Birth

Samuel Esau Saunders was born on 13 November 1836 at Rampisham and baptised at Batcombe on Christmas Day of the same year.

His father, William Saunders, worked as a butcher at Batcombe before relocating to Rampisham around 1835 to pursue a career as a dairyman. Samuel’s mother, Mary Ann, was the daughter of John Bird, a farmer at Batcombe.

Childhood

Samuel’s father, William, made significant strides in his farming career. In about 1840, he and his brother, Matthew, became farmers at Hillfield, possibly working in partnership as their households were next to each other on the 1841 census. In the mid-1840s, the brothers separated, with Matthew moving to Merriott and William relocating to Parsonage Farm, Pendomer, where he occupied 75 acres as recorded in the 1851 census. In about 1857, William moved to Wyke Farm, Halstock, farming 200 acres in April 1861 and 150 acres in April 1871.^[1] He continued at the farm until his retirement in 1875.[2]

By the end of 1860, Samuel was the sole son remaining at home, as his three brothers had married.

Marriage

In 1865, Samuel married Martha Gillingham, the eldest daughter of George Gillingham, a farmer who occupied nearly 200 acres at Pendomer.

Eleven years later, Samuel’s younger sister, Elizabeth Charlotte, married Martha’s younger brother, George.

Hardington

From around 1867 to 1871, Samuel occupied Romsey Farm in Hardington, which was in close proximity to his father’s farm, allowing for collaboration and resource sharing.

Being a farmer came with responsibilities and in April 1869, Samuel was appointed as an overseer.[3]

October 1870 must have been a worrying time for Samuel because foot-and-mouth disease broke out on the farm, infecting one bull and seven heifers.[4]

Thorncombe

From about 1872 to 1879, Samuel was the tenant of Synderford Farm, Thorncombe. Near the end of that time, he held his farm sale on 4 November 1878.[5]

During this period, tragedy struck the family when his father-in-law, George Gillingham, committed suicide. Although George left his estate valued at “under £2,000,” to his nine children in equal shares per stirpes, they  could not inherit until their mother died in 1883.[6]

Netherbury

By April 1881, Samuel had taken on Ford Farm, Netherbury, occupying 105 acres and employing three men. His tenure at this farm was short-lived, as, in April 1883, a local solicitor advertised it for rent with immediate possession.[7]

Samuel’s departure from the farm may be connected with his father’s death in February 1883. If he was expecting an inheritance, he was disappointed because his father died intestate and with too small an estate to warrant letters of administration.

Emigration to America

The subsequent six years of Samuel’s life are undocumented, but he emigrated to America with his family in 1889.

His wife, Martha, passed away on 26 December 1896 at Belmont, Allegany County, New York, at the age of 61.

Return to England

In an unexpected turn, Samuel returned to England, where in April 1901, he was a visitor at Oaklands Farm, East Chelborough, staying with Mary Jane Caines, his late wife’s cousin, who had become a widow the year before. The motivations behind his return are unclear, but his visit was more than short-term. Was he finding it difficult to cope in America without his wife or did he entertain thoughts of marrying Mary Jane? If it was the latter, his plans came to nothing as Mary Jane quit the farm the following year, holding her farm sale on 23 September 1902, and moving to Curry Rivel, where she worked as a housekeeper for her nephew and niece.[8]

Samuel rekindled relationships with his surviving siblings, especially with Mary Anne, who, by this time, was a widow living at Sydling St Nicholas. He may have gone to live with her, as in her will dated 1903, she appointed him as one of her executors, and when he proved her will in 1906, his address was Sydling St Nicholas.[9] She gifted him her household items, a legacy of £100 and a quarter share in the residue of her estate. As her estate was valued at £738 8s 6d, Samuel probably inherited about £280.[10]

Return to America

It is possible that Mary Anne intended her extra  legacy of £100 to encourage Samuel’s return to America to be with his children. After settling Mary Anne’s affairs, he returned to America. where he lived for another twenty years, eventually passing away in Alfred, Allegany, New York, on 10 November 1926, at the age of 89.

Children

Samuel and Martha had seven children: one born at Halstock, four at Romsey Farm, Hardington, and two at Synderford Farm, Thorncombe. All their children emigrated to America, although it is possible their son, John Samuel, returned to England, as a person by that name of appropriate age passed away in Dorset in 1941.

[1] Sherborne Mercury 22 September 1857 p. 4.

[2] Dorset County Chronicle, 4 November 1875, p.20.

[3] Western Gazette, 9 April 1869, p.8.

[4] Langport and Somerton Herald, 22 October 1870, p.5.

[5] Pulman’s Weekly News and Advertiser, 29 October 1878, p.4.

[6] The will of George Gillingham, dated 7 November 1857, proved at Taunton on 21 July 1873. By the time of his death, two of George’s children (Mary Jane and Ellen Grace) had died, leaving issue.

[7] Bridport News, 20 April 1883, p.2.

[8] Western Gazette, 29 August 1902, p.2.

[9] However, Samuel’s brother, Matthew Bird Saunders, also lived at Sydling St Nicholas.

[10] The will of Mary Anne Harris, dated 20 November 1903, proved in London on 16 March 1906. If we allow £30 for the furniture and £8 6s 8d for expenses, Samuel inherited £30 plus £100 plus (£600/4). Matthew and Elizabeth each received one-quarter of the residue, as did the children of Mary Anne’s late brother, William Jacob, on reaching the age of 21.