William Saunders (1834 - 1912)

Born 22 Dec 1834 in Near Coatesville, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, USA

Ancestors

Son of [father unknown] and Sarah (Owens) Saunders

Descendants

Died 1 Jul 1912 at age 77 in Lakeside, Ottowa County, Ohio, USA

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Kelly O'Leary [send private message]

Biography

William Saunders served in the United States Civil War.
Enlisted: Aug 8, 1862
Mustered out: May 20, 1863
Side: USA
Regiment(s): Captain William W. Walker's Company E, 126th PA Infantry Volunteers

William Saunders served in the United States Civil War.
Enlisted: Feb 25, 1865
Mustered out: Aug 29, 1865
Side: USA
Regiment(s): Capt. Pealer's Co., 74 Reg't Pa. Inf

It is unclear where and exactly when William Saunders came into this world. This information does not appear with the family Bible information copied by his son, Freas. When William mustered into Capt. Pealer's Co., 74 Reg't Pa. Inf. he declared that he was born in "Lancaster Penn" and was age 30 years; this statement was taken 25 February 1865. On a declaration for pension dated 28 February 1907 he declared that he was born in "Lancaster Co. Pa. near Coatesville” on "December 22, 1834". His tombstone indicates that he was born 1837. The census information furnished by him or by the family that he then lived with appears to confirm the 1834 date.

William Saunders, Mary Ann Saunders, and Sarah Saunders, their mother, were admitted, discharged, or both by the Chester County, Pennsylvania, Poorhouse in 1834. The report that the Chester County Archives has says "Mary Ann 4 yr ", and "William 3 mo". If William was born 22 Dec 1834, then he could not have been either admitted or discharged at age 3 months during 1834. This report was prepared from a daily record that no longer exists for that time period.

Who was William's father? I wish that I knew that.

His mother was Sarah Owen who had grown up as the seventh of eleven children. Sarah was 35 years old when William was born. Sarah was born in Chester County, PA, near Coatesville; after she was 10 she moved with her family to Lewisville in Mifflin Co. where her father died in 1820.

There is a William Saunders in the 1850 U.S. Census for Delaware County, Pennsylvania. This is probably our William since he is listed in the census as a carpenter and he later worked as a carpenter and otherwise worked with wood. The problem is that our William would have been 15 that year while the William in the census was listed as age 18 and a carpenter, not an apprentice.

On April 16, 1856 William was married to Mary Elizabeth Ashton by the Rev. Thos. Murphy. He probably lived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at the time of his marriage and before, since Mary E. definitely lived there in 1848, 1850 and 1853.

On February 18, 1857 Emma Elizabeth Saunders was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Since their first child was born in Philadelphia, William and Mary E. most likely met and married there as well.

On September 5, 1858 William's second child, William Lewis Saunders, was born in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. This date, and the birth dates of William's other children, were copied from a family Bible by his youngest son, Freas.

William Saunders and his family were enumerated in the U.S. Census dated 10 July 1860 in Franklin Co., Chambersberg, PA. The line for Wm Saunders states that his age was 25 and he was born in "Penna.". His occupation is listed as Carpenter. The value of his real estate was 600. The value of his personal estate was 200.

The other persons residing in the household of Wm Saunders were:

The line for Mary Saunders states that her age was 25, her sex was "f", and she was born in "Penna.".

The line for Emma Saunders states that her age was 3, her sex was "f", and she was born in "Penna.".

The last line is for Wm Saunders. It states that his age was 2, his sex was "m", and he was born in "Penna.".

Chambersburg was a pretty interesting place during the Civil War years. In 1859, John Brown made his headquarters in Chambersburg. Carlisle, where William Lewis Saunders was born, is about 40 miles from Chambersburg on the road north to Harrisburg. Since William Lewis Saunders was born there in September of 1858, the family probably all lived there then. It would be fun to know whether the family had actually moved to Chambersburg when John Brown was there.

On February 28, 1863 William's third child, Susana Broomall Saunders, was born in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. The rest of William and Mary E.'s children were all boys and were all born in Columbia County, Pennsylvania.

William served as a private of Captain William W. Walker's Company E, 126th PA Infantry Volunteers from Aug. 8, 1862 thru May 20, 1863 when the enlistment time of all the soldiers of the 126th ran out. His personal description at his time of enlistment was, "Height, 5 feet 10 inches; complexion, light; color of eyes, blue; color of hair, brown; that his occupation was Carpenter". His application for an invalid pension states, "That while a member of the organization aforesaid, in the service and in the line of duty, at Sharpsburg, in the State of Md." in "October, 1862, he incurred an injury to his leg by striking it against a post while on the march and that he also contracted the Chronic Diarhea in Oct 1862 and that he contracted Dropsy at Falmouth Va in March 1863. That he was treated in hospitals, as follows: in General Hospital Falmouth Va from Jany 26-1863 to Feby 7-1863."

A history of the 126th Pennsylvania available at the Library of Congress includes a "LIST OF CASUALTIES IN THE ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-SIXTH REGIMENT PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS, AT FREDRICKSBURG, VIRGINIA, DECEMBER 13TH, 1862." For Company E it lists: Wounded - John F. Flory; Killed - Sergeant Geo. M. D. Brotherton, S. P. Rouzer; Missing - Daniel C. Hoover, Henry F. Barnett. Most of the other companies had more wounded and Company I was listed as NOT IN ACTION. The same history includes a "LIST OF CASUALTIES IN THE ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-SIXTH REGIMENT PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS, AT THE BATTLE OF CHANCELLORSVILLE, VIRGINIA, MAY 3, 1863". Company E is listed NOT IN ACTION.

The Gettysburg campaign of June-July of 1863 was fought only a few miles away from Chambersburg. It was at Chambersburg that Robert E. Lee learned that the Army of the Potomac under G. G. Meade was concentrating north of the Potomac. The two armies met just west of Gettysburg. On July 4 of 1863, Lee withdrew.

Family tradition has it that William was at home and only heard the guns at Gettysburg. He hid from Lee at Chambersburg. Since Lee's troops arrived in Chambersburg in force and continued to hold the roads between there and Gettysburg, William had reason to believe that his choices were to hide or to spend the rest of the war in a Confederate prison camp.

It was at the dedication of the national cemetery at Gettysburg on Nov. 19, 1863 that Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address. I wonder whether any of the Saunders were there to listen.

William enlisted again in Espy, PA on Feb. 25, 1865 for a term of one year; he was 30 years old; this enlistment form lists his height as 5 feet 8 1/2 inches. The 74th Reg't Pennsylvania Inf. was a new regiment raised for a limited time as the 126th had been. William enlisted as a Private but by Mar. 13, 1865, he was listed as "1 Sergt" on the Company Muster Roll for A Company, 74th PA. He was mustered out with his company at Clarksburg, W. Va., on Aug. 29, 1865; he only received $33 1/3 of the $100 government bounty he was promised at enlistment - presumably because his company served only a fraction of their one year enlistment.

On August 11, 1866 William's forth child, John Ashton Saunders, was born in Espy, Pennsylvania.

On March 15, 1871 William's fifth child, Alfred Robinson Saunders, was born in Espy, Pennsylvania.

On October 12, 1873 William's youngest child, Freas Brown Saunders, was born in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania. His unusual name was probably given in honor of a member of the Bloomsburg town council. Freas Brown is mentioned in a history of Bloomsburg township in The History of Columbia and Montour Counties, Pennsylvania by J. H. Beers, 1887, “A town council, consisting of president and six members, is elected annually. A list of the incumbents since the organization of the town has been compiled from official sources and is herewith subtended: 1870--President, Elias Mendenhall; members, Joseph Sharpless, Stephen Knorr, W. B. Koons, F. C. Eyer, Caleb Barton, C. G. Barkley. 1871-President, Elias Mendenhall; members, Joseph Sharpless, C.G. Barkley, Stephen Knoor, W..B. Koons, F.C. Eyer, John Rinker. 1872--President, Elias Mendenhall; members, Freas Brown, Stephen Knorr, Caleb Barton, John S. Sterner, James Dennis, J.H. Maize, vice W. B. Koons, resigned”...

William's family probably lived in Columbia County, Pennsylvania, continuously from at least 1866 when his son John Ashton Saunders was born there until 1873 when his son Freas Brown Saunders was born there. By the time of the June, 1880 U.S. Census, the family had left Espy and Bloomsburg and was living in Cadillac, Michigan.

William Saunders ran and owned a sawmill in Columbia County. Frances Saunders Weissenberger supplied information about her father in those years. John Ashton Saunders worked in that sawmill rather than going to school when he was nine years old (about 1875); John Ashton Saunders lost 1 1/2 fingers working in that mill. Frances remembered visiting Columbia County with her family and staying there with family friends from those years.

The family of William L. Saunders has different stories about the years before 1880. Their story is that William operated a cabinet making shop in Carlisle, PA. He supplied material for the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition of 1876 - a flying staircase and/or sash and doors. Since he never received payment for this work, his business failed and he left Pennsylvania.

The Columbia County Historical Society sent Kelly O’Leary a map of Bloomsburg, published out of NY in 1876, showing the Bloomsburg Lumber Co. and Planing Mill of which W. Saunders was part owner with C. Bittenbender, G. Fenstermacher, and W. S. Conner.

Included with the material sent, was John K. Bittenbender's biography -- he was the son of a farmer, Conrad, and Lovina (knorr) Bittenbender. Conrad moved to Bloomsburg in 1869 "where he carried on a planing mill and lumber business and for many years was one of the most substantial men of this place. He was treasurer of the Bloomsburg Lumber Company, and had charge of its financial affairs during is existence" (History of Columbia and Montour Counties PA. "Bloomsburg" 324).

In 1877, the Wm. Saunders family moved to Cadillac, MI, which at the time was the terminus of the Ann Arbor and Grand Rapids and Indiana railroads. A little despondent over his financial loss, so the story goes, William made his destination the end of the line of the two railroads. He started in the planing mill business under the name "Saunders and Sons". William L. and John Ashton Saunders worked with their father in this mill until it was destroyed by fire.

A "History of Wexford County, Michigan" compiled by John H. Wheeler in 1903 tells yet another version of the Pennsylvania story. Its entry about William L. Saunders says, "He was born in the city of Carlisle on the 5th day of September, 1858, and when quite young was taken to Bloomburg [sic], where he spent his early years, as soon as old enough assisting his father in a planing-mill and at intervals attending the public schools of the town."

An entry in the 1880 census indicates that William was then running a sawmill in Cadillac, Michigan. Mary E. was keeping house with her 23 year old daughter, Emma, and her 17 year old, Susie B., at home with her. William L., age 21, was working in a mill. John A.(age 13), Alfred R.(age 10) and Freas B.(age 7) were all in school. By 1910 William Lewis Saunders, the oldest son, was Superintendent of a lumber mill there.

A clipping from what appears to be a Cadillac newspaper was folded up in the box with William’s heavy silver pocket watch. It reports a “Surprise Silver Wedding

An event that was full of pleasure and merriment to all the parties interested, occurred at the Good Templar’s hall last Saturday evening. The members of the Good Templars organization together with their many friends had conceived the idea of having Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Saunders, of this city, celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary of their married life, as a surprise party. Consequently arrangements had been quietly completed by an efficient committee, who had by invitation caused an assembly of about one hundred and fifty persons in the hall to participate in the event, while a few neighbors had purposely visited Mr. and Mrs. Saunders at their home before evening, and afterward escorted them to the hall as they supposed, to a lodge social. The hall, however, was decorated and arranged for a feast more than a social, and the full object of the occasion was understood when the Rev. A. Marsh addressed some appropriate opening remarks to the bride and groom of a quarter of a century, which were followed by prayer by the Rev. E. H. Day.

The presentation of an elegant lad[y’s] gold watch chain with appropriately e[n]graved slide, was made with the following remarks by Mr. C. W. Higgins”...

“After the presentation by Mr. Higgins, Mr. Chas. L. Frost presented Mr. Saunders with a fine silver watch, gold chain and charm”...

“Rev. E. H. Day, in his accustomed playful manner considered himself chosen on this occasion to kiss the bride, which he did with many boyish blushes.

Among the other silver presents were a pair of silver napkin rings by Mrs. M. Benham; set silver forks, Mr. and Mrs. W. E. Hunt; beautiful silver flower vase, Mr. and Mrs. Hollister; beautiful silver card receiver, Mr. and Mrs. F. H. Huntley; an elegant silver butter dish, Mr. and Mrs. T. Rowlands; pair of finely painted water jugs, by the Cadillac Baptist Society; a silver pickle dish by Mr. and Mrs. C. K. Russell. There was also received on Monday last, too late for presentation, a beautifully designed silver butter dish, with the following note: “Your noble performance in ‘double harness’ entitles you to a butter dish from W. S. Conner and wife, Trenton, N. J., in honor of April 16th, 1856.”

The tables were beautifully supplied with a great variety of delicacies to which the large gathering of guests did ample justice. The occasion was a complete surprise to Mr. and Mrs. Saunders, and was richly enjoyed by all those who participated therein.”

William stated in his pension declaration that he had resided in "Bloomsburg, Pa., Cadillac, Mich., Cleveland, Ohio, The Dalles, Ore. ...".

The Cleveland, Ohio City Directories found at the Cleveland Public Library tell the tale of William's years in Cleveland. The directories for 1882-83 and 1883-84 list no members of this Saunders family. The directories for 1884-85, 1885-86, and 1886-87 list "Saunders, William Foreman Sturtevant Lumber Co., r.(resides) 92 Jefferson". The directories for 1887-88 and 1888-89 list "Saunders & Son (William and John A.) Planing Mill, 410 Central Way" in Cleveland. Both William and John A. are listed then as residing at 11 College. In 1889-90 the directory lists "Saunders, Alfred Book keeper J.A. Saunders r. 11 College Saunders, John A. sash, doors, blinds, etc. 650 Scranton Ave. telephone 1670 r. 11 College Saunders, William with J.A. Saunders r. 11 College". In 1890-91 the directory lists, "Saunders, Alfred R. Book keeper J.A. Saunders r. 11 College Saunders William with J.A. Saunders r. 11 College". In 1891-92 the directory lists, "Saunders, Alfred R. Book keeper J.A. Saunders r. 11 College Saunders, Freas B. r. 11 College Saunders, J. Ashton Salesman A. Teachout & Co. r. 776 Scranton Avenue" Finally, in 1892-93 the directory lists, "Saunders, Alfred R. Removed to Oregon Saunders, J. Ashton City Salesman A. Teachout & Co. r. 776 Scranton Avenue".

It was in 1893 that Freas B. Saunders copied pages of the Saunders family Bible onto sheets that he headed, " The Dalles Feb.7,1893. Oregon."

Freas Saunders' family tradition has it that William and his younger sons moved to the town of The Dalles, Oregon, to build a glass factory. The factory was never built. They did contract to build and/or built with their own hands the old Methodist Episcopal Church at The Dalles.

William's military pension papers indicate the he also resided at Grand Dalles, Washington, "during which time he was Post-Master under Pres. Cleveland. and moved from there to Oberlin, O. about 1897." The family returned to "The East" but the youngest son, Freas, returned to The Dalles to marry and raise a family there.

The Oberlin, Ohio, town directory for 1894-95 lists a Saunders family at 36 South (St.?). Listed are "Wm, Mrs M E, Alfred R, Mrs O M". This seems to indicate that William's son, Al, and his wife Ollie were living with William and Mary.

By 1900 William and most of his children had moved to the vicinity of Cleveland, Ohio. William and Mary E. were living in Oberlin, Ohio along with their daughter, Emma, and her daughter, Bessie. William rented the house that they lived in. William worked as a Foreman in a Planing Mill; he was 65 years old.

In 1906 William and Mary Elizabeth celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary. The celebrating couple, all of their children and most of the spouses and grandchildren posed for a group photograph. Freas brought his wife, his 4 year old son and his 2 year old daughter all the way from Oregon.

In 1909 Mary Elizabeth died in Oberlin, Ohio and was buried there.

In 1912 William Saunders died in Lakeside, Ohio. His older daughter, Emma Elizabeth Saunders Graham, gave the information for his death certificate. It is as interesting for what she did not know, as it is for the information that she supplied. The place of death is Ohio, County of Ottawa, Township of Danbury. Full name is "William Saunders". Sex is "Male"; Color or Race is "White". Date of Birth is "Dec 22 1834"; age is "78 years, 6 months, 8 days"; "Widower"; Birthplace "Penna.". Occupation is "Bldg Contractor". Name of Father is "Saunders". Birthplace of Father is "- Penna". Maiden Name of Mother is "Sarah Owen". Birthplace of Mother is "Wales". Date of Death is "July 1, 1912".

The Oberlin Tribune of Wed., July 3, 1912 printed the following report of his death: "OLD SOLDIER DIED AT LAKESIDE JULY 1 William Saunders Former Resident of Oberlin Passed Away at Daughter's Home

William Saunders, for many years a resident of 77 South Park street, died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. E. S. Graham, at Lakeside, Monday. He was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, and enlisted in the Civil war as a private in Company E, 126 Pennsylvania Volunteers. After 2 years and 2 months service he was discharged from the 74th regiment as a sergeant. Mr. Saunders was about 77 years of age and during his residence here he made a wide circle of friends. He was a member of the Henry Lincoln Post and of the First M. E. church. His wife died at her home here a few years ago. Mrs. Graham moved to Lakeside about two years ago and since that time Mr. Saunders has made his home with her. The deceased was a kind old gentleman who took an unusual interest in the affairs of the day. Funeral services were held in the First M. E. church Wednesday afternoon at 3:30 o'clock, conducted by Rev. W. S. Chapman. The G. A. R. escorted the remains to the grave in Westwood where they were laid beside the grave of his wife."

Updated 26 Aug. 2008 by Pat Saunders

Sources

• "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MXP5-3PS : 30 December 2015), Wm Saunders, 1860.

• "United States Census, 1870," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MZG8-FBX : 17 October 2014), William Saunders, Pennsylvania, United States; citing p. 3, family 28, NARA microfilm publication M593 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 552,828.

• Find A Grave Memorial# 54461328

• Sources are included in the above biography. Any censuses mentioned are United States Censuses.

Freas Brown Saunders copied his parents' family Bible records before he left their home for the last time; the original Bible pages are in the possession of Kelly O'Leary. Pat Saunders has Freas' copies in her possession. These records are written on loose pages of stationary; each page of the original is headed and dated. Terms such as "mother" and "grandmother" are relationships to Freas B. Saunders. Material in "[]" in the typescript is not written in the original ink; I omitted most of this later material in the typescript.

FAMILY BIBLE RECORDS

WILLIAM AND MARY ELIZABETH (ASHTON) SAUNDERS

OF OBERLIN, LORAIN CO., OHIO

"The Dalles. Oregon. Feb.7.1893.

Sarah Ashton daughter of Robt. & Mary Yerkes died Jan.13.1838. aged 28 years. 11 months. 12 days.

_____________________

Robert Yerkes Ashton son of John S & Sarah Ashton died Jan.21.1838. Aged 6 months. 14 days.

_____________________

John S. Ashton son of William & Elizabeth died Dec.27.1848. aged 41 years. 11 months.

_____________________

William Saunders & Mary E. Ashton were married by the Rev. Thos. Murphy. Apr.16.1856.

_____________________

Emma Lizzie Saunders daughter of William & Mary E. Saunders was born at Philadelphia Feb.18.1857.

_____________________

William Lewis Saunders son of William & Mary E. Saunders was born at Carlisle, Penn. Sept.5.1858."

"The Dalles. Oregon. Feb.7.1893.

Susana Broomall Saunders daughter of William & Mary E. Saunders was born at Chambersburg, Penn. Feb.28.1863.

_____________________

Baby born & died Oct.21.1860.

Baby " " July 15.1861.

_____________________

John Ashton Saunders son of William & Mary E Saunders was born at Espey, Penn. Aug.11.1866.

_____________________

Alfred Robinson Saunders, son of William & Mary E Saunders was born at Espey, Penn. Mar.15.1871

_____________________

Freas Brown Saunders son of William & Mary E Saunders was born at Bloomsbury, Penn. Oct.12.1873."

" The Dalles Feb.7,1893. Oregon.

Copy of the record of the family of Ismael Owen, grandfather of my father William Saunders, in the hands of my father this seventh day of February, A.D.1893.

Born.___________Died.

Ismael Owen Apr.20_1748_____1820 Mar.11

Catherine Sterns Mar.24_1763_____1846

wife of

Owen, Ismael.

" Morris Feb.12_1788.

" Henry Mar.19_1791.

" Elizabeth. Oct.10_1792.

" David Mar.1_1794.

" Rebecca June26_1796.

" William Nov.28_1797.

" Sarah Aug.20_1799. {Fathers mother

{Died June 11_1876. (Grandmother.)

Born.___________Died.

Owen, Rachael. Apr. 5,1801.

" Lewis. Feb. 18,1802.

" Owen. Apr. 16, 1805.

" Mary Aug. 5, 1807."

• Maternal relationship to Sarah Owens is confirmed by a triangulated group consisting of Steve Bishop 1C GEDmatch A672157, John Ellithorp 6C GEDmatch A804609, Dina Helock 6C GEDmatch A862308, David High 6C GEDmatch M925223, , and Pat Saunders GEDmatch A007556 sharing @25 cM segment on chromosome 15 from 33,130,741 to 57,928,789. All five descend from Jacob Zimmerman and one of his wives.