John Nearpass SAWYER

Born: 06 Apr 1817 at Montague township, NJ
Died: 12 Oct 1904 at Mill Rift, Pike Co., PA

Father: James SAWYER
Mother: Catherine NEARPASS

Spouse: Martha Ann CRANE (1829-99)

Children (all born at Mill Rift, Pike Co., PA):

  • Julia Ann b. 2 Jul 1847 d. 7 Jun 1871
  • Calvin C. b. 5 Apr 1849 d. 1923 m. Josephine ? (1851-1925)
  • Harriet b. 22 Sep 1850 d. 27 Sep 1851
  • Gertrude b. 14 Feb 1852 d. 18 May 1933 m. ? STEARNS
  • Mary Alice b. 25 Oct 1854 d. 25 Dec 1855
  • William b. 8 Jul 1856 d. 9 Oct 1937 m1. Mary WINTERMUTE (1857-1917) m2. Vinnie KNICKERBOCKER
  • Gabriel Franklin b. 8 Oct 1858 d. 21 Sep 1943 veterinarian, settled in Juneau, WI
  • Samuel Houston b. 8 Sep 1860 d. 14 Sep 1896
  • Carrie Adalaide b. 13 Aug 1862 d. 31 May 1908 m. Jasper JOY
  • George B. McClellan 15 Oct 1864 d. 19?? superintendent of Pike Co. Schools, m. Ella V. EARL
  • Henry H. b. 6 Nov 1866 d. 14 Sep 1947
  • Emma Theresa b. 28 Mar 1871 d. 1 Sep 1951 m. Harry G. LAWTON

    John and Martha were married 16 Apr 1846, probably at Mill Rift, PA. Martha was b. 27 Aug 1829 at Shohola township, Pike Co., PA and d. 2 Jan 1899.

    Elaine MASON has an old book that came from Aunt Ella SAWYER and Rena by Beers and Co. titled "Commemorative Biographical Record of Northeast Pennsylvania" which contains SAWYER info. She also has the family Bible of John Nearpass SAWYER, which was published in 1864 in New York by The American Bible Society. One of the inside pages shows: J. N. Sawyer Book January 1869. All of the specific dates (i.e. month/day) on this page come from her, as well as some extra name/marriage details. Ella EARL (wife of George) was her father's maternal Aunt.

    Other information (not sure how it fits, possibly wives of above children?) found in this family Bible: Kate d. 9 Jul 1923, Josephine C. d. 11 Jan 1925, Mary SAWYER (no date, but listed between death dates of Josephine and Gertrude). There was also a 5 Jan 1899 receipt from B. M. Dewitt & Co. (corner of Pike St. and Orange Square in Port Jervis) for the funeral of Martha A. (CRANE) SAWYER folded up in the Bible.

    It is unclear where or when George, Ella's husband, died. Elaine assumes it was somewhere out west, maybe CA or OR.

    Elaine also sent some gravestone information taken from the Index of LAUREL GROVE CEMETERY BURIAL RECORDS 1864-1988 on file at Minisink Valley Historical Society, Port Jervis, NY (compiled by Donald R. Gumaer, 1994). This cemetery is in Tri-States, between the Delaware and Neversink Rivers.

    Dorothy SAWYER no burial # 12 April 1968 Lot 91 section F
    Jemima SAWYER 7455 22 May 1914 127 E
    Michael SAWYER 5838 02 Apr 1938 127 E
    Julia Ann SAWYER 0920 08 Jun 1871 13 F
    Samuel H. SAWYER 4484 14 Sep 1896 120 B

    Dear Folks showed 2 separate children Gabriel and Franklin, but information from Elaine MASON indicates this is the same person.

    Sources: Dear Folks and Tom HULSE (William's dates)