The name Sayrs, is memorialized on the facade on the corner of Sanborne and Broadway, where the Philipsburg Brewing Company is now located. A picture in the small book by Charles Weitfle, titled Views of Granite, Philipsburg and Vicinity, shows the First National Bank building and the façade but the name on the facade is not Sayrs. It appears to be GAN: probably for Gannon and Neu. This block was originally owned by the Hyde family.
The earliest I found reference to the Sayrs family was an article in the August 21, 1896, Philipsburg Mail, stating Mr. and Mrs. Frank D. Sayrs expected to start on their annual camping trip. They would probably be joined by Mr. and Mrs. Sam Taylor. Frank, who was a great lover of fishing and hunting, said he could not allow a season to pass without taking his regular outing.
F.D. Sayrs ran for Justice of Peace, Philipsburg Township, in the city election, unopposed in 1908. Then on February 5, 1910, a note in the Mail, stated “Judge F.D. Sayrs asks the Mail to announce that he now has a supply of fishing licenses and is prepared to accommodate those boys who have been anxious to try their luck on the creek these bright sunshiny days. These licenses will be good for fishing and hunting for the entire year and those who buy one now will get the most for their money.”
During the 1910 election, the article with election results began with the comment there was no great interest taken in the election and the vote cast fell considerably short of the registration. Judge D.M. Durfee, was elected as Mayor and F.D. Sayrs, was elected as Police Judge, unopposed with a total vote of 123 from all the wards. F.D. was again elected Judge in 1912 and was discussed in an article of the Mail, at that time.
Judge F. Sayrs performed the wedding ceremony for Richard Hoehne and Doris Huddleston, at the home of the bride's parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Huddleston, in the Rosalind district on August 23, 1920. Attendants were Mayme McLean and Francis Hoehne. Then in August 1928, he was paid $8.00 for canvassing election returns, by the Granite County Commissioners, in their August 4, meeting. Sayrs received 438 votes in the November election, when he again ran unopposed, for Justice of Peace, for the Philipsburg Township. In November 1930, he received 663 votes again, for the office of Justice of the Peace.
Frank was born March 7, 1856, in Jackson, Michigan. As a young adult he was a Conductor on the Michigan Central Railroad. In 1887, he moved to Montana due to poor health and decided to remain in the healthy environment and open a business. On June 14, 1891, he married Amanda Erickson, in Philipsburg. Amanda, born October 29, 1866, in Skiro, Sweden, came to Laramie, Wyoming in 1886. She moved to Philipsburg in 1890. Amanda died December 16, 1934, at her home. An active member of Eastern Star, with affiliation to the Pearl Chapter, in 1895, she served as Worthy Matron in 1905. Survivors were: three sisters in Sweden, a sister Mrs. J.E. Johnson, in Laramie, Wyoming and her husband. Funeral services were conducted at the Masonic Hall, under the auspices of the Eastern Star, with Rev. A.J. Smith, officiating. Burial was in the family plot, in the Philipsburg cemetery. Pallbearers were: Angus McDonald, A.J. Murray, Erick V. Johnson, M.C. Durfee, Clyde Neu and John Hickey. There were no children born to this marriage.
Frank died at the family home a few weeks later, on January 6, 1935, after being ill only a few days from Influenza and was buried beside Amanda. Frank served as the Philipsburg Justice of the Peace continuously from 1904 until his death at the age of seventy eight. He was a member of the Masonic Order for more than forty years. His funeral was conducted from the Masonic Temple by Flint Creek Lodge No. 11 A. F. and A. M. and assisted by Rev. A.J. Smith.
So why is the building on Broadway and Sansome named after Sayrs? Researching the local history, Sanborn maps and census records I found that in 1900 Frank was working as a bartender and by 1910 was a Real Estate agent. He purchased the Hyde building in 1904, so was that in a failure to pay taxes, or foreclosure due to bankruptcy or a real estate deal? Was the purchase only the one building as it appears Gannon and Neu were housed in the rest of the block at that time. Since I do not live in the county this question will remain until someone researches the Court House records.
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