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Scott W. Sayles (1803-1865)
First Supervisor of Bangor Township, Bay County, MI.

Transcribed Feb. 2007

Contributed by Mary J. Sayles,
Second great-granddaughter

Scott W. Sayles was born in 1803 at Whitestown, Oneida County, New York to Augustus and Polly (Walker) Sayles and is where he was grew up. As a young adult, Scott met and fell in love with Rhoda Fairbanks Ballard, which lead to their marriage on June 18, 1826, in Jamestown, Chautauqua Co., NY. The young couple lived in several different communities in the states of Pennsylvania and Ohio, before settling down in Michigan during the early 1850s.

Their family included three children. The first child was Gilbert A. who was born in 1829 in Pennsylvania. Their second son, Marshall Fairbanks, was born in 1837 in Ohio, as were two girls, Rhoda in 1839 and Millissa in 1843.

Scott W. Sayles was an active member of the communities where he and Rhoda lived. He served as the Treasure of Warren County, PA. In Ohio, he was a member of the city council in Ohio City, which included terms as President and Recorder of the council.

When Scott and Rhoda settled in this area of Michigan during the 1850s, it was then a part of Saginaw County. When Bay County was organized in 1857 it was comprised of only two organized townships, Williams and Hampton. The first new townships added to the county took place in 1859, which included Bangor as well as Arenac and Portsmouth. Bangor Township at the time was considerably larger than it is today. Its area ran from the county's southern border north to the Kawkawlin River, and east from Williams Township to the Saginaw Bay, which included all of the present west side of Bay City.

Scott was one of the founding members that petitioned for the organization of Bangor Township, and was elected to serve as its first supervisor.

Scott died in 1865 and is buried in the Monroe Cemetery located in Cleveland, Cuyahoga Co., Ohio.

Historical Timeline (Source).

• 1803: Born in Whitestown, Oneida Co., NY. (H)
• 1810: USA Census - lived in Manlius, Onondaga Co., NY. (C)
• 1820: USA Census - lived in Chautauqua, Chautauqua Co., NY (C)
• 1826: Married Rhoda Fairbanks Ballard (E)
• 1829: Child born in PA: Gilbert A. Sayles (C)
• 1830: USA Census - lived in Conewango, Warren Co., PA.(C)
• 1833: Appointed County Treasurer in Warren County, PA. (A)
• 1837-38: Occupation - Sayles & Turney Hat and Cap Manufacturers, Tremont Block on Main St. and Detroit St., Ohio City, OH. (City Directory)
• 1837: Child born in OH: Marshall Fairbanks Sayles (C)
• 1837-38: Elected Councilman in Ohio City, OH. (B,I)
• 1839: Child born in OH: Rhoda Sayles (C)
• 1840: USA Census - lived in Cuyahoga Co., OH. (C)
• 1840-43: Elected Councilman in Ohio City, OH (B,I)
• 1842: Elected Councilman in Ohio City, OH. (B,I)
• 1843: Elected President of City Council in Ohio City, OH. (B,I)
• 1843: Child born in OH: ? Melissa (C)
• 1844-46: Elected Recorder of City Council, Ohio City, OH. (B,I)
• 1844: Treasurer of Ohio City, OH (B,I)
• 1846: Child born in OH: Anna Sayles (C)
• 1850: USA Census - lived in Brooklyn Twp, Cuyahoga Co., OH. (C)
• 1850: Occupation - Lumber Merchant (Census)
• 1859: Elected Inspector and Supervisor of Bangor, Bay Co., OH. (D)
• 1860: MI Census - lived in Bay County, MI (G)
• 1865: Died, cause of death - inflammation of the bowels (F)
• 1865: Buried in Monroe Cemetery in Cleveland, Cuyahoga Co., OH (F)

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Sources:
(A) Accessible Archives, Inc. [www.accessible.com/amcnty/PA/Warren/titlepage.htm] History of Warren County With Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of some of its Prominent Men and Pioneers. pp294-302. Edited by: J. S. Schenck. Syracuse, NY. D. Mason & Co. 1887.
(B) CD 450 County and Family Histories: OH, 1780-1970, Disk 2, Cuyahoga County General History; Family Tree Makes. p322-323.
(C) USA Federal Census - Ancestry.com. Years: 1810, 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860.
(D) History of Bay County, Michigan and Representative Citizens. Edited & Compiled by: Captain Augustus H. Gansser. 1905. p131. Chicago, IL. Richmond & Arnold.
(E) 10,000 Vital Records of Western New York, 1809-1850. Fred Q. Bowman. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Col, Inc. 1985. [from Jamestown Journal 07/21/1826-12/31/1850). [LCCN 84-81870; ISBN 0-8063-1099-5]
(F) City of Cleveland, Genealogical Research Letter. 22nd, February 2003.
(G) Heritage Quest Online - Census. Post Office Bay City, Township of Bangor, Bay County, Michigan on 21st March 1860.
(H) Lloyd A. Horrocks, Ancestry.com Family Tree posting. 12/31/2002. Horrocks.2@osu.edu. [Citation, Lunn, Alice Coyle, PhD., C.G. Ancestors of Sally Benham. Publication 05 Feb. 1994.
(I) History of Cuyahoga County, Ohio. 1879. Johnson, Crisfield. D. W. Ensign & Co. Reprinted in 1974. pp322-323, and 419.
(J) Ancestry.com. Cleveland, Ohio, Directory, 1837-1838. [11/20/2002]