Thayer, Elihu, Dd

Thayer, Elihu, D.D.

a Congregational preacher, was born at Braintree, Mass., March 29, 1747. He was, as a child, very forward in his studies, having read the Bible through three times at the age of seven years. He entered Princeton College, one year in advance, in 1766, and graduated in 1769. His theological studies were prosecuted partly under Rev. John Searle, Stoneham, and partly under Rev. Mr. Weld, Braintree. Licensed to preach, he supplied for nearly a year the church in Newburyport. He was then (Dec. 18,1776) set apart to take the pastoral care of the Church in Kingston, N. H. He was chosen president of the New Hampshire Missionary Society in 1801, and continued to hold the office till 1811. He died April 3,1812. A volume of his Sermons was published after his death (1813, 8vo). See Sprague, Annals of the Amer. Pulpit, 2, 104.