John Boyd Thacher, American judge. Member Albany Chamber of Commerce (president 1948-1949), American, New York, Albany County bar associations, Young Men's Christian Association (vice president Albany), Founders and Patriots Society.
Background
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.
Education
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.
Career
He practiced law in Schoharie County for a year before returning to practice in Albany. 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. On March 4, 1926, Albany mayor William South. 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.
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.
Achievements
Membership
Member Albany Chamber of Commerce (president 1948-1949), American, New York, Albany County bar associations, Young Men's Christian Association (vice president Albany), Founders and Patriots Society. Clubs: Fort Orange, Kiwanis, Exchange (honorary), Ekwanok Country, Albany Country (New New York