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21. John Thatcher (Married Levina Mettler (Alvina Mettler) (Levina Medler) (22) in 1844)

 

Born: 9 February 1819 of Unknown Father (41) & Unknown Mother (42) in either New Jersey or England.

 

Died: 6 March 1886. He is buried at Morris United Methodist Church Cemetery, Pickaway County. (GPS: 39° 33.858 ' N; 82° 53.501 ' W).

 

[His siblings are not known, but there is a reference to his having at least two brothers. Information about these brothers is included below under "Miscellaneous."]

Miscellaneous: Thatcher means “people who make thatched roofs for houses.”

According to Mike Thatcher, a great-great grandson of John, and a great grandson of Alonso (John M. Thatcher (11)’s brother) in his letters to Russell Leach (#3) on July 29, 1985 and January 9, 1986, John came from England with two brothers. They owned a dairy and/or a piano manufacturing company. They broke up the business and one brother went to Canada. The other went South and became prominent in the textile business. John followed his sweetheart Alvina Mettler (Levina Medler) from New Jersey to Ohio when her father moved there. He worked for his father-in-law, Francis Mettler Jr., as a farm hand.

With his wife and 14-15 children, he lived in a large log cabin at a town called Thatcher’s Post Office. They operated a blacksmith shop, saloon, and a grocery and post office. The town is located four miles east of Circleville on the crossroads of Route 56 and the Circleville-Tarleton Road.

The 1850 Census shows that John was a blacksmith and that he lived next door to his father-in-law, Francis Mettler.

According to Post Offices of Ohio by John S. Gallagher and Alan H. Patera, 1978, the Thatcher Post Office was officiallly established 17 August 1886 and was discontinued 14 February 1891. It was reestablished 9 March 1894 and discontinued 28 February 1902. Since John Thatcher died on 6 March 1886, his job operating a post office predated the post office’s official recognition. According to History of Pickaway County, Ohio and Representative Citizens Edited & Compiled by Hon. Aaron R. Van Cleaf, Circleville, Ohio, Chicago, Ill. 1906. p. 163 “Thatcher is a town of about 35 population, located on the pike from Circleville to Adelphi, on the north line of the township. Edward Barr has a general store here and Thatcher & Valentine, a blacksmith shop. J. S. Valentino is also in business here as a buyer and shipper of poultry. The postoffice at Thatcher was discontinued three years ago.” The Thatcher with a blacksmith shop in 1906 would have been John M. Thatcher (John Thatcher's son). (In recent years, an article written by Darlene F. Weaver for the Circleville Herald titled "Weaver ran store, good wagon in Thatcher", doesn't mention either John Thatcher. [Further research is needed concerning this topic.]

John and Levina had 14 children: Rosemma Almeda (Rose), Willlam P. (Wilbur), Mary Ellen, Elijah A. (Lij), Alonza Carlton, Albert Maywood, Francis Orlando (Doc), Hannah Loretta (Lo), Margaret Samantha (Mag), Amanda (Mandy), Harriett Lozetta (Hat), Arey Alice, John M. (11) , and Samuel. [Note: These names are not listed in birth order]

John Thatcher is buried in the cemetery next to the Morris E.U.B. Church near Thatcher, Ohio in Pickaway County.

Left: The location of Thatcher's Post Office. There are two old homes nearby (shown below), but the town no longer exists. The photograph of the road signs was taken 6 September 2005. The photograph below was taken 25 September 2005.

 

The Chillicothe Daily News, March, 1886 stated: “Died-At his home in Pickaway County, March 6, 1886, John Thatcher, in his 68th year of his age. His suffering was long and severe, but he bore it with patience. He bore the cross that he might wear the crown. He was buried at Morris Chapel near Circleville to await the coming of Christ. He was a kind husband and affectionate father, he leaves a wife and twelve children to mourn their loss.”

 

Below: John’s and Levina’s tombstone (full view and close-up) at Morris Chapel United Methodist Church. The stone shows considerable weathering and is difficult to read; but, after the stone was cleaned and blue chalk was applied on 25 September 2005, most of it could be read:

"JOHN THATCHER
BORN
FEB. 9, 1819
DIED
MAR. 6, 1886
AGED
67 yrs, 27ds

---

ALVINA THATCHER
BORN
DEC. 18, 1824
DIED
MAY 17, 1899
74 yrs. 4 ms 29 ds"

 

The stone is shaped like a tree with the top cut off. This type of monument is called a “treestone” and it represents a chopped off family tree or perhaps that life has been cut off. (This type of tombstone was popular during the Victorian Age and could be purchased through a Sear's catalogue). In this monument, the severed tree is resting on a base that looks like stacked rocks. There are fern leaves carved into the base of the tree. Fern at the stone’s base illustrates humility and sincerity.