John K. Sawyer (1974)

BURNS, DRAKE, GABLE, GIVAN, HOLLEN, MORRIS, SAWYER

Posted By: Mary Welty Hart
Date: 9/4/2006 at 10:26:34

The Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
Wednesday, June 26, 1974
Page 1, Column 7

JOHN SAWYER Dies at 81

John K. Sawyer of Winterset, a soldier, public official, farmer and business man in his community over a long period of years, died last Friday, June 21, 1974, at the home of his son, Robert Sawyer, in Valparaiso, Indiana. He was 81 years of age.

As a young man, Mr. Sawyer had a distinguished career as a soldier on the Mexican border and in World War I, and following that war, in the Iowa National Guard. For 32 years he operated the Sawyer Truck Line at Winterset, served three terms as Madison County sheriff, two terms as mayor Winterset and 16 years on the Winterset board of utilities trustees.

He was born in Adair County on December 15, 1892, a son of John B. and Barbara Drake Sawyer. He graduated from Winterset High School with the class of 1913, and attended Iowa State University in Ames.

After graduation from high school, he enlisted in Winterset's Company A, 168th Infantry regiment, Iowa National Guard. He held the rank of sergeant when the company was mobilized in 1916 to serve in the Mexican border trouble. In 1917 he had been commissioned a second lieutenant when the company was called to serve with the famous Rainbow division in World War I. They arrived in France aboard the first American troop ship, and he fought in four major battles on the western front.

He was elected sheriff of Madison County in November 1928 and reelected in 1930 and 1932. He served two terms as mayor of Winterset, from 1945 through 1949, and was a member of the Winterset board of utilities trustees from 1955 to 1971.

He organized the Sawyer Lines, a Winterset based trucking firm, in 1926, and operated that business here until 1958, also serving a term as president of the Iowa Motor Trucking Association. For many years he also engaged in farming.

Mr. Sawyer was married to Cecilia Burns on August 28, 1921, at Denver, Colorado. They were parents of three sons. Mrs. Sawyer died in 1965.

He was affiliated with the Methodist Church.

Surviving are the three sons, John B. Sawyer and Robert W. Sawyer of Valparaiso, Indiana and Steven J. Sawyer of Milford, Conn.; 12 grandchildren; and two sisters, Mrs. Mabel Hollen and Mrs. Pearl Morris, both of Winterset. His two brothers, Tom and James Sawyer, and sisters, Dr. Grace Gable and Mrs. Rose Givan, preceded him in death.

Funeral services were held at 10:30 a.m. this Wednesday from the United Methodist Church of Winterset, conducted by the Rev. Dr. Paul Hann.

Burial was made in the Winterset Cemetery with military graveside services.
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Earlham Echo
Earlham, Iowa
Thursday, June 27, 1974
Former County Sheriff Dies

John K. Sawyer, age 81, died June 21 in his son’s home at Valparaiso, Indiana. Services were held Wednesday morning at First United Methodist church in Winterset with interment in the Winterset cemetery.

He is survived by three sons, John B. and Robert W. of Valparaiso, Indiana, and Steven of Milford, Connecticut; 12 grandsons, and two sisters: Mrs. Mable Hollen and Mrs. Pearl Morris of Winterset.

Mr. Sawyer, former operator of the Sawyer Truck Line at Winterset, had also served in the past as county sheriff and mayor of Winterset. He was a World War I veteran of the Rainbow Division.

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