Brenham weekly banner. [volume] (Brenham, Tex.) 1877-1907, 1897-06-17

men It's SOIL ana lame are GEAR 10 every pat
riotic Texan. During the decade spoken of
there were several communities in the county
famous for their wealth, intelligence, social
life and hospitable homes. These were be-
sides BRENNAN, the county seat, Indepen-
dence, Chappeil Hill, Washington, Long
| Point and Gay Hill. Men and women
with their slaves, surrounded by all the lux
uries that the times afforded. Those were
hospitable homes and their inmaets were the
soul of chivalrous hospitality. Mr.. Sayles
fowned plantation in the Gay Hill neighbour
! borhood, in which resided also Judge A. 5.
| Lipscomb, Hon. B. E. (Ed) Tarver, Judge
R. f. B. Baylor, Robert Armistead and
| Thomas Af1eck. In speaking of his domes-
| tic life then, Judge Brown, who spent the
winter of 1878 in the home of Mr.. Sayles
says: in his home life Mr., Sayles showed
| to better advantage than in any ether part
of his career. He owned splendid farm
near Gay Hill, in W ashington county, and
quite number of slaves in fact he was for
the times wealthy man. Ills family at the
| time the writer was with them consisted of
his wife, then in the pine of life, three
sons, Barry, John and Henry, and his wife's
mother, Mrs. Gillespie, lady of most low
able character. Mrs. Sayles was an ideal
mother and wife, who lavished her affections
upon and unselffshly devoted her life to her
husband and children. He was kind, in
dulgent and careful husband and father, de-
voting much of his time TO the society of his
wife and training his sons. A pleasant
smile was upon his face and kind words fell
from his lips for all of his household. 1t
was home of refinement, culture and love-
the abiding place of hospitality and good
Cher"
As lawyer Mr.. Sayles was profund, eld-
die, capable and diligent. Success attended
him at the bar and in the preparation of his
cases for trial he displayed rare capacity
for grasplng the very questions involved, and
in analyzing and presenting them to the
court in the clear light of reason while lay
ing before the jury the pertinent facts. He
was soon at the head of his profession and
his legal learning and ability early received
merited recognition. His name appears in
nearly all of the eighty-nine volumes of the
Supreme Court reports of the state as coun-
sci in cases before that court, many of them
involving questions of the greatest impor-
lance. At the early age of IS years he sat
by appointment with Asa NJ. Lewis and
Chief Justice Hemphill as a special Justice of
the Supreme Court i'll the case of the State |
VS.. Delesdenicr, Tex. 76, which involved
the right to land location on Galveston |
Island, and delivered the opinion of the
court Among the important cases in
which he was counsel, one in which l was
associated with him, may be mentioned that |
of DwYer VS.. Hackworth, 81 Tex, 245. This |
case was pending at the same time with that |
of City of Fort Worth VS.. Davis, 81 Tex
225, and was decided about the. same
time. They settled the light of cities and !
towns to assume control of the public |
schools within their limits and TO vote a tax |
for the support thereof and made an epoch |
in public education in this state. mention |
this case also because it serves to illustrate |
his public spirit and his devotion to TIE |
cause of public common school education. |
The present system of free schools was es-
tablished in the city of BRENNAN in Septem-
Der 1875, and in its early struggle for exis-
tence always received his warm support.
He was for sometime one of the trustees of
these schools. Public spirited azd progress
sive Mr.. Sayles was always the advocate of
enterprises to advance the material welfare
and intellectual development of his state.
When the law school was established at In
dependence in connection with Baylor Uni
versity he was selected as one of its teach
ers and associated with Judges R. T. Wheel
er and r. E. B. Baylor, continued to lecture
therein until the civil war claimed the stu
dents. Judge Thos. j. Brown, C. R. Breed
love, E. F. Ewing, Charles T. Kavanaugh,
Judge John N. Henderson of the present
Court of Criminal Appeals, and others of
Washington county attended the school. After
the war in 1870 the school was reopened for
y while in BRENNAN, with small class
which Mr.. Sayles also lectursd. 1t was my
privilege to be a member of this class,
and to begin then an association and to
form friendship which was ever congenial
and helpful to me. Both from hard knocks
at the bar and in the more pleasant manner
of gentle advice l received from HIM in
suuctive lessons in legal principles and the
of cases. To his npe scholar
ship wers added polished manners and q
pleasant address. He was a good reader
and a favorite in literary and social circles.
there as elsewhere shed beneficial influence.
Mr.. Sayles was never a politician, but he
took an intelligent interest in public affairs
and often furnished aid and sound advice in
heir direction. Once in the pal1ny ante
bellum. of old Washington county he was
sent to the Legislature. The campaign was
he memorable one of 1855. 1t was that year
hat the American or Know Nothing party
was at its zenith. Two members were to be
elected. L. Farquhar, planter, residing
1ear the town of old Washington ard Mr..
SaYles were the candidates upon the ticket
If the American party and Col. A. NJ. Up
haw, planter, and Ed Tarver were the
candidates upon the Democratic ticket. Tar
yer and Sayles were elected. Both of them
we're able lawyers and excellent speakers
| hey made thorough canvass of the
county, held joint debates and crowds would
ollow them, and people came from all parts
If the state to hear their discussions. When
Sayles and Tarver were in the House of
it was a common remark
hat Washington county had more brains
n the Legislature than Texas had in Con-
,ress, and this without disparagement to the
eminent gentlemen representing Texas in
he Congress of the United States, but as an
evidence of the county pride OF the people
n the ability of their representatives. After
us term in the Legislature expired Mr.. Sayles
eIewed his allegiance to the Democratic
party, and in the dark days of reconstruc-
lou after the war was shoulder to shoulder
with the people in their endeavor to free
themselves from carpet bag rule. In 1872
when the old third congressional district was
n the throes of mighty contest, and the
Democracy had put up Cold. G. Giddings as
is standard bearer to represent the district
n Congress, instead of w. T. Clark, a
from Connecticut, Mr. Sayles
vent to the front and delivered speeches to
he voters, calling upon them to restore the
people to their own. On one occasion
emember when there was large number
.f Naol- i