Son of Spencer Aaron "Penn" Sawyer and Sarah Virginia Tate
Spouse of Doil Manley
brother of Royal Alfred, Sylvia May (Nabholz), Noah William, Paul Eugene, Ernest Ray, Anna Arzelia (Erbb), Spencer Alva, Charles Ross, Sarah Myrtle (Langland), Etta Blanche (McCormick), and Frederick Dudley
Father of Howard Levi, Verna May, Merl Ross, Veva Doil and Raymond James

Two lives were quickly snuffed out Tuesday afternoon shortly after dinner when a well that Edwin Sawyer and Arthur Manley were working in north of Backus, caved in and buried them.

The water had given out and they were digging the well deeper, Sawyer being at the bottom and Manley standing on a platform about 20 feet down. Sawyer had dug several feet below the old curbing and Manley was lifting the dirt up to where he stood and Howard Sawyer, a son of Edwin and Emmet DeHart were at the top.

Originally the well was 45 feet deep and the additional digging made it about 50. They had worked on the well nearly a week and no caving had been encountered. A yell was heard from Manley as the walls collapsed but nothing was heard from Sawyer.

Neighbors worked frantically for 24 hours and were successful in getting to Manley twice, having him nearly uncovered the last time when additional cave-ins covered him again. A. Mr. Carlson from Hackensack was summoned and he took charge on Wednesday evening started a crew putting in a substantial curbing and he thought that with luck both bodies would be recovered by Thursday evening.

Arthur Manley was 37 years of age and had lived in that vicinity about a year. He leaves a wife and two children.

Edwin Sawyer was 38 years of age and lived on the farm the past 12 years. He leaves a wife and four children.

Later-The body of Manley was recovered Thursday forenoon and the work toward getting out Sawyer is progressing very satisfactorily.