My Genealogy Hound

JOHN W. SYLER, the surveyor of Franklin County, was born April 23, 1825, in this county, being a son of Jacob and Jane (Thompson) Syler, natives of Franklin County, Tenn., and North Carolina, respectively. The grandfather was John Syler, who came from Rockbridge, County, Va., in 1812, and settled in the west part of this county. Here he reared his family, all the Sylers of the county being descendants of his. Jacob Syler, like his father, was a farmer, a man of ordinary means. The mother came from her native State to this county when young and lived all her remaining life in Franklin County. John W. Syler, the subject of this sketch, was reared on a farm. He attended and graduated from the Davidson College, of North Carolina, and then entered the profession of teaching. For about ten years he was professor of mathematics, languages and science in the Robert Donald College, at Winchester, Tenn. He then taught the Carrick Academy, of Winchester, for many years, being engaged in the profession of teaching altogether about twenty years. He has also carried on farming all the time since he was a young man. He now owns about 10,000 acres of wild land. He has been superintendent of public instruction in this county for many years. In 1878 he was elected county surveyor of Franklin County, and now holds that office. From 1869 to 1872 he was engaged in merchandising. He was married, in 1853, to Miss E. V. Mann, the fruits of this union being ten children, eight of whom are now living, and six of whom are grown, viz.: Mollie L. (wife of Peter Weir, of Texas), J. F., Annie V. (wife of Fred Heep, of Texas), Bettie J. (wife of J. C. Arledge), John T., Emma, Walter S. and M. R. Mr. Syler is a Blue Lodge Mason. Politically he is a firm Democrat.