Birth

Samuel Esau Saunders was born at Rampisham on 13 November 1836. He was baptised at Batcombe on Christmas Day 1836.

His father, William, was born at Batcombe and worked as a butcher there before moving to Rampisham in about 1835 to work as a dairyman.

His mother, Mary Ann, was the daughter of John Bird, a Batcombe farmer.

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 went their separate ways, with Matthew moving to Merriott and William to Parsonage Farm, Pendomer, where the 1851 census shows him occupying 75 acres. In about 1857, William moved to Wyke Farm, Halstock, where he farmed 200 acres in April 1861 and 150 acres in April 1871.^[1] He retired from farming in 1875.[2]

By the end of 1860, Samuel’s three brothers had married, and he was the only son left at home.

Marriage

In 1865, Samuel married Martha Gillingham, the daughter of George Gillingham, who farmed nearly 200 acres at Pendomer.

Hardington

From about 1867 to 1871, Samuel occupied Romsey Farm, Hardington. The farm was close enough to Wyke Farm to allow cooperation and resource-sharing.

In April 1869, Samuel was appointed as an overseer.[3]

In October 1870, a severe foot-and-mouth disease outbreak occurred in the Yeovil area, affecting many farms, including Samuel’s. He had one bull and seven heifers infected with the disease.[4]

Thorncombe

Samuel was the tenant of Synderford Farm from about 1872 to 1879. He held his farm sale on 4 November 1878.[5]

While he was at Syderford Farm, his father-in-law, George Gillingham, committed suicide.

Netherbury

By April 1881, Samuel was at Ford Farm, Netherbury, where he occupied 105 acres and employed three men. He was only at the farm for about two years because, in April 1883, a Bridport solicitor advertised the farm as available to let with immediate possession.[6]

Samuel’s surrender of 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 had too small an estate to warrant letters of administration.

Emigration to America

Samuel’s whereabouts in the following six years are unknown. In 1889, he and his family emigrated to America.

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

East Chelborough

Strangely, Samuel returned to England. In April 1901, he was a visitor at Oaklands Farm, East Chelborough, the home of Mary Jane Caines, his late wife’s cousin who had been widowed the previous year. The reasons for his return remain a mystery. Was he visiting relatives, 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 sale on 23 September 1902, and moved to Curry Rivel, where she worked as a housekeeper for her nephew and niece.[7]

Return to America

Samuel returned to America and died at Alfred, Allegany, New York, on 10 November 1926, aged 89.

Children

Samuel and Martha had seven children: one born at Halstock, four at Romsey Farm, Hardington, and two at Synderford Farm, Thorncombe.

References

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

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