Person:George Saunders (27)

George Saunders was accidentally killed in the process of felling a tree, leaving a widow and several children. Hannah, his widow, subsequently married Malachi Murphy who adopted George Saunders' children as his own. The descendants of this family were thenceforth known as Murphy.

The Saunders (George, his brother Thomas, and their father John Saunders) emigrated from England sometime before May 1735, when John had a land grant.

"George Saunders came to an untimely end, in connection with which a singular incident is related. He was engaged on a Sunday in cutting down a bee tree, a cypress, in the swamp on the opposite side of the river. As the cypress fell, the limb of an ash was broken off, and being thrown with violence on the head of Saunders, killed him instantly. An ash afterward came up at the head of his grave and grew to a large tree, being regarded by the people as a standing monument of the judgment sent upon him for the violation of the Lord's Day, which led to his end." George died sometime between 1752, when he petitioned for a land grant and 21 October 1755, when his sons Nathaniel and James (through their mother "Jane" Saunders) petitioned for this warrant to be passed into a grant. This was signed by "Hannah Murphy" so she had already married Malachi sometime before this.

The Pre Rev. Plat shows 1752-150 Acres, Craven Co., S.W. Side of PeeDee River-to George Saunders. On January 8, 1754, Jordon Gibson sold to Hannah Saunders Senr 30 head of cattle. (Pre Rev. Charleston Deeds).

Children: 1. Ann Saunders (b. 5 Nov 1736); 2. Sarah Saunders (b. 18 Feb 1737/38), m. Col. William Johnson; 3. Nathaniel Saunders (b. 15 Aug 1740); 4. Hannah Saunders (b. 19 Jun 1743); 5. Mary Catherine Saunders (b. 1 Jan 1749/50); 6. Marcy (Marcia) Saunders (b. 10 Sep 1751); 7. Elizabeth Saunders (b. 1 Jan 1751/52, South Carolina); 8. James Saunders .