Birth
Silas Sayre was born in about 1763 in Southampton, Suffolk Co, NY to Joshua Sayre. His father Joshua had two wives; the first was Martha Halsey (b. abt. 1723, m. abt. 1753, d. perhaps bef. 1754), who was the daughter of Joshua Halsey and Martha Williams. His second wife was Elizabeth Cooper, who was the daughter of Samuel and Abigail Cooper. A will of Joshua Halsey in 1754 indicates that his daughter Martha was probably already dead, which would mean that Silas was the son of Elizabeth Cooper.
Silas was the fourth child of twelve in his family.
Occupation
Silas was a farmer and began farming in Southampton and continued in this occupation until his death.
Marriage & Children
On February 1, 1785, he married Sarah Conger in New Windsor, Orange Co, NY. She had been born in New Jersey.
Silas and Sarah had a large family of 11 children.
- Clarissa, baptized 7/20/1788, married John Fitch.
- Elizabeth, born 1/28/1786, married Daniel Denton.
- James Harvey, baptized 1/26/1797, married 12/27/97 to Sallie G. Horton.
- William N. (b. 3/3/1808 Rensselaerville), married Sally Ann Marshall.
- Silas, baptized 7/21/1793, died in infancy.
- Sally Ann, died unmarried at Rensselaerville.
- Silas Sayre Jr., born 5/3/1807, married Nancy Palmer.
- Polly, baptized 2/1/1796, died in infancy.
- David, moved to Crawford, IN.
- Elvira, married Samuel Martin of Charlottesville, Otsego County, NY.
- Benjamin Franklin Sayre (b. 11/15/1810 Rensselaerville, d. 2/21/1893), married Lucinda Wickes.
Military
Silas grew up during the Revolutionary War. His father, Joshua Sayre, like most of the citizens of the eastern Long Island were strongly in support of American Freedom and he served in the 3d line. During the War, the British occupied all of Long Island creating difficult conditions for the local citizens especially those who were sympathizers with the American cause. Many of these people escaped the British harassment by emigrating to Connecticut. Silas Sayre’s family was one of those and they escaped to Saybrook, CT. Records show that on September 2, 1776, Captain Zebulon Cooper took some of the Sayre family members to Connecticut. After the War, Silas and his family returned to their homes in Southampton.
Life
After Silas married Sarah Conger in 1785, they settled in Orange county, NY. But ultimately they moved to Greene County, NY and then by 1807 to Rensselaerville, Albany County.
Death
Silas' wife Sarah died first in 1843 and he followed a decade later in 1853.
Additional Media
Sources 1. "Sayre Family: Lineage of Thomas Sayre, a Founder of Southhampton," by Theodore M. Banta. The De Vinne Press, New York, 1901, p. 200.
