The ancestry of Mr. Saunders were all from Rhode Island, having formerly lived in both Newport and Hopkinton of that state. They were among the earliest members of the Seventh-day Baptist churches of those places. On the mother's side were found those who also constituted the first regular Baptist church of Newport. Some of these attained considerable prominence in the civil and religious movements of the communities in which they lived. About a century ago, they migrated to Berlin, Rensselaer Co., New York, and settled on lands which they converted into farms in that town.
His father's name was Peleg Saunders, who was born August 22, 1785; and his mother's name was Hannah Peckham, who was born Nov. 5, 1789. Her parents were Abel and Hannah Peckham. He had two brothers, Dennis and Lyman, both older than himself, and five sisters, Matilda, Electa, Caroline, Dorcas and Elizabeth. All of these married. Mr. Saunders was born Nov. 1, 1815, on the "West Mountain," two miles from the village of Berlin. On the farm of his father and an adjoining one, he lived for thirty-five years, until he took up his residence in Illinois. The house in which he was reared is said to be still standing. January 10, 1843, he married Annis Hull, who was born April 12, 1812, in the valley two miles east of Berlin. Her father, Thomas Hull, was a brother to Eld. Richard Hull, who preached in the early settlement of our people of Allegany county, N. Y. Her mother was also a Peckham. Immediately after marriage they made their home with Mr. Saunders's parents, who remained with them until death. This occurred at Farmington, Ill.
The youth of Mr. Saunders was spent in farming, in learning the elementary positions of the blacksmith's trade, and in winters attending the district school near his home. He grew to be a large-sized, athletic and vigorous man, with dark eyes, heavy head, firm countenance and commanding look. He was fond of the plays in which the most muscular boys engaged; scarcely ever was he weary from the hardest day's labor in the woods of the fields. He formed from the beginning, the strictest habits of industry and economy, and early acquired considerable property for one living in his times on a rough farm. Some years before he married, he joined the Seventh-day Baptist Church at Berlin, and was accustomed to perform strictly his duties in this relation. His testimonies at religious meetings are still remembered by some surviving members of the church.
In 1850 he moved to Farmington, Ill., and settled on the section of land where he resided until his death. His two brothers had preceded him and taken up farms in the neighborhood. He brought with him $3,000 which he invested in partially improved prairie land. Here, with his hard-working and prudent wife, he supported his parents in their old age, and for thirty-seven years he labored to acquire a considerable fortune. He succeeded in this almost entirely through the products of his large farm. He never engaged in any speculation in business to the amount of a dollar. A small portion of his income was gained by following blacksmithing for a few of his neighbors. He gave the closest attention to all departments of his work, and exercised the soundest judgment in the investments of his money.
He died Dec. 14, 1887, at his home, from Bright's disease, with which he had been afflicted the last four years of his life. During that time he suffered fearfully at periods. In the last four weeks he was confined to the house, and his mind wandered considerably. He was reduced to almost a skeleton in this sickness. He had a most abiding faith in the mercy of the Heavenly Father to save the repentant soul. He uttered no complaint in his wasting disease, and desired the will of God to be obeyed in his case. The funeral sermon was preached by the pastor of the Presbyterian Church in the city of Farmington, and his friends and neighbors in large numbers attended the services. His wife says, “He always lived right.” He was accustomed to have family prayer. As long as the little Seventh-day Baptist Church in his vicinity maintained meetings he was faithful as a member to his covenant duties. He was deeply interested in some operations of the denomination to which he belonged, and read with great care its leading paper and the annual reports of its principal societies. His immediate neighbors and the prominent business men of the country, with whom he had frequent dealings, regarded him with the highest respect for his kindliness, his sterling honesty, and his "tact in getting on in the world."
He considered that his property had been given him by the Lord, and decided that he was under obligations to devote it finally in a way that would be most beneficial to the religion which he professed. He never had any children, and his relatives were all in comfortable circumstances. He greatly desired to help our denomination to provide work for the ministers of other churches who are recent converts to the Sabbath, by building up new Sabbath-keeping societies in our country. Before his death he had contributed quite large sums of money to our Missionary and Tract boards and to the Milton College. Some years since he executed his will, his wife, who still survives him, consenting to all its provisions, giving the income perpetually of his estate to the Seventh-day Baptist Missionary Society, after the death of his wife. The principal remains in the hands of the administrator whom he names, until such time as it can be transferred to other responsible parties. The personal property which he left consists of bonds, stocks, notes and mortgages, and amounts to at least $28,000; and his real estate is composed of 280 acres of land, with buildings and other improvements, valued at $20,000. This disposition of his property was made after long and deliberate consideration of the matter.
