Person:Thomas Sawyers (1)

About Thomas Sawyers

Note: the following source claims that Thomas Sawyers' father was James Sawyers, but based upon other evidence and sources, this Thomas Sawyers' father was Sampson Sawyers, James Sawyers brother, who also had a son named Thomas.

Thomas Sawyers was born May the 12th day 1772 in the State of Virginia, Augusta County. 1 His father was James Sawyers who passed away when Thomas was about 11 years old, his will was proved November 18, 1783. James lists his heirs as his "dearly and well-beloved Hannah Sawyers, wife," his sons were: David and George Washington; his daughters were: Ann, Rebeckah, Martha and Rachel. He also included a sister Rebecca. One of the executors of his will was Wm. Crawford. 2 A "William Crawford" was appointed guardian of Thomas Sawyers orphan of James Sawyers on November 18, 1783. 3

Thomas' grandfather James died sometime after January 19 and June 15, 1790 as his will was written on the former and probated on the latter. 4

Rebeckah Archer (sister of James II) passed away, her will was proved December 15, 1790. James did mention a Mrs. Archer, and this Rebeckah Archer includes in her will: the following Sawyers children: Anne, Rebecca, Martha, Rachel, Thomas, David and George, and a brother-in-law William Blair. 5

Thomas apparently married a Catherine Allison, a spinster daughter of Robert Allison. That marriage took place June 5, 1792. 6 I have not yet found any known issue resulting from this union, and I also have not yet found a death date for Catherine.

"Thomas Sawyers and Margaret Rees was married January the 5th in the year of our Lord, 1797, in Botetourt County, Virginia. 7 Their children were as follows:

1. Nancy Sawyers was born November the 14th in the year of our Lord, 1797. 1 Based upon court records from Augusta County, VA that state that Thomas "is about to remove out of the State, 28th September, 1801" 8 and the 1850 census, Nancy was born in Virginia.

2. Rees Sawyers was born December the 10th in the year of our Loard[sic], 1798. 1 Although the 1850 census 9 states that Rees was born in Tennesseee, both the court records 6 and the 1860 census 10 indicate that he was most likely born in Virginia.

3. Sampson Sawyers was born January the 31st, 1800, and lived 20 months and died. 1

Thomas Sawyers appears in the 1800 VA taxes for Augusta County along with Hannah (his mother), and David (his brother). 11

4. Keisier[sic] Sawyers was born September the 16th in the year of our Lord, 1801. 1 Keiser was most likely born in Virginia, probably just prior to his family's departure "from the state." 6 In the census he gives his place of birth as Virginia (1850), Ohio (1860), Virginia again in both 1870 and 80. I have seen it suggested that he was born in West Virginia (created in 1863). That is hard to determine since historically WV was VA at the time, so technically he was born in Virginia either way. Kieser married Sarah Morehouse July 13, 1837. 12

5. Margaret Sawyers was born January the 14th in the year of our Lord, 1803. 1 The 1850 census gives her place of birth as Virginia, which I find unlikely due to the Virginia court records mentioned above. Also Thomas Sawyer erected a cabin in 1803 in Gallia County, Ohio. 13 In the 1860 and 1870 census she lists her place of birth as Ohio. I believe that Margaret was most probably born in Ohio, and if this is true this would prove both Margaret and her mother, Margaret Rees, in Ohio as early as 1803. Margaret married James Lawless December 5, 1850, in Gallia County. 14 Margaret died January 23, 1880, and is buried at Fairview (Long) cemetery in Springfield Twp. She was aged 77 years and 9 days.

When Thomas left Augusta County has been an issue long discussed, however if one goes by the court records then he was "about to remove out of the State" September 28, 1801. This makes sense as in the days before even the National Road, travel would be difficult, not to mention dangerous for a lady in the 9th month or pregnancy (Keiser was born Sept. 16th, 1801)" I wonder if the 'about' meant, as soon as mother and the newborn could travel. Thomas' intentions were to go to Kentucky, 15 16 but by 1803 he was in Gallia County, Ohio.

"[Springfield] township was laid out and organized June 2, 1812. About nineteen votes were cast at the first election. Thomas Sawyer erected a cabin in 1803 and the same year a settlement was begun on section thirty-five" 13

Margaret Sawyers [wife] departed this life April the 30th in the year of our Lord, 1805. 1

Thomas married Cathrine[sic] Lasley on September 3, 1805, in Gallia County, Ohio. 17 From this union were the following children:

6. Sophia Sawyers was born June the 25th in the year of our Lord, 1806. 1 She married John L. Entsminger on December 22, 1831 by 289. 18

In 1806 Thomas shows up as one of the "listers and appraisers" of Gallia County, Rackoon[sic] Twp. He continues to show up off and on in the various tax lists, but he fails to appear between 1806 and 1811. 19

7. Esther Sawyers was born August 24th in the year of our lord, 1807. 1 I did a general search for her Christian name, and age in Gallia County on ancestry.com and came up with an Esther Futton. I have not seen that anyone has really said who Esther married, so I looked at Fultons in the Gallia County Marriage Record book and found that a Hettie Sawyer married James Fulton on July 19, 1827, Gallia County Marriages Vol. 1 p. 162. The Gallia County Genealogical Society has cemeteries online and there is an Esther Fulton buried at Calvary Baptist Church in Raccoon Twp., she died January 8, 1877, aged 69 years, 14[sic] months, 15 days wife of James. 20 I believe the 14 months is a misprint for 4 months in which case Esther Fulton and Esther Sawyers shared the same birthdate August 24, 1807. Esther and Hettie were interchangeable, or in other words, Esther Sawyers was the Hettie Sawyer who married James Fulton.

I could not find Esther in the 1850 census, but in both the 1860 and the 1870 census she lists her place of birth as Ohio, she died prior to the 1880 census.

8. Lydia Sawyers was born April the 15th in the year of our Lord, 1809. 1 Lydia gives her place of birth on the 1850 census as Ohio. Lydia married Samuel R. Bing October 18, 1831, they were married by David Smithers, J.P 21 Lydia died January 22, 1859 and is buried at Fairview (Long) Cemetery in Springfield Twp., Gallia County. She was 50 years and 9 months, w/o Samuell[sic] 20

9. Polly Sawyers was born December the 2nd in the year of our Lord, 1810. 1 Polly gives her place of birth on the 1850 census as Ohio. Polly married David Glassburn, Jr. June 2, 1831 22 Polly passed away December 26, 1853, age 43 years 24 days, w/o David G. 20

Thomas shows up in Gallia County again in the 1812 chattel record. He was living in Addison Twp, and had one horse and 4 cattle. He also had a wolf scalp on December 11, 1812, but he still doesn't own any land. 19

10. Rebecca Sawyers was born August the 20th in the year of our Lord, 1813. 1 I have been unable to locate Rebecca at this time.

He does not show up in the 1813-14, or 16-17 land records, but that doesn't bother me because there is concrete evidence of him in the county prior to 1817, and the first deed I could find for him in the county is 1817. In 1817 Thomas purchased land in Springfield Twp., Gallia County. This is the first evidence of Thomas actually owning land in the county. In 1818 and 19 he shows up in the chattel records again owning 2 horses and 3 cattle. He shows up again in the 1820 census living in Springfield Twp. In 1821 Thomas shows up in the chattel records with 3 horses and 4 cattle. In 1822 he has 2 horses and 5 cattle, and in 1824 he has 2 horses and 9 cattle, and finally in 1825 he has 1 horse and 7 cattle. He's in Springfield Twp from 1817 through at least1825.

As I said, Thomas continued to show up off and on in the various tax lists, but he fails to appear between 1806 and 1811. This has given room for some speculation as to where Thomas was during these 6 years. It has been suggested by some that he had gone to Tennessee, and this is a possibility, as there is a Thomas Sawyer in the 1810 Rutherford County, Tennessee census. Neither Hank nor I were able to find him in either ancestry.com or heritage quest, but I was directed to a site that said he was on the census for Rutherford County p. 5 line 23, 23 and sure enough I was able to find him. His name was as clear as day on the original census Thos Sawyers, but ancestry had it indexed as Lawyer.

http://lindatrent.homestead.com/ThomasSawyers.html

Information on Thomas Sawyers

From Genforum.com post:

Thomas Sawyers of Augusta County Posted by: Linda Trent (ID *****7403) Date: March 29, 2008 at 09:18:

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I just thought I'd post my most recent research into this somewhat elusive guy. In the Spring 1992 Gallia County Historical Society newsletter there is a "true and accurate copy of the family record in the Holy Bible (New York: American Bible Society, 1858), which was owned by Ray Morehouse of Bidwell [Gallia County], Ohio.

For what it's worth, Thomas Sawyers lived in Gallia County from 1803 through his death March 26th, 1863. So this family record was started during Thomas' lifetime, or at least very shortly thereafter.

Thomas was born in Augusty (Augusta) County, VA on May 12, 1772. He died March 26, 1863 in Gallia County, Ohio. His first marriage was to Margaret Rees married January 5, 1797 (location not given, but presumed to be Virginia). They had the following children I'm just giving the year and probable place of birth: Nancy b. 1797 in VA Rees b. 1798 in VA Sampson b. 1800 and died 20 months later. Keisier b. 1801 in VA Margaret b. 1803 in VA/OH

Margaret Rees died according to the Bible in 1805. And according to Gallia County Marriage records he married a second time to Cathrine Lasley on September 3, 1805 (five months after Margaret died).

Children to this union were (according to the Bible): Sophia Sawyers b.1806. Gallia County, Ohio Esther b. 1807. Gallia County, Ohio Lydia b. 1809. Gallia County, Ohio Polly b. 1810. Gallia County, Ohio Rebecca b. 1813. Gallia County, Ohio

Cathrine died and Thomas married for a final time to Martha Bing.

For exact dates of birth, marriage, etc. and other info concerning Thomas (including a scan of the Bible transcription) see my website at http://lindatrent.homestead.com/ThomasSawyers.html The scan did not come out as nice as I had hoped. If anyone wishes to have a better copy I can try sending it as a jpeg attachment. Just send me your email addy, or I can send it through the US post office mail.

Hopefully this begins to fill in some unanswered questions. I'm sure it also raises more. :-)

Linda Trent lindatrent@@zoomnet.net