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Male, US, born 1875-09-23, died 1945-12-23
Associated with the firm network
Willcox and Sayward, Architects
Résumé
Draftsman, McKim, Mead, and White, Architects, New York, NY, c. 1899-1905.
Partner, Willcox and Sayward, Architects, Vermont and Seattle, WA, 1907- 1912. William J. Sayward and Walter R.B. Willcox came to Seattle, WA, together from Burlington, VT, in 1907. In 1914, Willcox and Sayward maintained their office in Room #214 of the Central Building. (See R.L. Polk and Company's Seattle, Washington, City Directory, 1914, p. 1494.)
Partner, Edwards and Sayward, Architects, Atlanta, GA, 1912-1939. William Sayward departed the Pacific Northwest in 1912 to create a partnership with William A. Edwards (-1939). In the mid-1930s, Sayward worked on the design of the Atlanta University Homes, an early public housing project in Atlanta, GA. The National Register of Historic Places nomination form for the Winnona Park Historic District in Decatur, GA, summarized the work of Edwards and Sayward: "The Winnona Park School was designed in 1923 by the Atlanta architectural firm of Edwards and Sayward. The firm began with the partnership of William A. Edwards and William J. Sayward, which began in 1912 and ended with Edwards' [sic] death in 1939. The firm continued as Edwards and Logan. Edwards and Sayward designed most of the Decatur city schools, including Oakhurst Elementary School (1915), Fourth Avenue School (1921), Ponce de Leon School (1923) Clairemont Elementary School (1930s), Decatur Junior High School (1926) and Decatur High School (1921). William Sayward designed the Decatur City Hall and buildings at Agnes Scott College and Columbia Presbyterian Theological Seminary. Other buildings by the firm include county courthouses in South Carolina and buildings at the University of Florida. In Decatur, the firm most often designed buildings in the Colonial, Gothic and Tudor Revival styles. The Winnona Park School is an excellent example of the firm's work locally and statewide." (See United States Deparment of the Interior, National Park Service.gov, "National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form for the Winnona Park Historic District," 04/10/2002, p. 10.)
Partner, Sayward and [Robert B.] Logan, Architects, Atlanta, GA, 1939-1945.
Sayward accomplished the bulk of his work in Georgia, South Carolina, and Florida.
Professional Activities
Member, American Institute of Architects (AIA), Washington Chapter, 1910-1911.
President, AIA, Georgia Chapter, Atlanta, GA.
President, Affiliated Technical Societies of Boston, Boston, MA. (Founded on 06/19/1922, the Affiliated Tecnical Societies of Boston changed its name to the "Engineering Societies of Boston" in 1929 and to the "Affiliated Societies" in 1934. It included the Boston Society of Civil Engineers, Plant Engineers Club, Massachusetts State Engineers Association and other groups.)
Presenter, Public Housing Conference, Hotel Biltmore, Atlanta, GA, 05/03-04/1935. (See "Techwood Inspection Ends Housing Parlay," Atlanta Constitution, 05/05/1935, p. 2.)
Professional Awards
Fellow, American Institute of Architects (FAIA).
College
Coursework, mechanical engineering, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, c. 1895-1897. In 1895, Sayward was the historian of his freshman and sophomore classes at the University of Vermont. (See University of Vermont Ariel Yearbook, 1895, p. 40. and University of Vermont Ariel Yearbook, 1896, pp. 42-43) He lived at 1, North Hall in 1895, and was a member of the Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity. (See University of Vermont Ariel Yearbook, 1895, p. 41.)
B.S. in Architecture, Massachusetts Insitute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA, c. 1901. A note authored by Seattle architect Charles H. Alden (1867-1951) published in the 07/1946 issue of the MIT Technology Review said of Sayward: "The following letter was received from Charles H. Alden ’90, fellow of the American Institute of Architects and an architect in Seattle, Wash.: 'The Review has announced the death of William J. Sayward, but there was no mention of him in class notes. [Note: William Sayward’s death was reported in the 1901 class notes in the April issue, or at about the same time this letter was written.] I knew him very well, and he seemed to me a particularly fine example of what Course IV at the Institute could produce in architectural training. He had a thorough knowledge and appreciation of the fundamentals of construction, as well as aesthetic expression, which make ideal equipment for an architect. I worked with him when he was practicing architecture in Seattle eight ot ten years after his graduation from Technology. He was so quiet and unassuming that his real value as an architect was slow in getting the recognition it deserved and appeared only later after he had established himself in Atlanta, Ga., in the firm of Edwards and Sayward and later Sayward and Logan. He then produced a considerable quantity of work of recognized merit, was honored by the American Institute of Architects by being made a fellow, served on the institute’s board of directors, and was afterwards elected vice-president. He was an earnest worker and at all times a sympathetic and pleasant companion. He had not only won distinction in his profession but I feel sure he will be remembered with affectionate regard by others besides myself who had the privilege of knowing him.” (See MIT Technology Review, "Class Notes 1901," 07/1946, p. XVI.) Sayward was an MIT classmate of the OR architect Ellis F. Lawrence (1879-1946), who died at around the same time as Sayward.
The 1940 US Census indicated that William had completed five years of college instruction. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1940; Census Place: Decatur, DeKalb, Georgia; Roll: m-t0627-00664; Page: 3B; Enumeration District: 44-13, accessed 01/29/2025.)
Relocation
William Sayward was born in Woodstock, VT, to Melissa Follansbee and Charles W. Sayward. Early in life, his name may have been "James William Sayward," but he reversed his first and middle names by young adulthood. The 1880 US Census identified him as such. This document listed the members of the Sayward Family residing in Woodstock, including his parents and his sisters Kate and Bessie and his 84-year-old. maternal grandfather James Follansbee (born c. 1796 in NH). (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1880; Census Place: Woodstock, Windsor, Vermont; Roll: 1350; Page: 384c; Enumeration District: 269, accessed 01/29/2025.)
He attended the University of VT, c. 1893 and transferred to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), in Cambridge, MA, from which he graduated in 1897.
Following graduation, Sayward worked in New York at the prestigious Beaux-Arts architectural firm of McKim, Mead and White. for six years.
In 1900, the Saywards continued to reside in Woodstock. where his father was a sawmill owner. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1900; Census Place: Woodstock, Windsor, Vermont; Roll: 1696; Page: 6; Enumeration District: 0290, accessed 01/29/2025.)
On 05/05/1908, Sayward lived with his wife Clara at 1809 15th Avenue in Seattle.(See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Washington State Archives; Olympia, Washington; Washington State Births 1907-1920, accessed 01/29/2025.)
By 1910, William and Clara and their two daughters resided in a dwelling at 1114 20th Avenue North in Seattle. Clara's mother Mary Purple (born c. 1837 in VT) lived with them. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1910; Census Place: Seattle Ward 7, King, Washington; Roll: T624_1661; Page: 9b; Enumeration District: 0141; FHL microfilm: 1375674, accessed 01/29/2025.)
The Saywards relocated to Decatur, GA, a northeast suburb of Atlanta and the capital of DeKalb County, in 1912. They dwelled at 403 South Candler Street by 1920. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1920; Census Place: Decatur, De Kalb, Georgia; Roll: T625_249; Page: 19B; Enumeration District: 13, accessed 01/29/2025.) All four members of the family continued to lived at this same address in 1930. The 1930 US Census indicated the house had an estimated value of $20,000, about double the average of surrounding residences. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1930; Census Place: Militia District 531, Dekalb, Georgia; Page: 16B; Enumeration District: 0019; FHL microfilm: 2340086, accessed 01/29/2025.)
In 1940, William, Clara and Madeline lived at the 403 South Candler house which had a depressed estimated value of $10,000 at that time. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1940; Census Place: Decatur, DeKalb, Georgia; Roll: m-t0627-00664; Page: 3B; Enumeration District: 44-13, accessed 01/29/2025.)
William J. Sayward passed away in Decatur, GA, on 12/23/1945 and was buried at the Decatur Cemetery.
Parents
The architect's mother was Melissa Follansbee (born 04/01/1836 in Canaan, NH-d. 10/20/1915 in Woodstock, VT). She wed Charles Woodbury Sayward (born 07/08/1832 in Shapleigh, ME-d/ 04/24/1921 in Windsor, VT) on 01/01/1866 in Woodstock, VT. His father, a carpenter, was a Civil War veteran who, after the conflict's cessation, opened "...a large mill for the manufacture of doors, sashes and blinds." (See Charles A. Sayward, The Sayward Family Being the History and Genealogy of Henry Sayward of York, Maine, and His Descendants, [Ipswich, MA: Independent Press, E.G. Hull, 1890], p. 132.)
Spouse
Sayward wed Clara Louise Purple (born in IL-d. 05/27/1948 in DeKalb County, GA) on 08/23/1904 in Woodstock, VT. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation New England Historic Genealogical Society; Boston, Massachusetts; State of Vermont. Vermont Vital Records, 1871–1908, accessed 01/29/2025.) Clara's family resided in Woodstock, VT, in 1895, while she attended Wellesley College in Wellesley, MA. (See Wellesley College Legenda Yearbook, 1895, p. 240.) According to the 1940 US Census, Clara only completed one year at the university level. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1940; Census Place: Decatur, DeKalb, Georgia; Roll: m-t0627-00664; Page: 3B; Enumeration District: 44-13, accessed 01/29/2025.)
Clara worked as the librarian at the Christian Science Reading Room in Decatur, GA, in 1940, likely indicating her strong interest in the Christian Science movement. (See Atlanta, Georgia, City Directory, 1940, p. 1199.)
Children
He and Clara had two daughters: Mary F. Sayward Rogers (born 1906 in NY-d. 1981) and Madeline Sayward (born 1908 in Seattle, WA-d. 2002).
In 1930, Mary worked as a social worker in an employement office. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1930; Census Place: Militia District 531, Dekalb, Georgia; Page: 16B; Enumeration District: 0019; FHL microfilm: 2340086, accessed 01/29/2025.)
Madeline was listed in the 1940 US Census as an "artist at home." (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1940; Census Place: Decatur, DeKalb, Georgia; Roll: m-t0627-00664; Page: 3B; Enumeration District: 44-13, accessed 01/29/2025.)
Biographical Notes
President, New England Club, Boston, MA.
President, City Club of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA.
PCAD id: 2371
