Josiah Sawyer Statue

I read all about it in The Sherbrooke Examiner of September 30, 1901.
« GREAT DAY FOR SAWYERVILLE. A Monument to Early Settlers Unveiled. ADDRESSES WERE DELIVERED BY PROMINENT SPEAKERS. Special to the Examiner. »
This, the longest article on the front page, tells how a statue was erected in Sawyerville in honour of its first settler.

I’m on a quest for information because of a unique photo John Mackley unearthed in the Townships Sun archives. He found a tiny negative sheet measuring 2.25 by 3.125 inches, a glossy sepia print the same size, and a cropped black-and-white glossy version, 3 x 4.5 inches, with scalloped edges, indicating it was probably printed in the 1940s or 50s.

It shows a statue of a soldier, one hand holding a sword. Its inscription reads, « Erected to the memory of Capt. Josiah Sawyer, the first settler in the Eastern Townships who settled on the present site in the year 1794, who died Mar 10 1837 in the 81st year of his age. »

That’s the who, but what are all the other details. Where is the statue today?
The Examiner article describes the unveiling of the statue on the property of Josiah’s descendent, William Sawyer. First, an ode to the wonderful weather, verified by the cumulus clouds and sunny scene in the photo. Crowds from «the surrounding country,» come to pay tribute «to the first settlers of the township of Eaton, who were the first settlers in the Townships east of lake Memphremagog.»
The statue stood « wrapped beneath the folds of the Union Jack, with the Stars and Stripes close by its side, fastened to the same cord, apparently signifying the strong chord of national friendship that binds our two great countries together. »

Rev. W.P. Boshart led opening devotions. The « chairman » (William Sawyer, I presume) told about « starting the settlement of this beautiful and productive region. » Then Lyman Alger of Stewartstown, N.H. (across the bridge from Beecher Falls, VT), praised the settlers, the men’s character, their privations, « and especially to the courage and energy of the women, who feared not the difficulties of pioneer life. »

After « a most excellent lunch » in the basement of the nearby Methodist Church (on the site of the United Church which burned down in 2006), came the real business of the day: the unveiling of the statue.

Another descendent of Josiah Sawyer, The Honorable Willis Sawyer of New York City did the honours, drawing the cord to reveal the statue. The base was of St. John’s granite, measuring one foot eight inches by three feet high. A life-size statue stood on it, carved from granite from the Barrie, Vermont, quarry.

In his speech, he « referred to the union of the flags and anticipated the time when the two great countries would in reality be one. » Then the Citizens Band played « The Maple Leaf, » the « Star Spangled Banner, » and « God Save the King. »

Eight additional speeches rounded out the ceremonies.
This article tells me the Sawyer family wanted very much for Canada and the United States to be united. In fact, I recall from Bernard Epps’s The Eastern Townships Adventure that Josiah Sawyer was definitely not a Loyalist. He was born in Massachusetts and had joined the Continental Army and fought against the British at Bunker Hill and on Long Island.

But where is the statue now? I phoned Sharon Moore of the Eaton Corner Museum. She tells a horrific story of the statue’s adventures. It was vandalized twice. Once it was dumped in the pond at the bottom of the Lindsay property, retrieved and put in the old fire hall. Then it was vandalized again, and damaged beyond repair. Only the head remains. It is in storage in the Eaton Corner Museum.
But the head is not, she says, the likeness of Josiah himself. « Jack Garneau will tell you that! »
Jack Garneau confirms he’s seen identical statues in several places in New England.

Indeed, in The Eastern Townships Adventure, I read that Josiah Sawyer had « met with an accident when young which turned his nose round on one side. » I zoom in on the photo of the statue, and under the shadow of his military cap I see a perfectly straight nose and a hefty Hungarian moustache.
Happy New Year! And do join us for more photo detective adventures (See « Photo Detective Challenge » in Rachel’s Agenda.)