Clara Rosalie (Saunders) Lounders (abt. 1858 - 1918)

Born about 4 Sep 1858 in Bahamas

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 30 Oct 1918 at about age 60 in Key West, Monroe, Florida, United States

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Michelle Zealander [send private message] and Patricia Esquinaldo [send private message]

Clara (Saunders) Lounders is part of a Bahamian family.

Biography

The facts surrounding Clara's birth and lineage are mysterious as of this writing. If you have information, perhaps you can assist those who are trying to figure it out!

Clara was born about 1858 in the Bahamas and moved to Key West, Florida when she was in her teens. Her Key West death record of 30 October 1918 lists her father as Corneilus Saunders. Her death record says she was born in 1857. Clara's son Emilio is who provided the information on the death certificate. Emilio named 3 of his daughters with Clara's names.

Here is the information found for Clara on the 1880, 1885, 1900, & 1910 censuses:

• 1880 - wife of Jose Loundres, 2 children, age 24, birthplace Bahamas, parents birthplace both in the Bahamas.

• 1885 - wife of Jose, on this census her name is Caroline, 3 children, age 27, birthplace Bahamas, parents birthplace both in the Bahamas.

• 1900 - wife of Jose Loudres, birthdate Sept 1859 age 40, number of years married "24", 7 of 12 children living, birthplace "at sea", parents birthplace both in the Bahamas, number of years in the USA "25".

• 1910 - wife of Joseph Lounders, age 49, number of years married "30", 7 of 12 children living, birthplace Bahamas/West Indies, birthplace of both parents Bahamas/West Indies.

Here is a timeline built from the very few documents I can find for Clara:

• About Sept 1858 - Born in the Bahamas. Info from various censuses.
• About 1875 - Came to Key West, Florida. She might have been about 17 years old at the time. We do not know who she traveled with as Clara's passenger documents have not been discovered. Info from 1900 census.
• Sometime during 1875 or 1876 Clara met and began a relationship with Jose Lounders.
• April 1876 - (about age 16) became pregnant with her and Jose Lounder's first child.
• January 1877 - their first child, Jose Lounders, Jr was born. His Godparents were Vicente Preciado & Dolores Pena.
• August 1879 - their second child, Emilio Lounders was born. His Godparents were Ignacio Soriano & Luz Duarte.
• 1880 census says they lived at 244 Fleming Street, Key West, Florida.
• March 1880 - married Jose Lounders, Sr. She might have been 20 years old. Her name on the marriage certificate is Clara McKinnon. Why did they wait to marry?
• October 1880 - their third child, Eugene Candido Lounders was born. His Godparents were Juan Perez Duarte & Maria Perez Duarte.
• May 1882 - birth and death of their daughter Clara Luz Lounders. Her Godparents were Juan S Navarro & Maria Perez Duarte.
• June/July 1883 - birth and death of their daughter Rosa Lounders.
• May 1884 / Jan 1885 - birth and death of their daughter Felicia Edelmira Lounders. Her God parents were Clotilde C Escassi or Escaldier, Manuel Escassi or Escaldier, & Lauriano Mora.
• Feb/July 1886 birth and death of their daughter Cristina Lounders. Her Godparents were Luis Cabot & Maria Cabot.
• November 1887 - their son, Oscar Clement Lounders was born. His Godparents were Manuel Fernandez & Maria Lopez Fernandez.
• July 1889 - their daughter, Louisa B Lounders was born. Juan Perez Rolo? & Antonia Alfonso.
• November 1891 - their son, Richard Andrew Lounders was born. His Godparents were Louis Cabot & Maria Cabot.
• December 1894 - their son, Herman Angel Lounders was born. His Godparents were J.E. Romaguera & Cecilia A Romaguera.
• 1910 census says they lived at 1025 Harris Street, Key West, Florida.
• October 30, 1918 - Clara passed away in Key West, Florida. Her son Emilio reported the death and stated that Clara's father was Cornelius Saunders and her mother was 'unknown'.
• June 1939 - death of their son Jose Lounders. Clara's name on his death certificate is Clara Saunders.
• Sept 1943 - death of their daughter Louisa Lounders Louis. Clara's name on her death certificate is Clara Saunders.
• Feb 1944 - death of their son Emilo Nieves Lounders. Clara's name on his death certificate is Clara Saunders.
• May 1944 - death of their son Eugene Candido Lounders. Clara's name on his death certificate is Clara McKinnon.
• Apr 1949 - death of their son Herman Angel Lounders.
• Apr 1968 - death of their son Oscar Clement Lounders. Clara's name on his death certificate is Clara McKinnon. Mother's name on his death certificate is "unobtainable".
• Mar 1971 - death of their son Richard Andrew Lounders. Clara's name on his death certificate is Clara McKinnon.

It's a mystery as to why Clara used the McKinnon last name. Clara's marriage record states that she was a McKinnon when she married Jose Ynes Lounders. Yet, other documents have her name as Clara Saunders. I believe the McKinnon name was either Clara’s mother’s maiden name, Clara's mother's married name, or another theory is that a McKinnon family maybe raised her for some unknown reason so she took on that name.

I have found in my and in all of the other desendants of Clara who have DNA tested a strong connection with people who have Saunders, Roberts, & Sands ancestors.

There was a man named Cornelius Saunders born 1826 in Green Turtle Cay, Bahamas. Cornelius Saunders siblings' names were Patience Saunders Thompson born 1823, Joseph Cornelius Saunders born 1828, Elizabeth Saunders Tift born 1833, and Sarah Ann Saunders Lowe born 1837. Their parents were Cornelius Uriah Saunders born about 1800 & Sarah Roberts born about 1800. Cornelius Uriah Saunders is thought to have been the illegitamate son of Charity Saunders (1767-1792), who was the daughter of Nathaniel Saunders (1725-1830) & Sarah (1725-1820).

Richard R who researches the Saunders line had no information on Clara. He found a baby girl born in New Providence on Sept 15, 1856 to David SAUNDERS and Elizabeth McKENNON.

However, keeping in mind the inaccuracy and confusion on Bahamian birthdates: a. Bahamian birth registrations were frequently a few days, even weeks late. b. Bahamian practice of speaking of someone "in the x# year his age" resulted in confusion amongst emigrants.

In trying to figure out the McKinnon/Saunders connection, and McKinnon not being a very common Bahamian name, it's very interesting to have found a Green Turtle Cay connection between Joseph C Saunders (brother of Cornelius Saunders) and a couple named Samuel McKennon and Eliza Adams McKennon. Joseph C Saunders was the registrar on records found for Samuel McKennon. This Saunders and McKennon/McKinnon acquaintance was at the right place at the right time.

There is a potentially important DNA clues. As referenced by Michelle above, Patricia, her mother Joyce, Joyce's two sisters Betty & Nancy, and Patricia, Joyce, Betty & Nancy's cousins Albert and Lorraine have taken Ancestry DNA tests and posted them on GEDmatch, FTDNA, & My Heritage as follows:

Patricia: https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Esquinaldo-18 GEDmatch: KU9809044

Joyce: https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Dillon-4181 GEDmatch: RJ1587754

Betty: https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Dillon-5367 GEDmatch: TY1321453

Nancy: https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Dillon-5368 GEDmatch: NF4073790

Albert Pita: https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Pita-26 GEDmatch: AN7865089

Lorraine: https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Lounders-13 GEDmatch: A897504

The challenge with Patricia, Joyce, Betty, & Nancy is that they are 2 and 1 generations removed respectively from the Bahamian Dillon line AND 4 and 3 generations removed respectively from Clara's line which is the one of interest.

Albert & Lorraine are 3 generations removed from Clara and certifiably that is their only line into the Bahamas.

Albert, Lorraine, Betty, Nancy, Joyce, & Patricia all have their DNA on Ancestry, FTDNA, My Heritage, Gedmatch, & Geneanet. Patricia is also on 23andme.

Sources

• Death record and correspondence with Clara's 2x great granddaughter.

Find A Grave: Memorial #185488365

"United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MVKN-LY9 : accessed 11 December 2020), Clara Lounders in household of Joseph Lounders, Key West Ward 5, Monroe, Florida, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 127, sheet 6A, family 109, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 165; FHL microfilm 1,374,178.

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