Thomas Sawyer

Thomas was born to Thomas and Mary (Prescott) Sawyer, the first born of 14 children. He was a Blacksmith, Millwright, and Builder.

On Sept. 21, 1672, he married his 2nd wife, Hannah Lewis of Lancaster, b. March 18, 1649. dau. of William and Amy (Weld) Lewis. They were the parents of Joseph b.1683, d.1737, Other children were Mary b.1671, Bezaleel b.1673, Hannah, b.1675, William b.1679, Bezaleel b.1685, and Elias b.1687.

On Oct. 26, 1708, 59 yr. old Thomas, his son Elias, 21, and one John Biglo (Bigelow) were captured by the Indians and taken to Canada. When the party reached Montreal, Sawyer offered to erect a saw mill on the River Chambly on condition that the French governor obtain the release of the captives. Apperently there was little difficulty in arranging for the freedom of Young Elias and Mr.Biglo, but for some reason the Indians were determined to put Thomas to death by slow torture. This may have been their way of paying tribute to him, for he was reputed to be a very brave man.

In any event, a seeming miracle, probably arranged by the french governor, saved Thomas. He had already been tied to the stake when a friar appeared before the Indians and annouced dramatically that he held the key to Purgatory in his hand. Unless they released their prisoner at once, he thundered, he would unlock the gate and throw them all in! The Indians, being superstitious, turned Thomas over to the French.

He finished the saw mill as promised - reportedly the first built in Canada - before the year was out, and was sent home to Lancaster along with John Biglo. Elias remained for some time in order to teach the Canadians the art of "sawing and keeping the mill in order, and then was dismissed with rich presents."

This story appears in published histories of Lancaster, as well as in many Sawyer family histories.

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https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Sawyer-638

no image Thomas Sawyer Jr. (1649 - 1736)

Privacy Level: Open (White) Thomas Sawyer Jr. Born 2 Jul 1649 in Lancaster, Middlesex, Massachusetts Baymap ANCESTORS ancestors Son of Thomas Sawyer and Mary (Prescott) Sawyer Brother of Ephraim Sawyer, Mary (Sawyer) Wilder, Joshua Sawyer, James Sawyer, Caleb Sawyer, John Sawyer, Elizabeth (Sawyer) Hosmer, Deborah Sawyer, Hannah (Sawyer) Blood, Nathaniel Sawyer, Martha Sawyer and John Sawyer [half] Husband of Sarah (Fairbanks) Sawyer — married 11 Oct 1670 (to about 2 Mar 1672) in Lancaster, Worcester, Massachusettsmap Husband of Hannah (Lewis) Sawyer — married 21 Nov 1672 in Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusettsmap Husband of Mary (Rice) Sawyer — married 15 Jul 1718 in Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusettsmap Husband of Anna (UNKNOWN) Sawyer — married 31 Dec 1733 [location unknown] DESCENDANTS descendants Father of Mary (Sawyer) Rice, Hannah (Sawyer) Moore, William Sawyer, Joseph Sawyer, Bezaleel Sawyer and Elias Sawyer Died 5 Sep 1736 in Lancaster, Worcester, Massachusetts Baymap Profile manager: Elizabeth Patterson private message [send private message] Profile last modified 11 Dec 2019 | Created 21 Jun 2011 This page has been accessed 1,643 times. Contents

[hide] 1 Biography 1.1 Birth 1.2 Marriages 1.3 Notes 1.4 Note 1.5 Children 2 Sources Biography

Thomas Sawyer, son of Thomas Sawyer and Mary or Marie (Prescott) Sawyer, was born in Lancaster, Massachusetts, on 2 July 1649.[1][2][3] He is often denoted as Thomas Sawyer, Jr. He died on 5 September 1736 in Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusetts. [2] He is buried in the Old Burial Field, Lancaster, Massachusetts. The gravestone inscription was recorded as: "Here lyes Buried | ye Body of Mr. | thomas sawyer, | Who Died Septemb': | 5th; 1736, in y 89 | Year of His Age."[4]

Birth

Born: 2 July 1649 in Lancaster, Massachusetts. Marriages

Thomas Sawyer, Jr., was married four times.

Thomas married his first wife, Sarah, on 11 October 1670, in Lancaster, Massachusetts.[5] Barlow identifies her as Sarah Fairbanks, daughter of John and Sarah (Fiske) Fairbanks, born in Dedham on 9 December 1645. She died in Lancaster on 2 March 1671.[2]

Thomas married Hannah, his second wife, on 21 November 1672, in Lancaster, Massachusetts[6][7] Barlow identifies her as Hannah Lewis, daughter of William and Amy (Weld or Wells) Lewis, born in Roxbury on 18 March 1649.[2]

The third wife of Thomas Sawyer, Jr., was Mary (Rice) White, widow of Josiah White and daughter of Thomas and Mary (King) Rice, born at Sudbury on 4 September 1656. She was married to Thomas on 15 July 1718. She died in Lancaster on 22 August 1733.[2]

Thomas married his fourth wife, Anna Ross, widow of Thomas Ross, on 31 December 1733. Her birth name is not known. She survived Thomas as his widow. She was reportedly in her 74th year when she died in November 1753.[2]

Notes

"A brave Indian fighter, who was surprised, and captured, with his son Elias, and carried away captive to Canada, in 1705. After a year, having been released, he returned to his home and family; and was thereafter made a member of the General Court" [from THE STORY OF MY ANCESTORS by Rev.Edwin Sawyer Walker]

Note

Like his father, he was a blacksmith, millwright, and builder. He joined the First Church of Lancaster in 1718. On October 26, 1708, Thomas, his son Elias and John Bigelow were captured by Indians and taken to Canada. When they reached Montreal, Thomas offered to erect a sawmill in exchange for their release. For unknown reasons the Indians determined to torture Thomas to death. This may have been their way of paying tribute to him, because he was known to be very brave. Thomas was tied to the stake when a friar appeared, announcing that he held the key to Purgatory in his hand and that he would unlock the gate and throw the Indians in if Thomas were not released. The friar's ruse may have been arranged by the French governor. The Indians relented and released Thomas, who built the sawmill as promised. This was reportedly the first sawmill in Canada. Thomas and John Bigelow were sent home, but Elias Sawyer remained for some time to teach the Canadians how to use and maintain the mill; he was then sent home with "rich presents." Children

The one child of Thomas Sawyer and Sarah Fairbanks (his first wife) was Mary.[2]

Children of Thomas Sawyer and Hannah Lewis (his second wife) were Hannah, William, Joseph, Bezaleel, and Elias.[2]

Sources

↑ Nourse, The Birth, Marriage, and Death Register, page 10: Thomas the sonn of Thomas Sawyer and Marie his wife : was borne the 2==5 mon 1649. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 Barlow, page 76. ↑ Some genealogies (and some earlier versions of this WikiTree profile) have given his date of birth as 2 May 1649, probably because of a mistaken interpretation of the reference to "5th mon(th)" in the birth record. At the time the record was made, the year was calculated to begin in March, so July was the fifth month. ↑ Nourse, Henry. The Birth, Marriage, and Death Register, Church Records and Epitaphs of Lancaster, Massachusetts. 1643-1850, page 406. ↑ Nourse, The Birth, Marriage, and Death Register, page 14: Mariages [sic]: Thomas Sawyer & Sarah his wife, 11. 8. 70. ↑ Nourse, The Birth, Marriage, and Death Register, page 14: Mariages [sic]: Tho : Sawyer & Hannah his wife, 21. 9. 72. ↑ "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FCSH-V4Z : 13 July 2016), Tho. Sawyer and Hannah, 21 Sep 1672; citing Marriage, Lancaster, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States, , town clerk offices, Massachusetts; FHL microfilm 892,249. Barlow, Claude N. The Children of Thomas Sawyer of Lancaster. The American Genealogist, v. 30 (1954), page 74 ff. (Access requires NEHGS membership.) Carter, Amory. Sawyers in America Worcester, Mass: Press of Edward R. Fiske 1883. Nourse, Henry. The Birth, Marriage, and Death Register, Church Records and Epitaphs of Lancaster, Massachusetts. 1643-1850 (Lancaster, Mass., 1890). Walker, Rev. Edwin Sawyer. The Story of My Ancestors in America. Chicago: D. Oliphant, 1895. Wakefield, Homer. "Wakefield Memorial: comprising an historical, genealogical and biographical register of the name and family of Wakefield. Private Printing. 1897. p.83 Holman, Mary. Ancestry of Colonel John Harrington Stevens and His Wife Frances Helen Miller (Rumford Press, Concord, N.H., 1948) Vol. 1, Page 49

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Thomas Sawyer Memorial Photos Flowers Edit Share Learn about sponsoring this memorial... Birth: Jul. 2, 1649 Lancaster Worcester County Massachusetts, USA Death: Sep. 5, 1736 Lancaster Worcester County Massachusetts, USA

MY 8TH GREAT GRANDFATHER, Thomas was born to Thomas and Mary (Prescott) Sawyer, the first born of 14 children.He was a Blacksmith, Millwright, and Builder. On Sept. 21, 1672, he married his 2nd wife, Hannah Lewis of Lancaster, b. March 18, 1649. dau. of William and Amy (Weld) Lewis. They were the parents of Joseph b.1683, d.1737, my 7th great grandfather. Other children were Mary b.1671, Bezaleel b.1673, Hannah, b.1675, William b.1679, Bezaleel b.1685, and Elias b.1687. On Oct. 26, 1708, 59 yr. old Thomas, his son Elias, 21, and one John Biglo (Bigelow) were captured by the Indians and taken to Canada. When the party reached Montreal, Sawyer offered to erect a saw mill on the River Chambly on condition that the French governor obtain the release of the captives. Apperently there was little difficulty in arranging for the freedom of Young Elias and Mr.Biglo, but for some reason the Indians were determined to put Thomas to death by slow torture. This may have been their way of paying tribute to him, for he was reputed to be a very brave man. In any event, a seeming miracle, probably arranged by the french governor, saved Thomas. He had already been tied to the stake when a friar appeared before the Indians and annouced dramatically that he held the key to Purgatory in his hand. Unless they released their prisoner at once, he thundered, he would unlock the gate and throw them all in! The Indians, being superstitious, turned Thomas over to the French. He finished the saw mill as promised - reportedly the first built in Canada - before the year was out, and was sent home to Lancaster along with John Biglo. Elias remained for some time in order to teach the Canadians the art of "sawing and keeping the mill in order, and then was dismissed with rich presents." This story appears in published histories of Lancaster, as well as in many Sawyer family histories.

Family links:

Parents:

 Thomas Sawyer (1616 - 1706)

 Mary Prescott Sawyer (1629 - 1705)

Spouses:
Hannah Lewis Sawyer (1649 - ____)*

 Mary Rice White Sawyer (1656 - 1733)*

Children:
Hannah Sawyer Moore (1675 - 1765)*

 William Sawyer (1679 - 1741)*

 Joseph Sawyer (1683 - 1737)*

 Bazaleel Sawyer (1685 - 1760)*

 Elias Sawyer (1687 - 1752)*

Siblings:
Thomas Sawyer (1649 - 1736)

 Mary Sawyer Wilder (1653 - 1740)*

 Joshua Sawyer (1655 - 1738)*

 James Sawyer (1657 - 1753)*

 Caleb Sawyer (1659 - 1755)*

 Elizabeth Sawyer Hosmer (1663 - 1745)*

 Nathaniel Sawyer (1670 - 1756)*

*Calculated relationship

Burial: Old Settlers Burial Yard Lancaster Worcester County Massachusetts, USA

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2. Thomas Sawyer, Capt. (1.Thomas1) born 2-Jul-1649, Lancaster, Worcester Co., MA, Occupation: Blacksmith, Millwright, married (1) 11-Aug-1670, in Lancaster, Worcester Co., MA, Sarah Fairbanks, born 9-Dec-1645, Dedham, Norfolk Co., MA, (daughter of John Fairbanks and Sarah Fiske) died 2-Jan-1672, Lancaster, Worcester Co., MA, married (2) 21-Aug-1672, in Lancaster, Worcester Co., MA, Hannah Lewis, born 18-Mar-1649, Roxbury, Suffolk Co., MA, (daughter of William Lewis and Amy Weld) died 1708, Lancaster, Worcester Co., MA, married (3) 15-Jul-1718, in Sudbury, Middlesex Co., MA, Mary Rice, born 4-Sep-1656, Sudbury, Middlesex Co., MA, (daughter of Thomas Rice and Mary King) died 22-Aug-1733, Sudbury, Middlesex Co., MA, married (4) 15-Dec-1733, Anna Ross, died 0-Nov-1753. Thomas died 5-Sep-1736, Lancaster, Worcester Co., MA.

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ID: I52909 Name: Thomas (1) SAWYER 1 2 Sex: M Birth: 02 JUL 1649 in LANCASTER, MA 1 2 Reference Number: 44391 Death: 05 SEP 1736 in LANCASTER, MA 1

HintsAncestry Hints for Thomas (1) SAWYER

   10 possible matches found on Ancestry.com	Ancestry.com

Father: Thomas (*) SAWYER b: 1615 in LINCOLN, LINCOLNSHIRE, ENGLAND Mother: Mary (*) PRESCOTT b: 24 FEB 1629/30 in BAPT. SOWERBY, ENGLAND

Marriage 1 Hannah LEWIS b: 18 MAR 1647/48 in ROXBURY, MA Married: 21 NOV 1672 in LANCASTER, MA 2 Children Has No Children Mary SAWYER b: 30 JAN 1671/72 Has Children Hannah (2) SAWYER b: 23 MAY 1675 in MARLBOROUGH, MA Has Children William (2) SAWYER b: 02 FEB 1678/79 in MARLBORO, MA Has Children Joseph (2) SAWYER b: 1682 in LANCASTER, MA Has Children Bezaleel (2) SAWYER b: 03 MAY 1685 in LANCASTER, MA Has Children Elias (2) SAWYER b: 1689 in LANCASTER, MA Has Children Sarah (2) SAWYER b: ABT 1692 in LANCASTER, MA Has No Children Josiah SAWYER b: ABT 1694 in LANCASTER, MA

Marriage 2 Mary (3) RICE b: 04 SEP 1656 in SUDBURY, MA Married: 15 JUL 1718 1

Marriage 3 Sarah (4) FAIRBANKS b: 09 DEC 1645 in DEDHAM, MA Married: 11 AUG 1670 Children Has Children Mary (2) SAWYER b: 30 NOV 1671

Sources: Title: WORLD FAMILY TREE VOL 3 - 5215 Title: WORLD FAMILY TREE VOL 1 - 4281