HISTORY: Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia, Chapter 7, Sawyer, Dauphin County, PA 

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Bookwalter

Copyright 2007.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/dauphin/
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/dauphin/runk/runk-bios.htm
_______________________________________________________________ 

Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of Dauphin County, 
Containing Sketches of Representative Citizens, and Many of the 
Early Scotch-Irish and German Settlers.  Chambersburg, Pa.: 
J. M. Runk & Company, 1896, pages 138-139.
_______________________________________________________________ 

                           THE SAWYER FAMILY.

  I.  WILLIAM SAWYER, a native of Ireland, settled on the Kennebec, in 
Maine, in the fall of 1717.  Whether his father ever came to 
Pennsylvania is doubtful, but William located in Lancaster county, 
Derry township, prior to 1735.  He was born in 1703 and died October 
18, 1784.  In old Derry church graveyard is this inscription:
  In memory of | William Saw- | yer, who de- | parted this Life | 
Octo'r the 18 1784 | in the 81st year | of his age. 
  His wife Sophia (maiden name not known, b. in 1705; d. September 9, 
1788, and is buried by his side.  They had issue, all b. in Derry 
township, among others:
    2.   i.  John, b. 1729; m. Jean Allen.
        ii.  Hannah, b. April 21, 1731; d. October 26, 1806; m. John 
Logan, b. 1729; d. February 21, 1788; and there was issue (surname 
Logan):
          1.  Thomas.
          2.  William. 
          3.  John. 
          4.  Margaret, m. a Willson
          5.  Mary, m. Samuel McClerry.
       iii.  James, b. 1733.
    3.  iv.  Benjamin, b. 1735; m. Margaret _____.
         v.  Thomas, b. 1737; m., March 30, 1762, Margaret McCallen.
        vi.  [A dau.}, m. William Duncan and had William. 
    4. vii.  William, b. 1741; m. Jean Willson.

  II.  JOHN SAWYER (William), b. 1729; d.    

DAUPHIN COUNTY  139

1812; m., October 27, 1757, Jean Allen, b. 1736; dau. of William and 
Elizabeth Allen, of Hanover.  They had issue:
         i.  Joseph, b. 1758; m. Elizabeth _____; removed to Preble 
county, Ohio, and died there.
        ii.  John, m. Mary Bell, of Hanover.
       iii.  William.
        iv.  Jane, b. 1764; d. November 29, 1803; m. Robert Geddes.
         v.  Elizabeth, m. John Boal. 
        vi.  Sophia. 
  There were other daughters.  One married James Johnston, removed in 
1727 to Fountain county, Ind., and died there.  One m. John McCord, and 
removed in 1827 to Preble county, Ohio.  One m. John Allen, and another 
William Sawyer, a cousin.  Concerning the latter, we have the following 
information:
  Some years after their marriage William Sawyer and his wife became 
thoroughly convinced that their marriage was wrong and agreed finally 
to separate.  Accordingly their farm was sold and the proceeds divided.  
Both loved each other dearly, and when the time came for separation the 
ordeal was a severe one.  After embracing his wife he would go a short 
distance, then return, and so continued for some time, when at last, 
amid tears, he passed out of view.  William Sawyer went to the then far 
West, engaged in boating on the Ohio, and was subsequently drowned in 
the Kanawha river while taking down a boat load of salt.  The widow of 
William Sawyer married Joseph Clokey, who left Ireland at the time of 
the Rebellion of '98, immediately after the battle of Belany-Hinch.  "I 
was quite a boy," wrote the late Samuel Barnett, of Springfield, in 
1867, "at the time but remember hearing all about the case.  He escaped 
almost by miracle to this country."  Mr. Clokey's daughter Eliza came 
subsequently to this country.  She married a Mr. Hughes, near 
Canonsburg, Pa., and deceased there, leaving two or three children.  
Mrs. Clokey was a cousin of my mother's.  She had by this second 
marriage two sons and one daughter.  The daughter married Rev. Mr. 
Wilson, of Canonsburg, and died about 1866.  Mr. Clokey removed from 
where he lived, near Hanover church, to Canonsburg, about 1813 or 1814.  
Both Mr. and Mrs. Clokey deceased there a number of years ago.  Their 
son, John Clokey, married and had a family.  His widow resides in 
Springfield, Ohio.  Joseph Clokey, the other son, took a college course 
at Canonsburg, studied theology, joined the Associate Reformed Church 
at the time the union was consummated between the Associate and the 
Associate Reformed Church, now the United Presbyterian Church.  He 
afterwards became professor of pastoral theology in the United 
Theological Seminary at Xenia, Ohio.  He has been twice married.  His 
first wife was a Patterson, by whom he had a son and daughter.  The 
former died at Springfield, Ohio; the daughter married a Mr. Henry, and 
removed to Illinois.  Dr. Clokey married, secondly, a Mrs. Waddell, 
from near Wheeling, by whom he had three sons and two daughters.  One 
son is preaching at Steubenville, Ohio; another at Indianapolis, and 
the third is a lawyer."  The Rev. Dr. Clokey was the oldest minister in 
Springfield at the time this letter of Mr. Barnett's was written and 
considered an able divine.

  III.  BENJAMIN SAWYER (William), b. about 1735 in Derry township, 
then Lancaster, now Londonderry township, Dauphin county, Pa.; d. 
February 5, 1792.  He married Margaret _____, b. 1737; d. 1796; and 
they had issue:  
         i.  Thomas, m., and had William, Jr., m. Mary _____.
        ii.  William. 
       iii.  James. 
        iv.  Hannah.

  IV.  WILLIAM SAWYER (William), b. about 1741, in Derry township, 
Lancaster county, now Londonderry township, Dauphin county; d. August 
20, 1785.  He m., October 1, 1761, by Rev. John Roan, Jean Willson.  
After Mr. Sawyer's death she married David Miskimmins.  They had issue:
         i.  Mary, m. William Crain. 
        ii.  Margaret, m. Archibald Boyd.
       iii.  Joseph, b. 1773; d. February 28, 1789; buried in Derry 
churchyard.
        iv.  William, m. Esther Rogers.
         v.  Elizabeth, m. Alexander Weir.