Samuel H. Sayre, Jr. was born in Hampton, Virginia, the son of Annie Woolsey Morris and Samuel H. Sayre, Sr. He is descended from Lewis Morris, a Signer of the Declaration of Independence. He served in the Hospital Corp Service of the Navy until August 28, 1919 when he began his studies to be an Episcopal priest. On September 18, 1919, he entered St. Stephen's College, Annandale-on-Hudson and graduated in spring 1922. Between September 26, 1922 and spring 1925, he studied at the General Theological Seminary in New York City as a candidate for the ministry and as a postulant of Bishop Burleson, spending the summers in the Mission field of South Dakota. He served as a priest in South Dakota, Chicago, Pennsylvania, California and Virginia. He married Marjorie Mae Renison on January 13, 1934 in St. John's Church, Hampton, Virginia. His parish of St. Barnabas in Eagle Rock, Los Angeles, California was begun by his wife's Grandfather, Canon Renison, as a Mission Church and Rev. Sayre took over the Parish from his Father-in-Law, Rev. George Edward Renison. Dates and Parishes: August 2, 1925 to April 1927 St. James Mission in Mobridge, South Dakota (Rev. Sayre's first parish), April, 1927 to January 31, 1928 St. Paul's Church in Kenwood, Chicago, April 1, 1928 to September 30, 1938 St. Mary's Episcopal Church, Williamsport, Pennsylvania and The Church of Our Savior in Montoursville, Pennsylvania, October 1, 1938 to October 1, 1939 St. John's Episcopal Church, Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, October 15, 1939 to January 15, 1961 St. Barnabas' Church, Eagle Rock, Los Angeles, California, February 1, 1961 Kingston Parish, Mathews, Virginia and by April 3, 1966 St. Mary's Episcopal Church, Colonial Beach, Virginia. He is a 32nd degree Mason, member of the Royal Arcanum and Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternities. Other honors include Dean of Convocation of Pasadena, 1955-1959 and Chaplain to Bishop Bloy of Los Angeles, 1951-1961.