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Robert Thrasher
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Inez Thrasher
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Valeria Thrasher
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Doris Thrasher
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Mary Thrasher
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Bob Thrasher
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Lois Thrasher
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Barb Thrasher
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Bill Thrasher
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The Thrasher Story
as published in Biographies of the Citizens of Lee County Illinois

Robert “Bob” Foster Thrasher was born October 23, 1885, in Ancona, IL, the third of eight children and the first son born to Connell Everett and Doke (Foster) Thrasher and raised in that community.

Among the things Bob did during his single years was work for farmers in Cornell, attend auctioneer school in St. Louis, operate a meat market in Dana, IL. He and a friend traveled together to various places in the western United States and even to Mexico. They returned to Amboy where Bob worked for the Amboy Creamery while living with his sister Floy and Joy Wittenauer.

Inez Zelma Allen was born on July 10, 1899, at Deer Ridge, Lewis Co., Missouri, the sixth of eight children born to Thomas Lee and Lillie R (Roberts) Allen of that community. Her mother died when she was sixteen but the family remained close over the years. In 1917, while visiting her sister Lou and her husband John Gale, in Amboy, IL, she met Bob Thrasher. Bob was 32 and Inez 18 when they married on December 29, 1917, in Quincy, IL and they settled in Amboy.

In the fall of 1918, Bob received his draft notice. In November, it was announced that the armistice had been signed ending World War I so Bob never had to leave for the service.

Initially, Bob found employment with the Illinois Central Railroad. In addition to providing the family with an income, they received free train passage. It was especially enjoyed in travels to visit their extended family in Missouri. Bob then worked for a time on several farms around Amboy including the Egan Farm and Green Vaughn Farm.

Bob's next job with the Lee County Highway Department took the family to Sublette. Bob continued to work with the Highway Department moving next to Amboy and finally to Harmon where the family made their permanent home.

In 1929 when the Stock Market crashed marking the beginning of the Depression, they felt the change along with the rest of the country. Bob continued to have his job with the Highway Department, which provided a steady income, but these were tough times. Bob was a hard working man and took his responsibility to provide for his family seriously.

As World War II got underway, the older children were growing and leaving home. Inez went to work at the Green River Ordnance Plant as a line inspector.

Bob saw many changes in the job with the Lee County Highway Department. When he started working for them he was using a team of horses and a drag to maintain the dirt roads in the area. By the time he retired, roads had improved greatly, motor vehicles were common place and he was using a Caterpillar tractor and a road grader to service the roads. Following his retirement from the Highway Department, Bob worked with the Harmon Township and was elected as the Road Commissioner.

Inez was an active member of the Harmon Methodist Church. She faithfully attended church and saw to it that the children went, too. At church, she was involved with the Ladies Aid Society and in her later years taught the adult Sunday school class. She was active in the Home Bureau and 4-H, even attending camp as a counselor. She also worked for a time as a Stanley salesman.

In 1957, while vacationing in Brownsville, Texas, Bob became seriously ill. He was flown to Wesley Memorial Hospital in Chicago where he remained for several weeks. On January 31, 1957, he died at the age of 72. He is buried in Prairie Repose Cemetery in Amboy.

Following the loss of her husband, Inez eventually took a job as housemother for the Nachusa Orphanage, Nachusa, Illinois. It was while working there that Inez met and became friends with Charles Ryan, the father of a fellow worker.

Charlie and Inez were married on November 27, 1958, at the Methodist Church in Harmon, IL, with a large number of family attending. They moved to Charlie's home in New Stanton, Pennsylvania. Although she missed her family, she enjoyed her time with Charlie and the beautiful mountains of western Pennsylvania.

Inez was just 59 when she died unexpectedly on September 11, 1960, just shortly before she and Charlie observed their second wedding anniversary. She is buried at Prairie Repose Cemetery in Amboy.

Their children include:
spaceValeria Mae THRASHER, b1918
spaceHelen Irene THRASHER, b 1920 d 1922
spaceDoris Arvella THRASHER, b 1922 d 1983
spaceMary Olive THRASHER, b 1924
spaceRobert Foster Jr THRASHER, b 1926
spaceLois Lilly THRASHER, b 1928
spaceBarbara Jean THRASHER, b 1932
spaceWilliam Douglas THRASHER, b 1935
spaceCarrie Charlene THRASHER, b 1940 d 1941

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Thrasher Kids

L to R: Mary, Lois, Bobby, and Doris.

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bob in cab

Bob in his cab.

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Inez Thrasher

Inez Thrasher in 1943. This is one of the family's favorite pictures of Inez

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Bob and Inez in 1950

Inez and Bob in 1950 in front of their son, Bobby's home.

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