History of Oakland County Michigan a narrative account of its historic progress, its people, its principal interests / compiled from the official records of the county, the newspapers and data of personal interviews, under the editorial supervision of Thaddeus D. Seeley.

HISTORY OF OAKLAND COUNTY

143

February I, 1885, in her eighty-second year, at the home of her daughter,
Mrs. C. F. Kimball, at Pontiac, Michigan. All her children were present
at her bedside when she passed away, namely: Mrs. C. F. Kimball,
Mrs. John Calloway, Mrs. Evan Hughes, Miss Lizzie Sawyer, Mrs.
James Newby and Joseph E. Sawyer.
In the public schools of Piermont and the academy at Bradford,
Vermont, Joseph E. Sawyer received his early education. When he
was sixteen years of age he went to Michigan City, Indiana, and then
to Cambridge City. He studied in private schools and in the academy
at Dublin, Indiana, then entering the literary department of the University of Michigan. He was a member of the class of I869, but left
the university before graduation. He went from his studies to Boscobel, Wisconsin, where he entered the law offices of Hon. George Hazelton. In I867 he formed a co-partnership with Benjamin Shearer under
the firm name of Shearer and Sawyer, for the practice of law, being
then twenty years of age. They continued in practice for a year, when
Mr. Sawyer removed to Pontiac and entered the law office of Hon. M.
E. Crofoot. He was admitted to the Oakland county bar on September
29, I869, and thereafter continued in active practice. He was elected
circuit court commissioner for Oakland county in 1872 and in I875
was appointed United States commissioner for the eastern district of
Michigan. In 1878 he became associated with J. D. and F. D. Standish
of Detroit, under the name of Sawyer, Standish & Company, with office
in Detroit, proprietors of the Tappan, McKilop & Company Commercial
Agency, Mr. Sawyer being manager of the legal department. In I89I
he with others united in organizing the Pontiac Land & Improvement
Company of which he was secretary and general manager, Hon. J. D.
Norton being president. This corporation is entitled to much credit
for the prosperity which the city of Pontiac has enjoyed since its organization. Mr. Sawyer lent himself to the work with such energy
that he was compelled to practically abandon his other interests, and
since the organization of the Pontiac Land & Improvement Company,
he has platted and sold ten additions to the city, the latest being the
Ferry addition, to handle which he organized the Pontiac Investment &
Promotive Company, of which he was secretary and manager. Mr.
Sawyer was appointed a member of the board of trustees of the Eastern
Michigan Asylum by Governor Alger in I885, to fill a vacancy caused
by the death of Hon. W. M. McConnell, was reappointed by Governor
Luce and again by Governor Rich, serving fourteen years consecutively,
during which time he was present at every meeting of the joint board
of trustees of Michigan, every monthly and special meeting of his own
board save one, every meeting of the executive committee and all meetings of other committees of which he was a member. He is a Republican in politics and was a delegate to the national Republican convention in 1884, which nominated James G. Blaine, and has been chairman
of the Republican county committee. He is a man of great energy and
ambition, making a success of every venture with which he is connected.
On October 17, I877, Mr. Sawyer was united in marriage with Miss
Lizzie V. Satterlee, born in Bloomfield township, Oakland county, on
July 31, I856, a daughter of George H. and Jane (Flower) Satterlee.