Doctor Samuel Saunders Family

Son of Robert Saunders Senior

Samuel Saunders born 5 Apr 1817 [Saunders family records]; died ___; married 19 Dec 1861 [Saunders family records] Martha A. Swepson b. ca. 1829. (See the will of her father, William Mallory Swepson.[Sadie Greening Sparks & Judy Baugh]) Samuel and Martha A. Saunders apparently died between the 1880 Lunenburg Co., VA Census and Lunenburg Chancery case 23 in 1892 (Chancery Index). By 1892, [Gregory family letters] the children were in Knoxville, TN with their uncle Robert Swepson.

Dr. Samuel Saunders is listed as a physician, address "Haleysburg," in New River Notes, Elliott and Nye's Virginia Directory and Business Register for 1852.

The family of Dr. Samuel Saunders was enumerated on the 1870 Census in Macon Co, North Carolina, Franklin T/S P 312 HH 197-213 [Records of Sadie Sparks - 2003]

S. Saunders 53 WM Physician, 6,000/1385. Born Va
Martha A. " 42 WF Born Va Keeping house (Swepson)
E. Hebble Saunders 7 WM Va (Ebenezer Hepburn Saunders)
Mary V. Saunders 4 WF Va (Mary V. Lillian Swepson Saunders)-see 1880

& next door-HH 198-214

John R. Walker 46 WM Va farmer 8,000/1065.
Elizabeth " 35 WF Va (Mary Elizabeth Swepson)
George S. " 12 WM Va
Hellen A. " 10 WF Va
M. Carl " 7 WM Va (McHarg)
Mary " 4 WF Va

Samuel and Martha A. Saunders were listed on the 1880 Census of Lunenburg Co., VA with two children.

Children of Samuel and Martha A.(Swepson)Saunders:
See also Some Descendants of William Mallory Swepson.)

1. Ebenezer H. Saunders b.1861; single in 1900. [1900 Knoxville, TN census]
2. Lillian Swepson Saunders b. 20 Apr 1866, Mecklenburg Co., VA, married 24 Jun 1896, Lewis Hopkins Spilman, lawyer, b. 8 Mar 1860, Covington, Garrard Co.,KY, son of Jonathan Edwards Spilman and Eliza S. Taylor). Lewis died 23 May 1938, Knoxville, TN. Children:

	i	Robert Redd Spilman b. 27 Sep 1899, Knoxville, TN.
	ii	Lillian Saunders Spilman b. 14 Oct 1901, Knoxville, TN, m. Fran Catlett Howard.
	iii	Samuel Taylor Spilman b. 27 Mar 1904, Knoxville, TN.
	iv	Martha Anderson Spilman b. 11 Nov 1906, Knoxville, TN, m. Martin Ross Baker.
	v	Virginia Lee Spilman b. 21 Jan 1911, Knoxville, TN, m. Ben A. Batson.

[Spilman family information from 1900 & 1910 Censuses, Knoxville, TN, and from the files of Sharon Clark]

In 1871, Robert R. Swepson, unmarried uncle of Martha, bought and gave to her an 814-acre tract of land, a tract that had been purchased by Dr. William Edward Dodson from the Hyde Saunders estate (unmarried uncle of Dr. Sam Saunders). Though the name "Dr. Dodson" appears in that vicinity on the 1864 Gilmer map of Lunenburg, land tax records do not show that either Hyde Saunders or Dr. Dodson were taxed for buildings on the land. The 814-acre tract lay in both Lunenburg and Mecklenburg, so deeds appear in both counties. . [Sadie Greening Sparks & Judy Baugh]) The first indication of buildings on the land are the 1875 Land Tax record showing $2000.00 tax for buildings. The comment column shows the land was obtained in 1871 from R. R. Swepson and in quotes: "New buildings"

The exact location of the home or graves of Dr. Samuel and Martha A. Saunders has not been determined.  The "Ellis Farm"at the dead end of #631 on the WPA map might be a clue.