John Boyd Thacher II
Encyclopedia
John Boyd Thacher II was the Mayor of Albany, New York
from 1926 to 1941. He was the nephew of Albany mayor John Boyd Thacher
and grandson of another Albany mayor, George H. Thacher.
John Boyd Thacher II was born in Leadville, Colorado
to the younger George H. Thacher (son of Mayor Thacher) and Emma Louise Bennett, who spent the early 1880s on business in Colorado. The Thachers returned to Albany while John was a toddler and George Thacher re-established ties with his father's Albany business. John Thacher attended The Albany Academy
and received a Bachelor of Arts
degree from Princeton University
in 1904. He graduated with a Doctor of Laws from Union College
in 1906 and was admitted to the New York state bar association
. He practiced law in Schoharie County
for a year before returning to practice in Albany. He married Lulu Abel Cameron of Middle Bridge on June 17, 1918.
World War I
interrupted Thacher's law practice when he saw action in the Air corps
and Ambulance corps, with a considerable amount of his time spent in France
. Thacher then ventured into Albany government, becoming a member of the Common Council of Albany as well as city treasurer
.
On March 4, 1926, Albany mayor William S. Hackett was killed in a car accident in Cuba
. John Boyd Thacher II was named as his temporary successor. That November, he was officially elected mayor in a landslide. Thacher was subsequently reelected as Mayor in 1929, 1933 and 1937. In 1932, he was nominated as a Democratic candidate for Governor of New York, but yielded to Herbert H. Lehman
, who was elected.
Thacher resigned from his position as Mayor in 1940 to become Judge of Albany County's Children's Court, a position he held until 1947. A long-term advocate for education and children's rights, he was also instrumental in developing the summer camp that came to bear his name: Camp Thacher.
Upon Thacher's resignation as Mayor, President of the Common Council Herman F. Hoogkamp was appointed acting Mayor in 1940 and served out the remainder of Thacher's term. In 1941, Erastus Corning II was elected mayor; Corning served for over 40 years until his death in 1983.
John Boyd Thacher II died in 1957 in Albany, and is interred in Albany Rural Cemetery
.
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
from 1926 to 1941. He was the nephew of Albany mayor John Boyd Thacher
John Boyd Thacher
John Boyd Thacher was the Mayor of Albany, New York and New York State Senator as well as an American manufacturer, writer, and book collector...
and grandson of another Albany mayor, George H. Thacher.
John Boyd Thacher II was born in Leadville, Colorado
Leadville, Colorado
Leadville is a Statutory City that is the county seat of, and the only municipality in, Lake County, Colorado, United States. Situated at an elevation of , Leadville is the highest incorporated city and the second highest incorporated municipality in the United States...
to the younger George H. Thacher (son of Mayor Thacher) and Emma Louise Bennett, who spent the early 1880s on business in Colorado. The Thachers returned to Albany while John was a toddler and George Thacher re-established ties with his father's Albany business. John Thacher attended The Albany Academy
The Albany Academy
The Albany Academy is an independent college preparatory day school for boys in Albany, New York, USA, enrolling students from Preschool to Grade 12. It was established in 1813 by a charter signed by Mayor Philip Schuyler Van Rensselaer and the city council of Albany...
and received a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree from Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
in 1904. He graduated with a Doctor of Laws from Union College
Union College
Union College is a private, non-denominational liberal arts college located in Schenectady, New York, United States. Founded in 1795, it was the first institution of higher learning chartered by the New York State Board of Regents. In the 19th century, it became the "Mother of Fraternities", as...
in 1906 and was admitted to the New York state bar association
State bar association
A state bar association is a bar association that represents or seeks to represent all of the attorneys in a specific U.S. state. Membership in such an association may be voluntary or mandatory for practitioners in that state. State bar associations may be tasked with the administration of the...
. He practiced law in Schoharie County
Schoharie County, New York
As of the census of 2000, there were 31,582 people, 11,991 households and 8,177 families residing in the county. The population density was 51 people per square mile . There were 15,915 housing units at an average density of 26 per square mile...
for a year before returning to practice in Albany. He married Lulu Abel Cameron of Middle Bridge on June 17, 1918.
World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
interrupted Thacher's law practice when he saw action in the Air corps
United States Army Air Corps
The United States Army Air Corps was a forerunner of the United States Air Force. Renamed from the Air Service on 2 July 1926, it was part of the United States Army and the predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces , established in 1941...
and Ambulance corps, with a considerable amount of his time spent in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Thacher then ventured into Albany government, becoming a member of the Common Council of Albany as well as city treasurer
Treasurer
A treasurer is the person responsible for running the treasury of an organization. The adjective for a treasurer is normally "tresorial". The adjective "treasurial" normally means pertaining to a treasury, rather than the treasurer.-Government:...
.
On March 4, 1926, Albany mayor William S. Hackett was killed in a car accident in Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
. John Boyd Thacher II was named as his temporary successor. That November, he was officially elected mayor in a landslide. Thacher was subsequently reelected as Mayor in 1929, 1933 and 1937. In 1932, he was nominated as a Democratic candidate for Governor of New York, but yielded to Herbert H. Lehman
Herbert H. Lehman
Herbert Henry Lehman was a Democratic Party politician from New York. He was the 45th Governor of New York from 1933 to 1942, and represented New York in the United States Senate from 1950 to 1957.-Lehman Brothers:...
, who was elected.
Thacher resigned from his position as Mayor in 1940 to become Judge of Albany County's Children's Court, a position he held until 1947. A long-term advocate for education and children's rights, he was also instrumental in developing the summer camp that came to bear his name: Camp Thacher.
Upon Thacher's resignation as Mayor, President of the Common Council Herman F. Hoogkamp was appointed acting Mayor in 1940 and served out the remainder of Thacher's term. In 1941, Erastus Corning II was elected mayor; Corning served for over 40 years until his death in 1983.
John Boyd Thacher II died in 1957 in Albany, and is interred in Albany Rural Cemetery
Albany Rural Cemetery
The Albany Rural Cemetery was established October 7, 1844, in Menands, New York, just outside of the city of Albany, New York. It is renowned as one of the most beautiful, pastoral cemeteries in the United States, at over . Many historical American figures are buried there.-History:On April 2,...
.
External links
- The History of New York State Biographies, Part 10, Lewis Historical Publishing Company, Inc., 1927 - edited by Dr. James Sullivan.
- The Albany Common Council from 1929 through 1945 - by Candice Knight at the University at Albany, The State University of New YorkUniversity at Albany, The State University of New YorkThe State University of New York at Albany, also known as University at Albany, State University of New York, SUNY Albany or simply UAlbany, is a public university located in Albany, Guilderland, and East Greenbush, New York, United States; is the senior campus of the State University of New York ...
.