Brenham weekly banner. [volume] (Brenham, Tex.) 1877-1907, 1897-06-17
John SAYLES.
"E'regie monumental acre PerennoS.
Horace.

-IIOI UCt.
To THE BANNER=-Several notices of the
death of the late Honorable John Sayle'
have appeared in different publications, bu
they were either hastily prepared or related
to particular phases of his life. Therefore
it is proper to set forth before the readers 0
the BANNER and the people of South Texa
where he lived so long a more accurate anC
comprehensive sketch Of his long and use
I full life and an estimate of his character ant
his labors for the people of his adopted
state. As a friend and acquaintance TO
nearly thirty years, and an admirer Of hi
character and one who sat at his feet in tn
acquisition of legal learning it will not b.
inappropriate, 1 hope, for me to assume tn
preparation of such a sketch:
John Sayles was born in Vernon, Onedi;
county, New York, little over sevent!
years ago. He died Suddenly at his resi-
dence in Abilene, Texas, on the 22nd day o
May, 1897. From sketch that appears il
Lynch's Bench and Bar of Texas We learr
that his father, an eminent physician and :
native of Rhode Island, was Of English de
scent and belonged to one of the Oldest fam
lies of the country. His ancestor came &c
America in the ship with Roger Williams
and afterwards married his daughter. His
mother was the granddaughter of the cele-
brated missionary to the Indians, John Ser
geant, and was connected with the families
of Edwards, Dwight and ,Sedgwick, so dis
tinguished for their learning and ability.
He was educated at an academy in his
native town and at Hamilton College, New
York. His father being man of limited
means young Sayles in the fifteenth year of
his age taught school to defray his expenses
at College. Thus was broad and deep
foundation of learning laid for the profound
and scholarly man of later years. When
through college he left his native state for
the South and went to Georgia where he
taught school for one year. He came to
Texas in Ie45, scarcely twenty years of age.
The immigration Of this young man reared
amid the soft influences high civilization to
a rough and unsettled country, as Texas then
was, evinced to remarkable degree the vir-
tue of self reliance. lie stopped in Wash
ington county, which was afterwards his
home for more than forty years, and COM
menced his long and useful career in Texas
by teaching school, in the meantime reading
law, the path so many young men have trod
who afterwards became eminent as lawyers
and citizens. Among his pupils were w. G.
wilkins, James A. Wilkins and Mrs. Sarah
Lusk, who now resides in Brennan. In
letter to me, W. G. Wilkins says: "The
FIRST time ever heard or knew of General
John Ssyles was his arrival on one Monday
at the old log school house about
one-haf of mile from the court house on
The Independence road in the year 1916 or
1916. He assisted Rev. L. P. Rucker in
teaching school, at the same time reading
lsw. Mr.. Sayles was quite young looking
man, or boy, to teach school; this was the
made upon the boys, a number
Of whom were older than he was.'' He
was admitted to the bar in 1886. In 1919
be married Mary, the daughter of Col.
Barry Gillespie. His wife survives him.
Of the children born to them there are now
living two sons, Barry Gillespie and Henry,
and three daughters, Mary, Hattie and En-
ma. Hattie is the vile of Mr.. George Harris.
All are grown and all reside in Abilene, ex-
cept Barry G., who lives on the old home
stead plantation In Washington county.
John, another son, met an accidental death
n Colorado years ago while prospecting for
mines.
Mr.. Sayles and Col. Gillespie formed a
sw partnership which lasted until the death
If the latter in 1851. Afterwards he entered
INTO partnership with w. Y. Mcfarland,
mother of the eminent lawyers of those
lays who were ornaments to the bar of
Washington county, and whose learning
adorned the profession. In 1857 the firm of
Sayles and Basset was formed. This firm be-
anne known throughout the state for the
egal ability and learning of its members.
lust after the war Jeferson Bassett Withdrew
rom the firm and devoted himself exclus-
vely to the banking business. But the
with B. b. Bassett continued
Until 1886 when it Was dissolved by the re-
noval of Mr.. Sayles to Abilene. He there
ormed partnership with his son Henry,
Who left Galveston and Joined him there for
hat purpose.
Judge Brown of the Supreme Court of this
state, writing of the time prior to the war,
when he first knew Mr.. Sayles, says: "Ihe
Jar at BRENNAN at that date was composed
If Asa NJ. Lewis. J. D. Giddings, Chauncey
md James E. Shepard, Judge Horton,
lanes Willie and b. E. Tarver, the elder
members, and of the younger men B. H.
Davis, Ben H. Basset D. c. Giddings,
-osiah Crosby and Asa q. Willie with others
lot now remembered. The older members
Of the bar were at the time men Of &C
ability and lawyers of learning,
md the younger members each subsequently
attained high standing as first-class lawyers,
md in public and private life welded great
At that bar Mr. Sayles at an
,arly date won his place in the front rank OF
lis profession, and maintained himself in
hat position during the time he continued
n practice.