He was born in Westerly, Washington County, Rhode Island 1 Dec 1758.
DORCAS is the daughter of Tobias Saunders and Martha Hall.
she was born in Charlestown, Washington County, Rhode Island 17 Mar 1762.
They were married in Westerly 15 Feb 1781.
They were members of the Seventh Day Baptist Church.
They first lived in Charlestown, but by 1783 they were living in Hopkinton.
After the revolutionary war things began to open up in other areas and the Westward trek began.
In 1800 several of the Saunders took all of their belongings and loaded them on wagons and traveled thru miles of heavy forests and Indian territory and moved to Brookfield, Madison County, Ne York.
Two of those were Luke and Dorcas Saunders and their children.
According to the will of Tobias Saunders, father of Dorcas, he gave Dorcas her share of the inheritance to help with the move.
When they arrived there they found the land filled with heavy forests, wild animals and hostile Indians.
They cleared the land and made some very fine farmland.
They built a Seventh Day Baptist Church. Luke was one of the charter members.
Luke died in Brookfield 29 Apr 1809 and is buried in the Beebe Cemetery. This cemetery is taken care of by the present Seventh Day Baptist Church in Brookfield.
Dorcas married JOHN LAWTON, widower of her sister Ruth.
Dorcas died 28 Nov 1827 and is buried in th Beebe Cemetery.
She and Luke had nine children. They are:
1. ELISHA SAUNDERS born in Charlestown 4 Dec 1781.
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She died in Hopkinton 29 Sep 1785 at the age of 2.
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Died in Brookfield, New York 22 Mar 1863.
He married REBECCA POTTER 26 Feb 1809 in Brookfield.
She was born in Charlestown 1 Nov 1789.
She died in Brookfield 15 Apr 1864.
They are both buried in the Beebe Cemetery.
Their children are:
CALISTA SAUNDERS born in Brookfield 12 Jul 1810.
SILVA SAUNDERS born in Brookfield 7 Sep 1812.
TRUMAN SAUNDERS born in Brookfield 18 Sep 1814.
EMALINE SAUNDERS born in Brookfield 1 Jul 1817.
ALMINA SAUNDERS born in Brookfield 6 Aug 1819. She died 4 Sep 1821 at the age of 2.
CYNTHIA SAUNDERS born in Brookfield 13 Jun 1822.
TRACY SAUNDERS born in Brookfield 6 Dec 1826. She died 7 Apr 1828 at the age of 1 1/2 years old.
TRACY A. SAUNDERS born in Brookfield 22 Feb 1830. Died 22 Sep 18 1884.
3. SILVA SAUNDERS born in Hopkinton 13 Feb 1789
She was blind and died in Brookfield 6 Feb 1855.
4. EZEKIAL SAUNDERS born in Hopkinton 26 Nov 1789.
5. WILLIAM BLISS SAUNDERS born in Hopkinton 21 May 1794.
Died 9 Aug 1870 in Carbondale, Jackson County, Illinois.
He married SOPHIA WITTER 1800/21 in Brookfield.
She was born 28 May 1799. Daughter of Weeden Witter.
She died 16 Jan 1885 in Carbondale.
Their children are:
JOEL G. SAUNDERS born in Brookfield circa 1822.
Married MARTHA S. OWENS 18 May 1848 in Sangerfield, Oneida County, New York.
She was born in Sangerfield circa 1827. Daughter of Alby Owens and Amy Stetson.
MILTON P. SAUNDERS born 12 Jul 1823 in Waterville, Oneida County, NewYork.
Died 27 Mar 1888 in Richmond, Washington County, Rhode Island.
He married ABBY A. PROSSER 10 Jan 1848 in Westerly.
She was born Oct 1827 in Richmond. Daugter of Welcome Prosser and Jemima ?>
She died in Richmond 25 Dec 1904.
ANDREW J. SAUNDERS born in Brookfield circa 1824.
MICHAEL M. SAUNDERS born in Brookfield 22 Dec 1825.
Died 24 Dec 1903 in Brookfield.
He married LOUISA OWENS in Sangerfield 19 May 1849.
She was born in Sangerfield circa 1830. Daughter of Alby Owens and Amy Stetson.
She died in Brookfield 16 Nov 1906.
HENRY SAUNDERS born in Brookfield circa 1828.
MARY SAUNDERS born in Brookfield circa 1831.
JENNIE SAUNDERS born in Brookfield circa 1841.
She married SAMUEL H. HEWITT born in Wales circa 1840
7. LYDIA SAUNDERS born in Brookfield 9 Apr 1792.
She died 28 Apr 1860 in Fayetteville, Onandego County, New York.
She married SILAS GREENE , brother of Elisha's wife, in Brookfield in 1819. Son of Josiah Greene and Sarah Vincent.
8. HANNAH C. SAUNDERS born in Brookfield 26 May 1799.
9. SAMUEL G. SAUNDERS born in Brookfield 27 Sep 1801.
Died 10 Apr 1859 in Platea, Erie County, Pennsylvania.
He married LYDIA SAUNDERS in Brookfield 25 Oct 1821.
She was born in Westerly 26 May 1799. Daughter of Augustus Saunders and Elizabeth Vars.
She died 16 Apr 188 in Elk Creek, Erie County, Pennsylvania.
Their children are:
HORACE A. SAUNDERS born 3 Jul 1822 in Brookfield.
Died 16 Nov 1855 in Albion, Erie County, Pennsylvania.
He married FANNY T. KING in Brookfield 1 Jan 1847.
She was born in Brookfield.
She died 18 Feb 1899 in Albion.
HANNAH M. SAUNDERS born in Brookfield 26 Apr 1826.
Married JOHN STOCKDALE 25 Jun 1871 in Platea, Erie County, Pa.
He was born in England 12 Jan 1813.
GILES P. SAUNDERS born in Brookfield 20 Jan 1829.
Died 4 Sep 1829 in Brookfield. He wasn't quite seven months old.
PERRY B. SAUNDERS born in Brookfield 15 Aug 1834.
Died 4 Sep 1886 in Elk Creek, Erie County, Pa.
He married ARMINDA HART in Elk Creek 1 Jul 1868.
She was brn Liverpool, Onandago County, N.Y. in 1852. Daughter of Sylvester Andrus Hart and Mary Lovine.
He died 27 Jun 1862 in Richmond, Richmond County, Virginia.
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