P.D. Devasagayam

Mr.P.D.Devasahayam was born in 1822. He went toCeylon and there he worked as a conductor and Manager in an Estate and returned to NAGERCOIL a wealthy man. He constructed a tin-roofed house opposite to the present Women’s Christian College. This house was then known as the “Mavadi Veedu” as it stood close to a very large mango tree. He owned large areas of land around his house and also on the western part of NAGERCOIL. He had great interest in plantation and so in 1858 he purchased 60 acres of land from the Travancore government and developed it into the Victoria Coffee Estate. He was very generous by nature and offered tithe of his income from the estate to the NAGERCOIL Church. He was one among the three deacons elected to the Church in 1866. As Mr.P.D.Devasahayam - Elizabeth Gnanai couple was not blessed with a child they adopted John Sahayam who was the son of Mr. Yovan, the brother of Mrs.Elizabeth Gnanai. Mr.John Sahayam had five brothers namely David, Sebagnanam, Sahayam, Dennison and Lazar and three sisters Annie, Sophia and Annammal Arulai. Of these Dennison and Sophia died before getting married.