Mrs. Jemima SAWYER, farmer, Sec. 30 ; P. 0. Fort Madison; daughter of Jabez and Jemina SAWYER. She was born at Mendel, Franklin Co., Mass., where, at the age of 21 years, she married her cousin, John SAWYER, son of Joseph and Eunice SAWYER, who was born in the same place in 1800. In 1832, they removed to Bristol, Morgan Co., Ohio, where they engaged in farming until 1836, when they came to Lee Co. [Iowa]. In the spring of 1837, they purchased the farm (240 acres, valued at $40 an acre) where Mrs. SAWYER now resides. Mr. SAWYER died from the result of a fall from an apple-tree while picking apples, in the fall of 1876, leaving a family of six children — Franklin, born in 1832, now in the bee and goat business in Texas; Asahel P., born April 5, 1834, now at Mount Ayr. Iowa; William C., born Aug. 16, 1835, enlisted at the beginning of the late war and died in October, 1861; Sarah M., born Feb. 28, 1839, wife of Hezekiah K. GRIFFIS, of Nebraska ; Mary C., born April 7, 1841, wife of Richard E. GRIFFIS, of Clay's Grove; Martha J., born July 26, 1845, is at home with her mother; Nathaniel G., born Aug. 5, 1847, lives at Germantown, Kan.

SOURCE: The History of Lee County, Iowa p. 850. Western Historical Co. Chicago. 1879.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, May of 2009