Mrs. Mary Ann Sawyer, widow of the late Ebern Sawyer, is
one of the esteemed and beloved residents of Mount Olive township, Macoupin
County, where she has made her home for more than a half century. Mrs.
Sawyer was born near Nashville, Tennessee, January 23, 1822, and is a
daughter of Michael and Anna (Spence) Best, both families being still well
represented in the Southern States.
Mrs. Sawyer was about two years
old when her parents came to this locality and entered land near Staunton.
They were natives of North Carolina and had resided for a time in Tennessee
prior to coming to Illinois. Mrs. Sawyer grew up under pioneer conditions,
when almost all the family necessities were provided by home skill. In her
young days, the family shoes were made at home from the tanned skins of
their cattle, while the wool from their sheep was spun and woven into cloth
by the industry of her mother and herself and sisters. Mrs. Sawyer, has in
her possession some of her late husband's clothing that was made from wool
spun by herself. In many ways the present grandchildren and
great-grandchildren regard the early life of their beloved grandparent as
one not to be envied, but happiness then as now was much a matter of
surroundings and circumstances, and there are few of the remaining honored
pioneers who can be brought to acknowledge that in every way the present can
equal "old times." Mrs. Sawyer was reared in a log cabin and was taught the
thrift and economy that made her such an admirable wife and mother. She was
one of a family of lo children, all of whom lived to a good old age, and she
and a brother, Wesley Best, of Kansas, still survive.
In 1838 Mary
Ann Best was united in marriage with Ebern Sawyer, who was born November 26,
1814, in Tyrrell County, North Carolina, the third son of Stephen Sawyer,
who was born in North Carolina, but died in Macoupin County, Illinois. Ebern
Sawyer was 16 years of age when he accompanied his parents to Illinois, and
he assisted in transporting the household goods, and took his turn walking,
this being the mode of travel adopted by many of the pioneers when coming to
this State, who later accumulated enough property to buy its farms, banks
and manufactories. Mr. Sawyer arrived here in the fall of 1831. Later he
entered two 40-acre lots and erected a log cabin, one room in which was
plastered. He broke all the prairie which is the present site of
Sawyerville, a town erected by the Superior Coal Company, Shaft No. 2. At
that time the Indians still considered this a hunting ground and Mr. Sawyer
made enough friendly advances to enable him to also enjoy hunting, which was
then a fixie sport on account of the plentitude of deer, foxes, turkeys,
prairie chickens and quail.
Mr. Sawyer lived a long and useful life.
He was a man of good judgment, was twice elected justice of the peace and
served in other local offices. In politics he was a Democrat. He took a
great interest in educational affairs and always did his full part when any
public spirited movement was advocated. His death occurred on April 10,
1873, and he left behind him many to mourn.
Mr. and Mrs. Sawyer had
a family of nine children: Mrs. Anna D. Klock, who resides with her mother;
Stephen T., of Mount Olive township, Macoupin County; Mrs. Mary Ann J.
Courtney, deceased; Michael C, of Oklahoma Territory; H. Perry, deceased;
Mrs. Brittania Clark; Mrs. Margaret E. Walker of Mount Olive township,
Macoupin County; Mrs. Frances E. Lawrence of Spokane, Washington; and Mrs.
Ada McMullen, of The Dalles, Oregon. Mrs. Sawyer has 34 grandchildren and 24
great-grandchildren, and her declining years are made happy and comfortable
by their loving ministrations. She has seen wonderful changes in her
locality and is honored by all who know her as a representative "pioneer
mother."
Extracted 2018 May 08 by Norma Hass from Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens of Macoupin County, Illinois, published in 1904, pages 372-374.
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