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Descendants of Tobias Saunders

Generation No. 2

2. ELIZABETH² SAUNDERS (TOBIAS¹) was born 1662 in Westerly, Washington, RI, and died March 03, 1730/31⁶. She married JAMES BABCOCK⁷ 1685 in Westerly, Washington, RI⁸.

Children of ELIZABETH SAUNDERS and JAMES BABCOCK are:

JAMES³ BABCOCK, b. December 23, 1688; d. April 09, 1731, North Stonington, CT; m. SARAH VOSE, June 12, 1706, Milton, Norfolk Co., Massachusetts.

ii.

ELIZABETH BABCOCK, b. February 08, 1690/91, Westerly, Washington, RI; d. Aft. 1728; m. THOMAS CLARKE, 1710, Westerly, Washington, RI.

iii.

SAMUEL BABCOCK, b. February 15, 1696/97, Westerly, Washington, RI; d. 1772, Westerly, Washington, RI; m. ANN PENDLETON, May 15, 1723, Westerly, Washington, RI.

iv.

DANIEL BABCOCK, b. February 15, 1698/99, Westerly, Washington, RI; d. 1740, Westerly, Washington, RI.

ANNA BABCOCK, b. November 29, 1701, Westerly, Washington, RI; d. May 13, 1731; m. (1) JOSEPH CLARKE, Westerly, Washington, RI; m. (2) SILAS GREENMAN, March 23, 1730/31.

vi.

SARAH BABCOCK, b. December 13, 1704, Westerly, Washington, RI; d. November 13, 1705.

10.

vii.

JOSHUA BABCOCK, b. May 17, 1707, Westerly, Washington, RI; d. April 01, 1783, Westerly, Washington, RI.

3. JOHN² SAUNDERS (TOBIAS¹)⁹ was born Abt. 1669 in Westerly, Washington, RI¹⁰, and died 1746 in Stonington, CT. He married (1) SARAH. He married (2) SILENCE BELCHER Abt. 1694 in Westerly, Washington, RI.

Notes for JOHN SAUNDERS:
In his will, dated 24 Feb 1743/44 and proved 30 Apr 1746, he mentions
a wife, Sarah, and the following children: Mary, Hannah, Elizabeth,
John, Susannah, Samuel, Prudence, & Joseph. ARNOLD & BEAMAN: VRRI

The following was submitted to the author (Richard Parkinson) by Paul
A. SAUNDERS of Matthews, NC:

John Saunders, the eldest son of our immigrant ancestor, Tobias,
served as Justice of the Peace in Westerly, RI, as did his father.
Both men officiated at several weddings, but John had one wedding
which was quite unusual. It was described thusly in "The Narragansett
Historical Register", Vol. I, 1882-83:

"A SINGULAR MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE. -- To all people to whom it may
concern: this may certify you that Nathaniel Bundy, of Westerly, took
ye widow Mary Palmister of said town, in ye highway, with no other
clothing but shifting, or smock, on ye evening after the 26th of
April, 1724; and was joined together in that honorable estate of
matrimony, in ye presence of John Coles, Peter Crandall, James Coney,
Moses Downing, George Stillman, Mary Crandall, Mercy Hill; and was so
joined together as above said, ye day and year above mentioned Per me,
JOHN SAUNDERS, Justice

Registered ye 29th day of April, 1724. Per JOHN BABCOCK, Town Clerk"

Nelson Byron Vars, author of "Records of Tobias Saunders And His
Descendants", has this to say about the subject: "Of this seemingly
very strange ceremony I have learned of four, one in South Kingstown,
two in Westerly, one in Hopkintown [sic] -- the record of one I found
in Westerly I copied and sent to the Newport Historical Magazine and
was published. But I have never seen published
any explanation of the strange ceremony.

"Therefore I will give such information as I have received, believeing
it to be correct. The law was in substance this -- If a married man
died leaving a widow and unpaid debts, the man who should marry her
became responsible for the first husband's debts. But a way of escape
was provided, if they would comply with the requirements, which were
as follows: That the bride-to-be (widow) should be married in the
public highway, with no other clothing on but her shirt; thereby
representing "in the figure" that she was a poor wanderer without any
home or friends, utterly destitute. It was also required that the
ceremony should be performed where at least three roads met -- that
is, at the corners of the roads, showing still further in the figure
that she had come thus far and was now at a loss which road to take.
She is there met by a man, who seeing her destitute and friendless
condition, offers to marry her and take her to himself and his home.

"As above stated, it was required to be where three roads met, that is
at least three corners. But if that was not convenient, then it was
provided that the bride-to-be (widow) should walk across the road back
and forth at least 4 times, thereby representing the four corners of
the road."

Children of JOHN SAUNDERS and SILENCE BELCHER are:

MARY³ SAUNDERS, b. January 06, 1699/00, Westerly, Washington, RI; d. Aft. February 24, 1742/43; m. JOHN HALEY, May 18, 1718, Westerly, Washington, RI.

ii.

HANNAH SAUNDERS, b. December 17, 1702, Westerly, Washington, RI; m. JOHN POTTER, South Kingstown, Washington Co., Rhode Island.

iii.

ELIZABETH SAUNDERS, b. October 27, 1703, Westerly, Washington, RI; d. Aft. February 24, 1742/43; m. PETER BROWN, December 15, 1726, Westerly, Washington, RI.

11.

iv.

JOHN SAUNDERS, b. October 13, 1705, Westerly, Washington, RI; d. 1777, Westerly, Washington, RI.

12.

SUSANNAH SAUNDERS, b. December 04, 1707, Westerly, Washington, RI; d. Aft. February 24, 1743/44.

vi.

SAMUEL SAUNDERS, b. February 28, 1709/10, Westerly, Washington, RI; d. Aft. February 24, 1743/44; m. ELIZABETH CRUMB, November 30, 1732, Westerly, Washington, RI.

13.

vii.

PRUDENCE SAUNDERS, b. January 19, 1711/12, Westerly, Washington, RI; d. Aft. February 24, 1743/44.

14.

viii.

JOSEPH SAUNDERS, b. July 05, 1721, Westerly, Washington, RI; d. Westerly, Washington, RI.

4. EDWARD² SAUNDERS (TOBIAS¹) was born Abt. 1672 in Westerly, Washington, RI, and died Abt. January 1731/32 in Westerly, Washington, RI. He married (1) SARAH in Westerly, Washington, RI. He married (2) HANNAH.

Notes for EDWARD SAUNDERS:
VARS: "Saunders"; I,121. He married (2) sometime after 1720 Hannah
-?-, who survived him and married Robert-2 BURDICK.

Children of EDWARD SAUNDERS and SARAH are:

15.

HANNAH³ SAUNDERS, b. Westerly, Washington, RI.

16.

ii.

EDWARD SAUNDERS, b. January 10, 1702/03, Westerly, Washington, RI; d. Abt. January 01, 1747/48, Westerly, Washington, RI.

17.

iii.

SARAH SAUNDERS, b. May 1704, Westerly, Washington, RI; d. Aft. 1774, Charlestown, Washington Co., Rhode Island.

18.

iv.

ABIGAIL SAUNDERS, b. June 1705, Westerly, Washington, RI.

19.

WILLIAM SAUNDERS, b. Abt. 1713, Westerly, Washington, RI.

20.

vi.

MARY SAUNDERS, b. Abt. July 23, 1715, Westerly, Washington, RI.

21.

vii.

JAMES SAUNDERS, b. 1717, Westerly, Washington, RI; d. 1794, Westerly, Washington, RI.

22.

viii.

ISAAC SAUNDERS, b. January 13, 1724/25, Westerly, Washington, RI; d. October 02, 1812, Charlestown, Washington Co., Rhode Island.

5. MERCY² SAUNDERS (TOBIAS¹) was born Abt. 1677 in Westerly, Washington, RI, and died in Westerly, Washington, RI. She married WILLIAM CRUMB in Westerly, Washington, RI.

Notes for MERCY SAUNDERS:
She signed a deed in 1724. Her husband remarried in the spring of
1736. CRUMB genealogy (1956): p 13.

Children of MERCY SAUNDERS and WILLIAM CRUMB are:

23.

JOSEPH³ CRUMB, b. 1699, Westerly, Washington, RI; d. 1778.

ii.

ELIZABETH CRUMB, b. 1708, Westerly, Washington, RI; m. SAMUEL SAUNDERS, November 30, 1732, Westerly, Washington, RI.

6. BENJAMIN² SAUNDERS (TOBIAS¹) was born Abt. 1682 in Westerly, Washington, RI, and died 1733 in Westerly, Washington, RI. He married ANN in Westerly, Washington, RI.

Notes for BENJAMIN SAUNDERS:
In his will [dated 21 Aug 1733, proved 26 Nov 1733] he names a wife,
Ann -?-, and the following children: Jonathan, Daniel, and Nathaniel.
There were unnamed daughters also mentioned. RIGR 7:4, p 304.

Children of BENJAMIN SAUNDERS and ANN are:

24.

MARY³ SAUNDERS, b. January 29, 1713/14, Westerly, Washington, RI; d. Aft. March 20, 1767.

25.

ii.

JOSHUA SAUNDERS, b. March 06, 1715/16, Westerly, Washington, RI; d. March 23, 1766, Newport, Newport Co., RI.

26.

iii.

DANIEL SAUNDERS, b. November 01, 1717, Westerly, Washington, RI; d. Charlestown, Washington Co., Rhode Island.

27.

iv.

LUCY SAUNDERS, b. November 13, 1719, Westerly, Washington, RI; d. Aft. January 28, 1775, Charlestown, Washington Co., Rhode Island.

TACY SAUNDERS, b. February 04, 1721/22, Westerly, Washington, RI; d. Aft. March 20, 1767; m. JOHN ALLEN, May 19, 1763, Charlestown, Washington Co., Rhode Island.

vi.

NATHAN SAUNDERS, b. March 17, 1723/24, Westerly, Washington, RI; d. December 1759, Westerly, Washington, RI; m. ELIZABETH CRUMB, February 23, 1758, Westerly, Washington, RI.

28.

vii.

ANN SAUNDERS, b. December 15, 1726, Westerly, Washington, RI; d. Aft. March 20, 1767.

viii.

JONATHAN SAUNDERS, b. Abt. 1730, Westerly, Washington, RI; d. Westerly, Washington, RI.

ix.

EZEKIEL SAUNDERS, b. Abt. 1733, Westerly, Washington, RI; d. December 1759, Westerly, Washington, RI; m. ESTHER LEWIS, December 14, 1758, Westerly, Washington, RI.

7. SUSANNA² SAUNDERS (TOBIAS¹) was born 1688 in Westerly, Washington, RI, and died 1733 in Westerly, Washington, RI. She married (1) PETER WELLS. She married (2) PETER BARKER¹¹ 1712 in Westerly, Washington, RI.

Notes for PETER BARKER:
Sixth child of James and Barbara.

Children of SUSANNA SAUNDERS and PETER BARKER are:

JOSEPH³ BARKER.

ii.

JOHN BARKER.

iii.

DAUGHTER BARKER.

iv.

SARAH BARKER.

BARBARA BARKER.

vi.

SUSANNAH BARKER.

vii.

PATIENCE BARKER.

8. STEPHEN² SAUNDERS (TOBIAS¹) was born Abt. 1690 in Westerly, Washington, RI, and died November 1746 in Westerly, Washington, RI. He married (1) THANKFUL CRANDALL Abt. 1710 in Westerly, Washington, RI. He married (2) RACHEL BLIVEN November 19, 1721.

Child of STEPHEN SAUNDERS and THANKFUL CRANDALL is:

29.

THANKFUL³ SAUNDERS, b. Abt. 1712, Westerly, Washington, RI; d. Abt. 1782, Westerly, Washington, RI.

Children of STEPHEN SAUNDERS and RACHEL BLIVEN are:

30.

ii.

STEPHEN³ SAUNDERS, b. August 03, 1722, Westerly, Washington, RI; d. January 11, 1777, Charlestown, Washington Co., Rhode Island.

31.

iii.

RACHEL SAUNDERS, b. September 18, 1724, Westerly, Washington, RI; d. Aft. January 08, 1794.

32.

iv.

ISABEL SAUNDERS, b. October 14, 1726, Westerly, Washington, RI; d. Westerly, Washington, RI.

33.

RUTH SAUNDERS, b. July 01, 1729, Westerly, Washington, RI.

34.

vi.

TOBIAS SAUNDERS, b. March 28, 1732, Westerly, Washington, RI; d. May 31, 1809, Hopkinton, Washington Co., Rhode Island.

35.

vii.

MARY SAUNDERS, b. July 09, 1734, Westerly, Washington, RI.

36.

viii.

PELEG SAUNDERS, b. March 04, 1736/37, Westerly, Washington, RI; d. January 26, 1822, Westerly, Washington, RI.

37.

ix.

MARTHA SAUNDERS, b. November 27, 1740; d. November 27, 1815, Middletown, Newport Co., RI.

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