
J. L. & Josie Thacker
Born Mar. 22,1880
Died July 14,1880

ANNA T. DREISBACH
Born Aug. 29, 1852
Died June 1,1894
Tho lost to sight, to memory dear

BABY T. Dau. of
W & A. T. Dreisbach
Died July 31, 1879
Aged 10 D's
To Baby
Upon this lonely spot so dear
Our little darling lies
Shes not dead, she sleepth here
She lives beyond the skies.





3 comments:

  1. That was a lot of money back in those days. It is an impressive monument. Great pics.

    ReplyDelete
  2. He is a distant relative of mine. My grandmother was Carrie Mae (Thacker)
    Brasel. When we were young,I remember taking my grandmother to the cemetary
    for Memorial day decoration. We only went one time that I can remember.
    The history of his life is really special to me & my sister. Thank you.
    D. Riggs

    ReplyDelete
  3. I don't mean any disrespect at all but I've notice a few things about local legends on your blog. I am from carthage. The story was if you read the Lord's prayer backwards while walking around the monument at night the man would turn a page in the bible he is holding. Of course I never tired it! I love your site. Cemeteries intrigue me as well. Thanks for what you do.

    ReplyDelete