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John Borland Thayer (April 21st, 1862 - April 15th, 1912) was a First Class passenger of the Titanic. He died in the sinking.

Early life and sports career[]

Thayer was born in Philadelphia on as the son of John Borland Thayer sr. and Mary Randolph Chapman, on the 21st of April 1862.

He attended the University of Pennsylvania, where he was captain of the lacrosse team in 1879 and played baseball. A member of a prominent American cricketing family, he played his first match for the Merion Cricket Club as a 14-year-old  and continued playing for them until his death.

Thayer was a part of the Philadelphian side that visited England in 1884. During that tour he scored only 1 run, with an average of 28, and took 22 wickets for 21 runs each. In his career, Thayer appeared in seven matches now recognised as first-class. Three of these were played for the Philadelphians, and four were played for an "American Born" side. All were played at the Germantown Cricket Club in Pennsylvania.

In his first-class career, he scored 138 runs at 11.50 and took six wickets at 26.83. His highest score (24) and best bowling (3 for 17) both came for Philadelphia against the United States in October 1883. In minor cricket, his highest scores were 134 not out v Philadelphia in 1896 and 107 not out against Winnipeg in 1882, both for Merion CC

Pennsylvania Railroad career[]

After leaving the University of Pennsylvania in 1881, Thayer entered the service of the Pennsylvania Railroad as a clerk in the Empire Line office, remaining in that position for about eighteen months, when he was transferred to the general freight department. After holding various positions in 1888 he was appointed freight solicitor of the United Railroads of New Jersey division.

From February, 1889, to May, 1892, Thayer was out of railway work before returning to the PRR in May, 1892, as division freight agent of the Northern Central, with headquarters at Baltimore, MD. On December 1, 1894, he was promoted to assistant general freight agent, with office at Philadelphia, Pa., and in March, 1897, was made general freight agent in charge of through traffic. In May 1899, he was appointed general freight agent also of the Northern Central, the Philadelphia, Wilmington & Baltimore, and the West Jersey & Seashore. Thayer was elected fifth vice-president of the Pennsylvania Railroad June 1, 1903, becoming manager of traffic on that road.

In October, 1905, Thayer was promoted to Fourth Vice-President; in March, 1909, Third Vice-President; and, in March, 1911, Second Vice-President, his ultimate rank at the company. At the time of his death Mr. Thayer was a senior director of the Pennsylvania Railroad, managing the railroad's busiest operations east of Pittsburgh, including those of the Long Island and the New York Connecting roads. Thayer was also director and president of the Erie & Western Transport Union Company as well as a director on the Norfolk & Western and the Leigh & Hudson River roads. He was a member of a large number of prestigious clubs and organizations, including the Philadelphia Club, the Union League and the Union Club of New York, the Metropolitan Club of Washington. D. C, the Railroad Club of New York, and the Chamber of Commerce of the State of New York.

Family[]

He was married to Marian Longstreth Morris on November 9, 1892 and they had two sons, Jack Thayer in 1894, he would later accompany them on their trip to Europe in 1912. His other son Morris Thayer was born in 1896. Two daughters would follow: Margaret "Peggy" in 1898 and Pauline in 1901.

Titanic[]

Mr. Thayer and his family had been in Berlin as guests of the American Consul General and Mrs. Thackara two weeks prior to boarding the Titanic at Cherbourg as First Class passengers (Cabin C-68).

On the evening of April 14, Mr. and Mrs. Thayer and Jack joined Lucile and William Carter, Major Butt and Captain Smith at a dinner party held by George, Harry and Eleanor Widener, in the À la Carte Restaurant.

The sinking[]

The family were preparing for bed when the collision occurred. Jack went up immediately to investigate, he returned to their stateroom and they followed him back on deck.

As the boats were prepared for lowering John and Jack said good bye to Marian. They believed she got away in a boat but Second-in-command First Class Steward George Charles Dodd advised them that she was still on board. They found her again and, after losing Jack in the crowd, John saw Marian safely into lifeboat 4.

Thayer had no intention of boarding a boat. He stuck with his friends George and Harry Widener and Charles Duane Williams. When all the boats were gone Colonel Gracie saw John Thayer looking "pale and determined" by the midship rail aft of lifeboat 7 looking at the ocean. He jumped into the sea and resurfaced later. He was last seen in front of the funnel. He was likely killed when it fell as well as the two remaining Widener men and Charles Williams. His son survived by finding refuge on the overtruned Collapsible B.

John B. Thayer's body, if recovered, was never identified.

Shortly after the disaster, the British media had reported that John Borland Thayer had survived the sinking, due to confusion between Thayer and his son since they share the same name.

Portrayals[]

Titanic: The Musical (1997)[]

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Michael Mulheren as John B. Thayer in the 1997 broadway musical.

Michael Mulheren played John Borland Thayer in the 1997 production of Broawday.

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