The Web Site for the Sayler Families

PREFACE.

            The collection of data for this work was begun in April, 1891. Its publication has been delayed from time to time on account of extended absences of the author from his home in Eaton. Some of the blanks were received nearly seven years ago; but the great majority of the data has been brought down to the early part of 1896. Errors in dates and names, in works of this character, are necessarily somewhat numerous. Such errors as are discovered should be reported to the author; and if a supplemental work is published in the future, the errors which occur in this work can be corrected in the later one.

            The plan of this work is as follows:

            Each person whose genealogy is given has a number, which consists in itself of two numbers — one before the hyphen and one after the hyphen. The number before the hyphen is the American-born generation to which that person belongs; the second number — the one after the hyphen — is that person’s number in that generation. To illustrate: The first person whose genealogy is given in this book is Daniel Sayler, the progenitor of the American branch of our family. He belongs to the first generation in this country; his children belong to the second generation; his grandchildren to the third, and so on. Daniel Sayler’s number is 1. His children’s number before the hyphen is 2, because they belong to the second American-born generation. The number before the hyphen of Daniel Sayler’s grandchildren is 3, because they are members of the third American-born generation, and so on. The number after the hyphen, as stated, is the number of the person in the generation to which he belongs. Under this plan each person has a different number. After each person’s name in the family paragraph is given not only his own number, but the number of his father. By referencing to the father’s number, you can ascertain the number of his grandfather; and from the grandfather’s family paragraph, the great-grandfather’s number. Thus, each person whose history is herein given can easily trace their ancestry through the intermediate generations to Daniel Sayler, the common ancestor. This is one of the simplest and most comprehensive forms of the arrangement of a genealogical book which I have ever seen. The plan, however, is not original with the author. I am indebted to Captain D. Torrey, of Eaton, for it. He made use of this plan in his “History of the Torrey Family.”

            Abbreviations, when used in this work, are explained as follows: b., born; d., died; m., married.

            My thanks are due to Elder Daniel P. Sayler, of Double Pipe Creek, Maryland, for excellent services rendered in the early part of my work, in the collection of data relative to the Maryland Branch of the Family. He also contributed much information relative to the early members of the family in this country. His assistance throughout has been valuable, and this work is dedicated to him and to my father, Hon. James Sayler, of Eaton. The encouragement which my father has given to me has led me to persevere until the publication of the work has been secured.

The period covered by this history is nearly two centuries. The family have resided in this country about a century and three-quarters. None of the family fought in the Revolutionary War. The early members of the family were members of the German Baptist Brethren Church, one of the tenets of which, like that of the Quakers, was non-resistance. It was this, probably, which led them to remain neutral in the great struggle of the American colonies for freedom from the rule of Great Britain. Many of the family, however, fought with distinction on the Union side of the late Rebellion. The following pages set forth briefly their history. It is one of the advantages of a genealogical history that leads one to take a more personal interest in the political and general history of their country, because the self-sacrifice and honest toil of their ancestors and relatives in building up and maintaining our institutions is brought more forcibly to their minds. Another advantage is, we are made to feel that there is an intricate network of relationships binding a great many families together; and that we have in America, in many respects, a common interest and destiny in our national life and institutions; and that which benefits one will, in a measure, benefit all.

            There are two branches of the Sayler Family whose history is given in the following pages: The one I call the Ohio Branch, and the other the Maryland Branch. The Ohio Branch is descended from Christian Sayler (2-4); the Maryland Branch, from Daniel Sayler (2-8). Christian and Daniel were two of the sons of the common ancestor, Daniel. The Ohio Branch has been somewhat distinguished in politics, law and medicine; the Maryland Branch has been eminently distinguished for their work in the German Baptist Brethren Church.

            If asked to name the distinguished characteristics of the family, I would say: Natural intellectual ability, energy, honesty and a desire to lead. There may be those who differ with me on some of these characteristics; but they are my conclusions, drawn from my acquaintance with the family, and a study of the history as it has been furnished me.

            An appendix is given, containing some notes on the family in Europe, etymology, spelling, and an account of Burckhardt Sayler’s life, and of his gift to the city of Nuremberg. It is hoped that this will prove interesting to some.

            I desire to thank all who have assisted in the preparation of this work. The great majority of the older members of the family now living have assisted in some way. Their names, of course, are too numerous to be inserted here.

            The work, with its defects, is submitted to the family. If a date or name is not properly given, or an important part is omitted, or an address improperly stated, I trust that they will remember that I could only write as it was given to me, and diligent and persistent efforts were made to obtain accurate and complete information.

            I trust that truth, honor, a love for our common country, and a love of Almighty God, will ever prevail in the family; that your children and grandchildren will be given the best education of which your means will permit, that they may do well the work of life, wheresoever they may be, or whatsoever occupation or profession they may pursue; and that you and they may preserve the honor and integrity of the family, and maintain inviolate the principles of freedom, justice and equality secured to us in the Federal Constitution.               J.L.S.

            EATON, OHIO, December 30, 1897.