Saylor, William W.

DULL, GARNER, DONLON, WINNER

Posted By: BCGS
Date: 1/19/2010 at 09:31:50

William W. Saylor, a well known and successful citizen of Waverly, is identified with business interests as a stockholder in the Citizens Lumber Company of Minneapolis, of which he has been auditor for a number of years and which he has also represented as a salesman since about 1907. He has, moreover, been prominentin public life, representing his district in the state legislature as a member of the thirtieth and thirty-first sessions. His birth occurred in Somerset county, Pennsylvania, on the 22d of December, 1858, his parents being Samuel and Sarah (Dull) Saylor, likewise natives of the Keystone state. The father, who worked at the cabinet-maker's trade in early manhood, came to Iowa in 1860, locating in Waterloo, Blackhawk county, before the railroad had been built here. In the fall of 1871 he came to Bremer county, took up his abode on a farm near Denver and there carried on general agricultural pursuits until 1892. In that year he disposed of the property and removed to Rockwell, Cerro Gordo county, where he spent the remainder of his life in honorable retirement, passing away in 1895. The demise of his wife occurred in 1908.

William W. Saylor, who was the third in order of birth in a family of nine children, attended public school at Waterloo until 1871 when the family removed to the farm near Denver. From that time until nineteen years of age he attended country school and afterward spent two fall seasons as a student in the seminary at Waterloo, Iowa. Subsequently he attended the Iowa State Teachers' College at Cedar Falls during two winter terms. He remained under the parental roof, assisting his father, until twenty-four years of age and then went to South Dakota, where he secured government land and undertook the management of a lumberyard at Kimball, continuing in that state for six years. After three years' residence in South Dakota he had returned to Iowa to be married. On again returning to this state he spent three years as manager of the lumber business of J.C. Garner and then entered into partnership with J.F. Donlon for the conduct of a lumber and implement business. At the end of six years he disposed of his interests in that connection. For a number of years he has been auditor for the Citizens Lumber Company, formerly of Waterloo and now of Minneapolis, and since about 1907 has acted as a salesman for the firm, selling principally bridge material. He is also a stockholder in the concern and is recognized as one of its most valued and able representatives. He owns some valuable residence property in Waverly.

In March, 1886, Mr. Saylor was united in marriage to Miss Kittie Winner, who was born near Waverly, Bremer county, in May 1865, her parents being Anson and Miranda Winner, natives of New York. They came to Iowa in an early day and settled near Waverly, the father devoting his attention to farming and stock shipping. He is now living retired in Waverly, and the mother also survives. Mr. and Mrs. Saylor have two children, Merrill W., who was born in June, 1891, is employed in the office of the Waterloo Construction Company; and Lynn A., who was born in February, 1901, is attending school.

Mr. Saylor is a stanch republican inn politics and a well known figure in the local ranks of the party. He served as a member of the city council for nine years and was also elected mayor but resigned that office at the end of eight months in order to take his seat in the state legislature. He represented his district in the general assembly during the thirtieth and thirty-first sessions and in that connection made a record which reflected credit upon himself and justified the confidence of his constituents. He is a worthy exemplar of the Masonic fraternity, being a member of the blue lodge and chapter, and has been identified with the Woodmen since 1884. Mr. Saylor likewise belongs to the Maccabees, the Knights of Pythias and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and was one of the incorporators of the Mystic Toilers. Such in brief is the life history of William W. Saylor. In whatever relation of life we find him - in political circles, in business or in social relations - he is always the same honorable and honored gentleman, whose worth well merits the high regard which is uniformly given him.

History of Bremer County, Iowa Vol. II 1914