William O. Sayles

SAYLES, SHAFER, HICKCOX, STOWE, BARNES, MAXWELL, CARPENTER, FAIRLEY, BERRY, WINKLER, JOHNSON, BANE, RICHARDS, LORD, WEBB, BARNARD

Posted By: Dorothy Gosse (email)
Date: 3/2/2003 at 08:01:29

"1891 Portrait & Biographical Album of Fayette County", page 565

William O. Sayles, a representative farmer and stock-raiser of Oran township, residing on Section 23, has been a resident of the county since September, 1854, and therefore numbered among its early settlers. He was born in Onondaga County, New York, September 3, 1833, and is the sixth in a family of twelve children, whose parents are Pliny and Nancy (Shafer) Sayles. His father, a native of New York, was born in 1800, and his mother the following year. He made farming his life occupation and in 1841, emigrated to McHenry County, Illinois, where he entered land and improved a farm near the villiage of McHenry. After thirteen years residence in that county, he removed to Jefferson Township, Fayette County, Iowa, where he spent the remainder of his life, dying in 1871 at the age of seventy-one years. His wife was permitted to enjoy her new home in this county but five years, her death occurring in 1859. In their family are S. D., who is married and resides in Jefferson Township; Electa, who is now Mrs. Stowe and resides with our subject, first married Carmi Hickcox who deeded the first land in Fremont Township and whose son was the first white child there born; Daniel is married and resides in Mitchell County, Iowa; Sophronia is living in Fremont Township; Benjamin is married and makes his home in Jesup, Buchanan County, Iowa; Lydia of Woodstock, Illinois is the widow of C. C. Barnes who enlisted for the late war in McHenry, Illinois, was wounded at the siege of Vicksburg, and died at Memphis while on his way home; Mrs. Almera Maxwell is living in Webster City, Iowa; W. O. of this sketch is the next younger; Mrs. Abbie Carpenter resides in Jewell County, Kansas; Catherine is now Mrs. Fairley of Jefferson Township; Mrs. Emma Berry makes her home in Constantine, Michigan; and Hiram died at the age of twenty-two years in New York.

Our subject was reared in McHenry County, Illinois. He attained his majority in the year which witnessed his arrival in Fayette County. Three years later he married Lovina Carpenter, a native of New York, and a daughter of Hiram and Lovina Carpenter, who were also born in the Empire State, and thence removed to Fayette County in 1855, locating in Jefferson Township where they spent their last days. The death of Mrs. Sayles occurred in 1863. Four children were born of that union ---- Netta, now Mrs. Winkler of Fremont township; Georgiana, who died in Fremont Township in 1882; W. O. who is married and resides in Fremont Township; and Adella, wife of David E. Johnson of the same township.

In 1862, in Independence, Iowa, Mr. Sayles enrolled his name as one of the defenders of his country for three years service, and was mustered in a Davenport as a member of Company F, First Iowa Calvalry. At close of war he was discharged at Davenport, March 1865. Mr. Sayles then returned home and once more resumed farming. He was joined in wedlock in 1867, with Mary E. Bane, a native of Ohio, and a daughter of James and Anna (Richards) Bane, the former born in Virgina, and the latter in the Buckeye State. In early life her father was a captain on a vessel on the Ohio River and afterwards engaged in merchandising. He came to Iowa in 1863, locating in Fremont Township, Fayette County, Iowa, where he followed farming until his death, which occurred in 1888. The mother is now living in Westgate, Iowa. By second marriage of Mr. Sayles was born a daughter, Donna Inez, whose home is in Westgate and who is teaching in Harlan Township. He was again married in Bremer County, Iowa, in 1872, Mrs. Mary Lord becoming his wife. She is the widow of Alpheus Lord, and a daughter of Morris and Harriet Webb. Her father, a native of New York, removed during his boyhood days to Pennsylvania where he was married and spent the remainder his life, as did also Mrs. Webb. Their daughter Mary became the wife of Nelson Johnson in 1850, and with him emigrated to Buchanan County, Iowa, where he died five years later, leaving two children ---- Morris E., who is married and now resides in South Dakota; and David E., who wedded Adelia Sayles, and is living in this county. In 1856, Mrs. Johnson wedded Alpheus Lord, the marriage being celebrated in West Union, and unto them were born two children ---- Alpheus, who married Alma Carpenter and resides in Fremont Township, where is sister Harriet N., wife of Jasper Barnard, is also living in Fremont township. Their father died in 1867 and the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Sayles took place in 1872. They have one child, a daughter Mamie D.

Mr. Sayles has been identified with the history of this township for thirty consecutive years and has done his part in its upbuilding, especially in the cultivation of the land, having transformed many acres from wild praire into rich and fertile fields. Every duty of citizenship he has faithfully discharged and the hardships and trials of pioneer life he has borne. To such men the county owes her present prosperity and they should ever be remembered with gratitude by future generations. Socially, he is a member of the Reynold Post, G. A. R. of Maynard.