Born: ca. 1720? at Yorkshire, England
Father: Admiral Herbert SAWYER [Sr] 1731-98, whose 'squadron had cruised on the New England coast prior to
1776, when he secured, by grant, Shelter Island, in Long Island Sound, for his son, Moses'. The Admiral's
eldest son was also Admiral Herbert SAWYER KCB d1833 Spouse: Phebe HAVENS
Children:
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The GBR source has a SAWYER entry on p. 879 which indicates that the SAWYER family of CT, one of the very early ones at Mystic, originated in Yorkshire, England, whence came Moses SAWYER to America about 1740. He settled on Shelter Island, in Gardner's Bay [NY], from which place he moved to Mystic [CT] during the war for Independence, bringing with him his wife, whose maiden name was Phebe Havens, and their sons, John, James and William, and daughters, Sarah and Phebe. They first lived in the chambers of the Frederick Dennison house, but later moved to Noank [CT], where Moses died of smallpox, and was buried in the old Noank burying ground.
Besides the members of his family who accompanied him to Mystic, there remained on Long Island, his daughters, Mary, who had been married to Zebulon WEEKS; and Martha, who had been married to Wakeman FOSTER. Of the children who came to Mystic, Sarah was married to William WILBUR, and settled at Noank, where a number of their descendants still reside (as of 1905). Phebe was married to William BROWN, and they returned to Long Island. John, the eldest son, when 18 years old, was killed on board the American privateer, "Eagle," in an engagement with a British brig-of-war.
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