Robert H. Sayre

Robert Heysham Sayre (October 13, 1824 – January 4, 1907) was vice president and chief engineer of the Lehigh Valley Railroad. He was also vice president and general manager of Bethlehem Iron Company, precursor of Bethlehem Steel Corporation. The borough of Sayre, Pennsylvania[1] and the small city of Sayre, Oklahoma[2] were named in his honor.

Robert Heysham Sayre
Born(1824-10-13)October 13, 1824
Bloomsburg
Columbia County
Pennsylvania, U.S.
DiedJanuary 4, 1907(1907-01-04) (aged 82)
South Bethlehem
Northampton County
Pennsylvania, U.S.
OccupationCivil engineer
Industrialist
Executive
Spouse(s)Mary Evelyn Smith
Mary Bradford
Helen Augusta Packer
Martha Finley Nevin
ChildrenCharles White Sayre
Mary Eliza Sayre
Anna Catherine Sayre
Robert Heysham Sayre Jr.
Elizabeth Kent Sayre
Jennie Weston Sayre
Francis Rodolphus Sayre
Ellen May Sayre
Ruth May Sayre
John Nevin Sayre
Francis Bowes Sayre Sr.
Cecil Nevin Sayre
Parent(s)William Heysham Sayre
Elizabeth Kent

Early life

Sayre was born on October 13, 1824 to William Heysham Sayre and Elizabeth Kent, his wife, on the Kent family's farm near Bloomsburg in rural Columbia County, Pennsylvania. In 1828, the Sayre family moved to Mauch Chunk (now Jim Thorpe), Pennsylvania where William worked for the Lehigh Coal & Navigation Company as a lockmaster. As a result of observing the locks, young Robert showed an early interest in construction and civil engineering.[3]

Career

Sayre's first significant work in engineering was on the Morris Canal in New Jersey. He also participated in the surveys and construction for the Mauch Chunk Switchback Railway.

In 1854, Sayre was named Chief Engineer of the Lehigh Valley Railroad, and he led the extension of that railroad northward and westward through Pennsylvania and New York State.[4]

Sayre was one of the founders of Bethlehem Iron Company, precursor of Bethlehem Steel Corporation. He was responsible for the design and construction of the company's first iron works during the years 1861 through 1863.[5] He became vice president of Bethlehem Iron Works in 1891.

Sayre built a large house in Bethlehem and lived in it from 1858 until his death in 1907. Currently his house is known as the Sayre Mansion, and is in use as a bed-and-breakfast. [6]

Philanthropy

Sayre was a trustee of St. Luke's Hospital and a Charter Trustee of Lehigh University.[7]

Sayre Observatory at Lehigh University was erected in 1868 and was paid for by a gift of $5000 from Sayre.[8][9]

References
  1. "Sayre Historical Society". sayrehistoricalsociety.org. 1929-10-29. Archived from the original on 2012-06-22. Retrieved 2012-06-24.
  2. Wilson, Linda. "Sayre". The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  3. "Lehigh Canal Roots". Carbon County Magazine. Archived from the original on 2011-08-13. Retrieved 2012-06-24.
  4. Special to The New York Times. (1907-01-05). "Robert H. Sayre. - View Article - NYTimes.com" (PDF). New York Times. Retrieved 2012-06-24.
  5. Archived January 27, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  6. "History of the Sayre Mansion Inn a Bethlehem, PA bed and breakfast". Sayremansion.com. Retrieved 2012-06-24.
  7. "Robert H. Sayre Marker". Hmdb.org. Retrieved 2012-06-24.
  8. "Lehigh University Library Services". lehigh.edu. Retrieved 2016-03-08.
  9. Doolittle, C.L. (June 1897). "The Sayre Observatory, South Bethlehem, Pennsylvania". Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. 9 (56): 130–131. Bibcode:1897PASP....9..130D. doi:10.1086/121185.
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