David Austin Sayre (March 12, 1793 - September, 1870) was a prominent silversmith, banker and educator. Sayre is best remembered as founder of Sayre Female Institute.

Early life and education

David Austin Sayre was born in

Madison, New Jersey Madison is a Borough (New Jersey), borough in Morris County, New Jersey, Morris County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 16,937, an increase of 1,092 (+6.9%) from the 2010 United ...

on March 12, 1793. Sayre spent his childhood in Madison where he apprenticed to a silversmith. Sayre move to

Lexington, Kentucky Lexington is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city coterminous with and the county seat of Fayette County, Kentucky, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census the city's population was 322,570, making it the List of ...

in 1811 to finish his training.

Career

Banking

In 1820 Sayre started a banking firm D. A. Sayre and Company because of the large amount of surplus silver deposited in his silversmith safe.

Educator

Sayre founded Transylvania Female Seminary in 1854 in a building on Mill Street. The school was renamed Sayre Female Institute in 1855 and moved to Limestone Street.

Later life and death

Sayre is buried in Lexington Cemetery with his wife Abby Vanholt Sayre.

References

1793 births 1870 deaths American silversmiths American bankers Businesspeople from Lexington, Kentucky People from Madison, New Jersey Educators from New Jersey 19th-century American businesspeople 19th-century American educators {{Kentucky-stub