History of the Saint Croix Valley was published in 1909.
From History of the Saint Croix Valley (ARC F 587 .S14 E3 1909 v. 2 in the UWRF Archives)
A. P. Thayer comes of old New England stock, being descended in an unbroken line from the original Thayer who came to America in 1600. He was born in Thompson, Conn., the 22d day of September, 1837, and is the only son of John and Hanna Elliot (Crosby) Thayer. His father came westward when A. P. was still a young lad and ran a sawmill at Bloomingberg, Ohio, for nine years, when it burned to the ground. In Cambridge City, Ind., in 1848, a still greater misfortune befell the family, for there Mrs. Thayer passed away when his son was at the tender age of ten years. In this town John Thayer taught school and did clerical work in a drug store. While residing in Seneca county, Ohio, for a period of seven years, he married Sarepta Stickney of New York state, in 1850. In 1856 he decided to settle in Wisconsin. He came up the river in a boat and landed at Prescott, driving his team to Hudson, visiting a brother, Rev. Charles Thayer. He then came to Hammond where he took up some school land and started to till the soil. He build the first hotel in that town, and was also the first resident in the village. This he conducted until 1872, when the railroad was built. For twenty-four years he was postmaster at Hammond, being the first to hold that position. He was also notary and justice of the peace for many years. His career came to an end the 30th day of December, 1893. In 1862 A. P. Thayer was married to Katie C. Bowen, of New York state. When the call came for volunteers in 1864 he enlisted in the ranks of Company A, Forty-fourth Wisconsin Infantry, August 25. He served until the close of the war in 1865. Until 1872 he followed farming, after which he established a mercantile business, which he continued until 1902. He is now retired from active life and since the death of his wife in 1903 he has lived alone…
Mr. Thayer has always voted the Republican ticket. He has two children, Rufus E., at present at Pine City, Minn., and Hanna A., at New Richmond, Wis.
The Civil War and Northwest Wisconsin 