GEORGE S. SAYER, for many years a leading business man and farmer of Westtown, N. Y., was born in 1812, and died in 1884. As a young man he taught school a few years, and in 1836 went to Indiana, where he remained ten years. In 1852 he resumed farming, near Westtown, and in 1872 built a store and home in the village. He married Emeline C. Evans and six children were born, Jonathan Sayer, now the postmaster at Westtown, being the second child. After finishing his schooling he assisted his father on the farm.
He married Miss Sarah Owen and two sons were born: George O., a lawyer in New York, and Robert E., who resides at Westtown. In 1902 Mr. Sayer was appointed postmaster, and the management of the farm, passed to his son, Robert E., who was born in 1876, and educated at the schools of Hackettstown. He chose for his wife Miss Frances Horton.
WILLIAM BENJAMIN SAYER. The Sayer family is of English extraction and is mentioned as living at Poddington, England, in 1309. This is the line from which the Thomas Sayer descended, who came from Bedfordshire, England, to Lynn, Mass., and from whom the Sayers in this country are descended. He built the old Sayer single house in 1648 at Southampton, Long Island, New York, said to be the oldest English house standing in New York State.
The Sayers came to Orange County in 1750. William Benjamin Sayer, a descendant of the above mentioned Sayers, now owns and occupies the stone house situated on Main street, Warwick, N. Y., which was built by Francis Baird in 1766. It was called the Stone Tavern and was used as one until 1830. The mechanics who built this house came from New York City, and when completed it was considered the model house in this section. The most of the timbers are hewed oak with wide pine plank floors. This house has been in the Sayer family since 1858. Among the distinguished persons who stopped at the house are General George Washington and wife, and the room on the northwest corner on the second story is said to have been the room where they slept. Here are kept a number of old time relics to show to friends. The present owner, W. B. Sayer, was born in this room, March 14, 1866, and has always lived in the house with his sister, Miss M. Eva Sayer.
Rev. James Manning, a Baptist minister, and his wife, from Providence, R. I., took dinner here Sunday, September 12, 1779. He said in his diary: "We had an elegant dinner and were treated very hospitably by Francis Baird."
Marquis De Chastelliux, major-general in the French army serving under Count Rochambeau, stayed all night here with his aides, December 6, 1781. He says: "I lodged at Warwick, at a very good inn kept by Mr. Smith, who rented of Francis Baird, and had every reason to be content with this establishment."
Henry Pelton, a prominent local historian and grandfather of our surveyor of that name, when he first came here, in 1805, stayed his first night in Warwick in this house. A picture of this house will be found in this volume.
THE SCHRADE CUTLERY COMPANY, of Walden, N. Y., is the youngest of the industries that have made that village the Sheffield of America. Established in a modest way April 19, 1904, by George and J. Louis Schrade, its growth has been very rapid and the value of their product now exceeds $100,000 worth annually. The plant which the company erected is a substantial frame structure, thirty by eighty-five feet, three stories in height, equipped with modern machinery and up-to-date methods of manufacture, employing about one hundred hands. One hundred different styles of pen and pocket knives are produced and the goods find a ready market all over the United States. The Schrade brothers are natives of Williamsport, Pa. George, the president of the company, has resided in Walden since 1894, and is the inventor, patentee and for ten years the sole manufacturer of the press button knife in connection with the Walden Knife Works. Mr. J. Louis Schrade came to Walden in 1904. He had previously been engaged in the manufacture of self-playing pianos in New York, Boston, London and Paris. Both brothers are members of the Masonic fraternity.
CHRISTIAN H. SCHARFF was born at Amsterdam, Holland, February 26, 1834. He came to America with his father, and the family settled in Newark, N. J. He was graduated from Princeton College in 1853, and studied law with Joseph P. Bradley (justice of supreme court). With James Buchanan, Henry formed the law partnership of Henry & Scharff, at No. 14 Wall street, New York City. Frances A. (Seward) Scharff was born at Florida, N. Y., April 16, 1836. She attended the Seward Institution at Florida and later the Grove Hall Seminary for young ladies at New Haven, Conn. She was united in marriage to Christian H. Scharff, January 27, 1859.
R. ED. SCHOFIELD was born at Port Jervis, N. Y., December 10, 1853. His parents were James H. and Marguerite Cole (Elston) Schofield. His early education was obtained at the public school and Port Jervis Academy. After his schooling he read law in the office of Judge O. P. Howell, and was admitted to the bar in 1885. October, 1890, he entered into partnership with Judge O. P. Howell and Mr. Parshall, the firm being Howell, Parshall & Schofield, which continued until September, 1893, when Mr. Parshall withdrew from the firm. Mr. Schofield continued with Judge Howell until January, 1896, and since that time has continued alone. He married Miss Mary J. Finn, of Port Jervis, N. Y., January 28, 1885. Their two children are James H. and Anna C., residing at home. In politics Mr. Schofield is a republican and has served the town in various offices. He has been clerk of the board of education for twenty-five years and is now president of the Co-Operative Loan and Savings Society. He and his wife are members of the Presbyterian Church.