Person:Alban Saunders (1)

Census: 1900 Milton, Rock Co., Wisconsin Census: 1910 Milton, Rock Co., Wisconsin GRAD: Abt 1916 Milton, Rock Co., Wisconsin Census: 1920 Beloit, Rock Co., Wisconsin Residence: Abt 1922 Minneapolis, Hennepin Co., Minnesota Census: 17 Apr 1930 Minneapolis, Hennepin Co., Minnesota Residence: Minneapolis, Hennepin Co., Minnesota

Alban was a farmer, machinist, and musician. The Saunders and Holliday farms were adjacent to each other in Milton, Wisconsin. During WWI he directed bands at Camp Grant, Illinois, near Rockford, Winnebago Co., Illinois. He was a soloist for the Fairbanks Morse band in Beloit, Wisconsin, and the Minneapolis Steel Machinery Band. He later worked for the power company in Minneapolis. He lost his job in the depression and the family home in S. Minneapolis was repossessed. From 1930-33 the family lived in three diffenent rentals in N. Minneapolis having difficulty paying the rent. From 1933-40 the family lived at 1911 Lyndale Ave N which was cheap rent and close to Alban's part time job.

Alban was Warrant Officer and Director, 151st Field ArtilleryBand, National Guard, Minneapolis, Minnesota from 1927 until his death. The band represented Minnesota at the Chicago World's Fair in 1933. He died while on active duty stationed at Camp Claiborne, Louisiana during WWII. Buried: Milton, Rock Co.,Wisconsin in a family plot with his parents and daughter Ramona.

Milton Newspaper, Thursday, Sep. 4, 1941. Warrent Officer Alban F. Saunders, director of Minnesota's 151st Field Artillery band, died August 24th at Camp Claiborne, La., where he had been stationed with his famed band for several months. Son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Russell H. Saunders, he was born March 26, 1898, in Milton where he attended school. He was soloist with the local band and later travelled through the United States before and after the World War with concert bands. During the war he directed bands at Camp Grant, Ill. He married Helen Holliday of Milton 21 years ago and they moved to Minneapolis. Survivors are his wife; five children, Donald, Dorothy, and Jeannine Saunders and Mrs. Louise Flannelle, all of Minneapolis, and Raymond Saunders, Plainview, Minn.; and his step-mother, Mrs. R. H. Saunders of Milton. Mrs. R. H. Saunders, G. W. Holliday, Mrs. James Tiffinay and Mrs. Howard Holliday attended the funeral which was held in Minneapolis last Friday, six members of his band also being in attendance. Simultaneously with the Minneapolis service, a military service was held at Camp Claiborne. The body was brought here and a brief service was held at the Gray and Albrecht funeral home Saturday afternoon, the Rev. E. G. Holborow, of Rock Prairie Presbyterian church, officiating. Burial was in Milton cemetery, pallbearers being James Flannelle and Neil Armstrong of Minneapolis, Ross Mansur of Emerald Grove and James Tiffiany, Milton.