FLORIDA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
127 
Leicester J. Sawyer was graduated 
from Hamilton College, Clinton, N. Y., 
class of 1859, graduated from Union 
Theological Seminary, New York City, 
1862. October 8th, 1862 he enlisted 
in Co. H. 27th Conn. VoL At the bat¬ 
tle of Fredericksburg was wounded 
three times in active service, and twice 
while lying on the battlefield waiting 
for removal. 
In 1864, he was ordained to the min¬ 
istry at Menasha, Wis., and for twelve 
years remained in the West preaching 
at Sheboygan, Wis., and Burlingame, 
Kansas. In 1876 he returned East, be¬ 
came pastor of the Presbyterian church 
at Oriskany, N. Y., and in 1877 took 
charge of the Presbyterian church at 
Whitesboro, N. Y. On March ist, 
1889 accepted a call from Emmanuel 
church, Amsterdam, N. Y., which po¬ 
sition he resigned in 1898 to remove to 
Tibbals, Fla., and began regular serv¬ 
ices at Eden and Jensen in 1900. Later 
he accepted the pastorate of a Union 
church at Ankona and Eldred, which 
charges he held until ill health caused 
him to resign in April, 1906. 
Rev. Mr. Sawyer was a man of bril¬ 
liant intellect and one whose brain 
force seemed never to grow weary, a 
speaker who could hold an audience 
at will, a scholar of great attainments, 
speaking eight languages fluently;-al¬ 
ways ready to respond when called up¬ 
on, and using no manuscript, he made 
his services valuable at all times and 
places. He was a genial companion 
and earnest friend. Mr. Sawyer had 
been a member of this Society for sev¬ 
eral years, but much to our regret, his 
health did not permit him to attend our 
annual gatherings. 
ABNER ATWOOD. 
Mr. Abner Atwood was born at 
Carver, Mass., in a house that had 
sheltered three successive generations 
of his family. He came from good 
old New England stock, John Atwood, 
the common ancestor of the family in 
America, having settled at Plymouth, 
Mass., in 1633. 
The youth of Abner Atwood was 
passed in school and helping his father 
on the farm until he attained his nine¬ 
teenth year. He then went to Taun¬ 
ton and entered the employ of William 
Mason & Company, then one of the 
largest cotton machinery builders in 
the country, to learn the trade of ma¬ 
chinist. After an experience of five 
years, he took charge of a section in 
the works of the Taunton Locomotive 
Company, remaining until 1858, when 
he formed a partnership with J. O. 
Draper in Bedford, Mass., for the 
manufacture of soap. In 1862 the firm 
of Draper & Atwood removed to 
Pawtucket, R. I., and in 1866, upon the 
death of the junior partner of the firm 
of R. & G. Cushman, spool manufac¬ 
turers, Mr. Atwood was invited by the 
surviving partner to an interest in the 
firm and business. Until 1875 the 
style of the firm was Cushman, Phillips 
& Company. Mr. Cushman then with¬ 
drew, and the firm of Atwood, Craw¬ 
ford & Company was formed. The 
product of the firm is spools and fancy 
wood turning. In 1890 this company 
was incorporated under the name of 
the Atwood Crawford Company, and 
Mr. Atwood was elected president, 
which position he held to the time of 
his death. 
He was a prominent member of the 
Central Falls Congregational church. 
