General Notes

William reportedly came from Londonderry Co., Ireland to US with his paren
ts in 1717. According to Rober Sawyer of Montrose, IA he was born in Birmi
ngham, England in 1703 and moved with his parents to Ireland in 1709, a
nd then came to America with them in 1717, settling in the Kennebec, Mai
ne area. Whether his father came to Pennsylvania with him is questionabl
e, but William had located in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania prior to 172
9, when his forst son was born there on the "Plantation" land he patent
ed from the William Penn family. Wiliam accumulated over 1,000 acres of la
nd there in Derry Township, Lancaster Co., PA which later bacame Londonder
ry Township, and was changed into Lebanon County.
William sold his land to John Campbell who formed Campbellstown, PA, on th
is land and William's home farm then adjoined this city. He lived there un
til his death.
He married Sophia Clemson, daughter of James Clemson, who had emigrat
ed to America from Staffordshire, England and settled in Delaware Co
., PA in 1699. James Clemson was also an ancestor of Richard Milhouse Nixo
n. William and Sophia were married about 1727 and raised their family of s
even children ther in Lancaster Co., PA. Both William and Sophia and sever
al of their children are buried in the Derry Church Graveyard located in w
hat is now Hershey, PA.
His tombstone bears the inscription: "In Memory of William Sawyer Who Depa
rted This Life Oct. 18, 1784 in the 81st Year of His Age." His wife, Soph
ia (nee Clemson), "who departed this life the 9th of September 1788 in t
he 85th year of her age" is buried beside William in Derry Church Graveyar
d.
Records of the Derry Church show William having served in the Revolutiona
ry War as "Frontiersman", and the Pennsylvania State Archives list a Willi
am as serving in Capt. McCallen's Company of 1st Battalion of Lancaster Co
unty Militia, and subsequently commissioned 1st Lt. 16 Oct. 1776 and serv
ed in the 12th Penna. Regiment of the Union Army. This, however, is believ
ed to be William (1703-1784)'s son, William (1739-1785) as William (b.170
3) would have been 73 years of age in 1776, and there is documentation sta
ting William (1703) paid David Haynes to serve in his palce which was comm
on at that time.
John Geddes, his great grandson, left a signed statement to the effect th
at his grandfather, John Sawyer, was the oldest son of Wm. Sawyer, an Engl
ishman from Bristol who came to Chester Co., PA and there married Sophia C
limson who was born in that county of English parents. No other reco
rd of this marriage has been located.
William before his death had transferred land to his sons John, and Jam
es and in his will he divided his land equally between his remaining son
s, Bejamin and William.
REFN: 448
!He reportedly came from Londonderry Co. Ire. to US with his parents in 17
17. According to Robert SAWYER of Montrose, IA he was b. in Engla
nd in 17 03 and travelled with his parents to Ireland in 1709 and then ca
me to US in 171 7 settling in the Kennebeck in Maine. WTS Gen. pg. 7 sa
ys he moved with his fa mily to Lancaster Co. PA in 1734 & lived there unt
il his d. 18 Oct 1784. His to mbstone bears the inscription: "In Memo
ry of William Sawyer Who Departed This L ife Oct. 18, 1784 in the 81st Ye
ar Of His Age." The removal to Lancaster in 17 34 is disputed by C.R. Clem
son.
Birth: According to "Notes & Queries" by Egle , Ser. III Vol. III pg 176
-8 he was b. in Ireland in 1703 & came to US with his parents to MA in 171
7. Nothing is found in the records of the Maine Historical Society. John G
EDDES, b. 1801 his ggrandson, left a signed statement to the e ffect th
at his grandfather, John SAWYER, was the oldest son of Wm. SAWYER, an E ng
lishman from Bristol who came to Chester Co., PA and there m. Sophia CLIMS
ON who was b. in that county of English parents. No record of that m. w
as found b y the librarian of the Historical Society of PA. Doc. #708