Some Notes on Charles Wesley Sawyer, Sr.:
"Charles Sawyer sentenced to transportation at Middlesex Quarter
Sessions
in January---transported in April 1771. Name of the ship was Thornton.
Dougal
McDougal, capt. May 1771." --- English Convicts in Colonial America,
Peter
Coldham, Polyanthos, 1976.
"Annapolis, 7 April 1774, Ten pounds reward Run away, last night,
from
the subscriber, living in Annapolis, the two following servants: . . .
Charles
Sawyer, an Englishman, a convict, by trade a bricklayer, 5 feet 7 or 8
inches
high, about 21 years of age: had on, and took with him, an old felt
hat,
bearskin coat and breeches, old brown cloth waistcoat, much patched,
yarn
stockings, new country made shoes, wears his own black short hair,
large
eyebrows, and looks very sulky. Whoever takes up and secures said
servants,
so that their master may get them again, shall receive the above
reward,
besides reasonable charges, if brought home, paid by Thomas Price. N.B.
They
stole, and took with them, a plain silver watch, maker's name and
number
unknown." ---- The Pennsylvania Gazette, Philadelphia, Penn, Supplement
to
Issue 20 of April 1774 #2364, Library of Congress Control #1294.
In 1806 Charles was put in the county jail for non-payment of debt.
He
attempted to escape by setting fire to the jail. He was rescued from
the
fire, tried for arson and acquitted. In October 1806, he was indicted
by
the Grand Jury for public profanity. He had uttered "By God" eight
times
in succession, he was apparently found guilty, but, of course, by this
time
there was no jail to put him in. So the turnkey was paid to chain and
guard
him. On Nov. 24, 1806 he was summoned as a witness in a court case. The
next
day he was fined for contempt of court for his performance the
preceding
day. In Nov. 1809, he spent 14 days in jail for an unnamed offense. ---
Records
of Hardin Co, Kentucky
Other facts about Charles Sawyer: About 1795 he moved his family
from Worcester Co, Maryland to Hardin Co, Kentucky. In 1801 he opened a
brickyard in Hardin Co, Kentucky. In April 1807 he entered suit against
a George Helm
for non-payment of debt. In February 1808 he was appointed to appraise
the
estate of Usher Ferguson. In November 1808 he was paid for "one old
wolf
scalp." In March 1810 he purchased land from Daniel and Rebecca Linder.
In
December 1816 he again bought land from Daniel Linder. In October 1823
he
made out a Power of Attorney for an unnamed individual to conduct
business
for him in England. His will was dated March 1825. He died in 1826. His
will
was proved in February 1827. The inventory of appraisement and sales of
his
estate was recorded. In August 1829 final settlement of his estate was
recorded.
--- Hardin County, Kentucky Will Book D, page #97, LDS Film #390774.
This
page last updated on December 11, 2002