Francis Bowes Sayre Sr. (1885 - 1972)

Born 30 Apr 1885 in South Bethlehem, Northampton, Pennsylvania, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Jessie Woodrow (Wilson) Sayre — married 25 Nov 1913 in 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., White House, Washington, D.C.

Husband of Elizabeth Hutchison (Evans) Sayre — married 28 Jun 1937 in St. Alban's Church, Washington, D.C.

Descendants

Died 29 Mar 1972 at age 86 in Washington, District of Columbia, United States

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Biography

Francis was a professor at Harvard Law School, 1917 - 1933, and a United States diplomat, serving as High Commissioner to the Philippines, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State, and as a delegate to the United Nations Trusteeship Council following World War II. He was also the son-in-law of President Woodrow Wilson.^[1]

Francis was born 30 April 1885 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, the son of Robert Sayre and Martha Nevin.^[2] His father was a wealthy industrialist.

On 25 November 1913, Francis married Jessie Wilson at the White House in Washington, D.C.^[3] Jessie was the daughter of President Woodrow Wilson. Francis and Jessie were the parents of three children: Francis B. Sayre, Jr., who later became the dean of the National Cathedral in Washington from 1951-1978; Eleanor Sayre, an expert on the Spanish painter Goya and served from 1945 to 1984 as curator at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts; and Woodrow Wilson Sayre.^[4] Their son Francis, Jr. was the last child born in The White House.

His wife, Jessie, died in 1933 when Francis was 47 years old. Three years later, Frances married Elizabeth Evans Graves on 28 June 1937.^[5]

Francis died 29 March 1972 in Washington, D.C. at the age of 86. ^[6] His remains were buried at the Washington National Cathedral.^[7]

Obituary: on 30 March 1972, The Evening Star ran a full obituary for Francis Sayre Sr., portions of which are quoted here verbatim:^[8]

Francis B. Sayre Sr. Dies; Author, Diplomat, Professor

By Calvin Zon

"Francis Bowes Sayre, Sr., 86, retired diplomat, author, attorney, professor and humanitarian, died yesterday at his home, 3500 Overlook Lane, N.W."

"Mr. Sayre was valedictorian of the Williams College class of 1909. He received LLB and SJD degrees from Harvard University. In 1913, he became a teaching fellow and then an associate professor at Harvard Law School after a year as an assistant district attorney in New York City."

"During Word War I, Mr. Sayre did YMCA work in France and Italy. He returned to Harvard Law School in 1919 as a full professor. In 1923 he became a foreign affairs adviser to the king of Siam and helped persuade European powers to give up their extraterritorial privileges in that country. He became U.S. ambassador to Siam, now Thailand, in 1925. The following year he resumed his role of adviser and represented Siam at the World Court in The Hague."

"Mr. Sayre was director of the Harvard Institute of Criminal Law from 1929 to 1933. He also headed the Massachusetts Corrections Commission. In 1933, he was appointed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to be assistant secretary of state under Cordell Hull. He became the chief U.S. negotiator of reciprocal trade agreements and was a strong advocate of military preparedness."

"Mr. Sayre was appointed U.S. High Commissioner to the Philippines in 1939. During the Japanese siege of Corregidor in 1942, he was trapped on the island for two months and escaped by submarine, carrying with him $20 million in gold reserves."

"He authored numerous writings in law, economics and foreign policy. Among his books are "Cases on Labor Law," "The Protection of the American Export Trade," and "Experiments in International Administration." His autobiography, "Glad Adventure," was published in 1957."

Sources

1. ↑ Wikipedia[1]
2. ↑ "United States Passport Applications, 1795-1925," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVJP-H555 : 16 March 2018), Francis Bowes Sayre, 1915; citing Passport Application, , source certificate #4792, Passport Applications, January 2, 1906 - March 31, 1925, 260, NARA microfilm publications M1490 and M1372 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
3. ↑ "District of Columbia Marriages, 1811-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XLZB-95L : 10 March 2018), Francis Bowes Sayre and Jessie Woodrow Wilson, 25 Nov 1913; citing p. 37, Records Office, Washington D.C.; FHL microfilm 2,109,852.
4. ↑ Wikipedia[2]
5. ↑ "District of Columbia Marriages, 1811-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V64G-V9N : 4 November 2017), Francis Bowes Sayre and Elizabeth Evans Graves, 28 Jun 1937; citing p. 230, Records Office, Washington D.C.; FHL microfilm 2,293,341.
6. ↑ "United States Social Security Death Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VM2L-P2V : 19 May 2014), Francis Sayre, Mar 1972; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing).
7. ↑ Find a Grave Memorial for Frances Bowes Sayre.
8. ↑ Evening Star, Thursday, Mar 30, 1972, Washington (DC), DC, Page: 25. Source: Genealogybank./ Newbank.