Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

Collection is open to research.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Robert Sayers Daybook, Mss. Collection 1996.4, Kegley Library, Wytheville Community College, Wytheville, VA.

Acquisition Information

Donated by Mary B. Kegley in 1996.

Biographical Information

Colonel Robert Sayers was born on 22 October 1754 to William Sayers and Esther Thompson Crockett Sayers of Wythe County. Sayers, their eldest son, never married and remained in Wythe County until his death. Sayers held the positions of justice of the peace and General Assembly delegate through the 1970s to the 1790s. During the Revolutionary War, he served as colonel with the Virginia militia. Some sources indicate that he fought with Joseph Crockett in the 7th Virginia Regiment. After the war, Sayers gradually amassed land, slaves, horses, and other livestock at both his Anchor and Hope estate in Wythe County and his Burkes Garden estate in Tazewell County. At his death on 17 April 1826 the total value of these estates was over $37,000.

Scope and Content

This daybook records transactions Colonel Robert Sayers made with farmers, horse breeders, midwives, blacksmiths, weavers, tailors, tanners, physicians, carpenters, and other laborers from 1795 to 1827. The majority of entries involve accounts between 1795 and 1818. Each entry includes name of customer, date, description of item or service quantity, and the price. Many entries were barter arrangements, the nature and worth of which are entered on the opposite page.

The daybook contains 178 leaves (356 pages) of which leaves 1-79 and 174-177 are written; the leaves between are blank. An alphabetical name list for entries on leaves 1-79 is in the front of the daybook. Leaves 174-177 record mares brought to Sayers' stud horses between 1801 and 1815. Of special interest are the 49 names of his neighbors who mated their mares with his horse Federalist in 1801. A more thorough analysis of the daybook may be found in Early Adventurers on the Western Waters , Volume III, part 2 by Mary B. Kegley.