GOES THE WAY OF THE WORLD

COL. ATHERTON THAYER, VETERAN SOLDIER, JOURNALIST
AND THEATRICAL MAN, IS DEAD

   Colonel Atherton Thayer, long on the staff of The Cincinnati Inquirer, a veteran of the Civil war and at one time a conspicuous figure in theatrical and fraternal circles of the east, died at 2:35 o’clock this morning after an illness of about one week.  Colonel Thayer was born in New Port, Ky., December 29, 1839, the son of Atherton Thayer, a snuff manufacturer.  After attending Cincinnati schools, he entered the Second Kentucky Volunteer infantry, U.S. A., at the outbreak of the Civil war.  He was promoted for bravery upon the field of Shiloh, Governor Beriah Magoffin making special mention of his heroism, in rallying a broken regiment, in his commission.

   Leaving the army in 1865, he became identified with John S. Ellsler, father of Effie Ellsler, in the show business, and here laid the foundation for perhaps the widest acquaintance in America, among that class.  In 1866, in Cleveland, Ohio, he married Miss Amelia Willson. She lived only one year and left no children.  In 1870, in Cincinnati, he married Katherine Emma Warden, daughter of Judge Robert Bruce Warden.  By her he had several children, but only one, Louis M. Thayer, of The Intermountain editorial staff, survives. Other relatives are Richard F. Thayer and Frank C. Thayer, both high officials in the Pennsylvania railway system, with headquarters respectively in Cincinnati and Cleveland, Ohio.  The widow lives with her son, at 909 Empire street, and is prostrated.

   Col. Thayer was a member of No. 1 lodge Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, New York, near the charter list.  He founded No. 5, Cincinnati, and served six years as grand trustee and grand esteemed lecturing knight of the order, in the course of which he installed more than twenty lodges.  He was also a member of the Odd Fellows, the Knights of Pythias, the Loyal Legion and the Grand Army of the Republic, all in Cincinnati.  Since coming to Montana he has affiliated himself actively with none of these associations and few knew that one of the founders of the Elks resided here.

   The funeral service will take place from Duggan’s undertaking chapel tomorrow afternoon at 2 o’clock and will be private.  The interment will be at Mt. Moriah cemetery.

The Butte Daily Post
Butte, Montana
11/20/1907

There is no headstone for William Thomas. 
He is buried in the G. A. R. plot.

DR. G. F. THOMIN DIES

RETIRED CINCINNATI PHYSICIAN 
CALLED TO HIS MAKER

Succumbs to Effect of Paralytic Stroke
at Daughter’s Home in This City

   Dr. George Frederick Thomin, a retired physician and surgeon, who had resided in Butte for the past two years, died last night at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Frank Jones, of 751 Oregon avenue.  His death was due to the effects of a paralytic stroke, by which he was stricken 10 days ago.  Owing to his advanced years little hope for his recovery was entertained after he was stricken with paralysis.

   Dr. Thomin was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, 61 years ago.  He was a physician and surgeon of the old school, and received his education and training in the medical schools and hospitals of the east.  Until two years ago, when he came to Butte from Williamstown, Mo., he was engaged actively in the practice of his profession.  He was a member of the Masonic lodge and G. A. R. post of Williamstown, Mo.

   He leaves a wife and two daughters.  The daughters are Mrs. Frank Jones and Mrs. George Taylor of Butte.  A brother, Charles, resides in Cincinnati, and two sisters, Mrs. Rica Buell and Mrs. Eliza Wade, also live in Cincinnati.

   The funeral will be held Wednesday afternoon from the Masonic temple, and the services will be under the auspices of Mount Moriah lodge, A. F. of A. M.  

The Butte Miner
Butte, Montana
4/6/1909

EXPLOSION WAS FATAL

Owen Thornton the Victim of Thawing Dynamite

THREE STICKS OF THE MATERIAL

Method Used in Thawing Was Not Unusual 
and Was Considered Perfectly Safe—Exactly 
How the Accident Occurred Those Who Were 
Present Would Not Even Hazard an Opinion

   By an accidental explosion of dynamite powder yesterday Owen Thornton, an old-timer and well known resident of Butte, was almost instantly killed about 9 o’clock yesterday morning.  Deceased, together with Phil Goodwin, R. P. Wood and Nels Peterson, was operating a lease on the Artic lode and had sunk a shaft on the vacant lot between the residences of Joseph Rosenthal and Capt. McCormick, on East Granite street.  Thornton was not a miner, but was working on top and taking care of the mine.

   Yesterday morning he went to the mine between 7 and 8 o’clock and saw John Regoni, a miner who was employed there.  The evening previous a set of holes had been fired and one had missed and the two men spoke of that.  Thornton asked Regoni how many sticks of powder he would need to fire the missed hole and was told that two would do.  Thornton replied that he would thaw three in order that there might be enough.  On the rear of the lot there is a frame building that had been fitted up as a blacksmith shop, which contained forge and bellows, an anvil, a stove and some tools.  It had been the custom to thaw the powder in this building and there was a box of the explosive in the southwest corner, the door being in the southeast corner.  The forge stood a short distance from the box of powder and the habit was to thaw the powder on the forge.  East of the forge and north of the shop door stood the anvil.  For the purpose of thawing a stove pipe from 18 inches to two feet in length was placed on the forge and in this two lighted candles were placed.  On the top of the stove pipe an old coal oil can with the bottom perforated was set.  About half way between the bottom and top of the can was a wire netting and on this the powder was placed.  It took from two to five hours to thaw the powder, the time varying according to the number of candles and the amount of powder to be thawed.

   When Thornton told Regoni that he would thaw three sticks he at once entered the shop and it is supposed put the powder on.  He then wandered about the place for probably an hour then re-entered the shop.  He had only been in there for a moment or two when a terrific explosion occurred and the roof and east side of the shop were blown out.  At the time James Keanelly, a step-son of Thornton, and M. C. Crowley, a teamster, were on the ground, and as soon as they recovered from the shock Keanelly rushed to the door and on opening it saw Thornton staggering toward him.  He said “Take me out of here,” and the young man dragged him out and laid him on the ground.  He did not speak again and in a moment he was dead.

   Coroner Jullien was notified and after he had viewed the remains they were turned over to Sherman and removed to his undertaking rooms.  An examination of the body showed that the two of the fingers of the right hand were blown off, and there were several slight cuts on the face and head.  On the left breast over the lung was a deep cut about half an inch in width and on the right breast and the left side of the neck were similar deep cuts.  In each of these were small sharp fragments of tin that were evidently portions of the oil can that had been blown to pieces.  Just what caused the explosion no one seemed even willing to hazard a theory.  An inquest was held at Sherman’s last night and the jury returned a verdict of accidental explosion.

   Owen Thornton was about 57 years of age, had been in the United States since he was 13 years of age and had lived in Butte for 16 years.  He was a married man and leaves a wife, a step-son and a son, the family having for some time resided in Walkerville.  He was quite a character in his way and was as well liked as he was well known. During his residence in Butte he has pursued various avocations in the line of laboring and has worked as shoveler or top man in several mines and has operated three or four leases.  For a man of his size and age he was hardy and active and was very industrious.  During the term of Mayor Harrington, Thornton worked most of the time in the street department under Commissioner Branigan.  During the war of the rebellion he served in the United States Navy and was on one of the ships in Farragut’s fleet on the memorable passage which ended with the capture of New Orleans.  He was proud of his record as a sailor and was a member of Lincoln post G. A. R., and was known among his comrades as the admiral.  He was also a member of one of the lodges of the A.O.U.W.

The Butte Miner
Butte, Montana
12/17/1899

   The funeral of Lewis H. Tole was held yesterday afternoon at the home, 323 Watson avenue, at 2 o'clock, the members of Lincoln post, Grand Army of the Republic, having charge of the services.  Burial was in the Grand Army plot in Mt. Moriah cemetery, and fitting exercises were held.  Mr. Tole came to Montana shortly after the end of the civil war, and he was among the people who thought Silver Bow had the greatest possibilities of any part of the state, so he settled on Silver Bow creek in 1865 and since that time had been a resident of this district.  No man in the state had a wide circle of acquaintances, and no man was better liked among those who knew him.  Many of the pioneer residents of Montana were in attendance at his funeral yesterday, and those who carried his body to the grave were men who had known him intimately for nearly half a century.

The Anaconda Standard
Anaconda, Montana
9/28/1908

97-YEAR-OLD MAN CALLED BY DEATH

Edgar Tower, Pioneer Mining Man 
and Circuit Rider, Dies in Butte

    Edgar Tower, Civil war veteran, pioneer Montana mining man and circuit rider, died in Butte late Monday night at his home, 654 South Dakota street.  Ninety-seven years old when death came, he had completed a life of help and friendship to his fellowmen, which had continued down to the present day even though he retired from active service in 1893.

   Born in Sandusky, Ohio, in 1830, Edgar Tower attended and was graduated from Oberlin university, at Oberlin, Ohio.  He entered military service coming to the west with General Johnson’s troops in 1858.  With the outbreak of the Civil war, he returned to Ohio to enlist in one of his home state regiments.  He was mustered out of service in 1865, when he was wounded in action, after having served in most of the principal military engagements of the war.

   Coming West, he settled in the Black Hills of South Dakota.  He had been an Indian fighter, miner, preacher and contractor for the government.  He was one of those who established the city of Lead, S. D., and he built the first quartz mill ever established in the state.

   Mr. Tower retired from the ministry and active service in 1893, coming to Butte in that year.

   He was a member of the Masonic lodge at Missoula, Lincoln post of the Grand Army of the Republic and the Montana Society of Pioneers.  In 1885 he was married at Livingston to Jaenie MacSkimming of Oneida, Ill.

   Surviving him are his widow, Mrs. Jaenie Tower; three sons, Hugh V., circulation manager of the Post; Roy E. and Wynn A. Tower, and five grandchildren, all of Butte.

The Montana Standard
Anaconda, Montana
9/28/1927

Records for St. Patrick's Cemetery do not appear 
to go back as far as 1884.  Therefore, no record 
of his burial could be found.