THOMAS J. SAYLOR 1830 to 1912

SAYLOR, HOWARD, NAGLE, MATHIS, ENTERLINE, BLACKMAN

Posted By: James Mincks (email)
Date: 10/2/2010 at 00:11:31

Thomas J. Saylor, 82, who was born March 27, 1830 in Indianapolis, IN., passed away Saturday, Oct. 5, at his home near Saylorville.

His parents were Thomas and Mary Howard Saylor, natives of Indiana and Ohio. Mr. Saylor was only a lad of six when his mother and stepfather came to Iowa, in which state he made his home for more than seventy-seven years. The educational advantages were very limited at that time, owing to the sparsely settled country, the failure of the territorial laws to make provision for schools, and the frequent trouble with Indians, which made any definite or systematic method impractiable outside of the villages, and thus Mr. Saylor's schooling was limited to a brief term in Valparaiso and two months in Van Buren county. However, he has been an observer, thinker and reader, and traveled quite extensively throughout the United States, thus becoming a much better educated man than many who have had the opportunity of acquiring a high school or academic course.

While yet very young while assisting his father at the garrison he became familiar with four Indian languages, Sac, Fox, Pottawattamie and Winnebago, which made him of great assistance as an interpreter during the rebellion with the Indians. On the first of August, 1862, shortly after returning from the locality of the Indian troubles, he enlisted in Company E, Twenty-third Iowa Volunteer Infantry, and served until the close of the war. Mr. Saylor saw much active service and was present at the capture of Mobile, AL., on the 15th of April, 1865, and the following morning they received word of the surrender of Lee, and the assassination of Lincoln. They received their discharge at Harrisburg, TX., on the 14th of August, 1885, and were sent to Davenport, IA., at which point they received their final discharge.

On the 16th of February, 1851, he was united in marriage with Adeline Nagle, daughter of Franklin and Rebecca Nagle. Mr. and Mrs. Saylor were the parents of the following children: John Franklin, who is now residing in Spokane, WA., the head of a boys private boarding school; Charles F., who was formerly connected with the United States department of agriculture, but whose death occured April 20, 1911; Elizabeth Ione Ola??yer of Omaha, NE.; Lillian May Mathis of Cheyenne, WY.; Martha E. Enterline who lived with her parents; and Effie Belle Blackman of Des Moines.

To Mr. Saylor belongs the distinction of being the oldest settler in Polk county and the only resident living upon the land which he purchased from the government. He was identified with the Masonic fraternity, and also kept in touch with his comrades of old by means of Kinsman Post No. 7, G.A.R. He also belonged to the Union Veterans Union.

Funeral services will be held Tuesday, Oct. 8, at 11 a.m., at the Saylorville church.

taken from the Des Moines Tribune; Monday, October 7, 1912; page 12, column 2.