Spouses
Birth Date10 Aug 1625
Birth PlaceChilton, Devon, England
Death Date17 Jun 1672 Age: 46
Death PlaceLancaster County, Virginia
OccupationPhysician
Misc. Notes
Edward SAUNDERS was born in England. As a young man of ten years, he had reason to travel to Isle of Wight County, Virginia, and later married a girl who had lived in that county but had moved to Northumberland County, Virginia. Because of the Indian massacre in 1644, most people had fled from the area north and west of Williamsburg, Virginia. In 1649 they were permitted to once again settle north of the York River and the Rappahannock River. It would be in this area that Edward SAUNDERS would settle.
Sometime before 1660, Edward moved to Northumberland County, Virginia. His home was "near the Lancaster County line, not far from a place known as Fairfield, and the Rappahannock River." Some years later he moved across the line into Lancaster County, some 8 to 10 miles from Fairfield. In 1664 the court ordered, "Whereas Dr. Edward SAUNDERS hath undertaken to keep a ferry for both horse and foot that shall have occasion to pass over the Great Wicomico River from his house to the point above it on ye side of the river, the court ordered the same." This site was referred to as Ferry Farm or Blackwell's Wharf. The families of SAUNDERS, ROBINSON, and THOMAS lived close to each other near Fairfield and were associated in many land transactions and will. These families would later find roots in Davidson County, TN.
In the patent records of Northumberland County, Virginia, Thomas SALISBURY patented (entry 210) land at the head of Dennis' Creek beginning on the north side of a swamp which divides his land from that of Dr. Edward SAUNDERS. Patents recorded for Edward SAUNDERS included:
26 Aug 1660 200 Acres, south side of the Wicomico River, granted for four headrights (Bk 6, page 164).
10 Feb 1662 300 Acres for six headrights.
5 Mar 1662 2,900 Acres between Northumberland Co. and Lancaster Co. (Bk 27, pg 597, may be part of the parcel recorded on 5 May 1662).
5 May 1662 3,737 Acres, granted by Governor Sir William Berkeley, located between Northumberland Co. and Lancaster Co., begin on the branch of Dameron Creek to the head of a branch of Cotoman River. (Bk 6, pg.270)
28 Aug 1668 207 Acres, on the south side of the Wicomico River. This may be a reentry of the deed of 25 Aug 1660.
14 Dec 1669 600 Acres, granted for twelve headrights.
(Note: It was the custom to grant 50 acres of land to a person who sponsored and paid for the immigration of a person to the colony. This could even be a wife)
Edward SAUNDERS was a "chirurgeon" or physician. He was known to be the personal physician to Colonel George COLECLOUGH, a large landowner and justice whose wife was Elizabeth WEBB.
Edward was a justice after being appointed on 22 Jun 1669.
Edward married Mary WEBB in 1660 and who died in 1683. She was the widow of John HUDNALL who had lived in Isle of Wight County but later moved to Northumberland County in 1655. John HUDNALL died in 1658.
ChildrenJohn (~1650-1702)