This is the history as far as we have been able to secure, facts extending from the early 1800's to the present time, of the descendants of Robert SAUNDERS and Jane WYNNE who were born in Kilkenny County, Ireland, in the years 1802 and 1812 respectively.

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This history was begun by the authors for their immediate family in an effort to undertake to bring back to life another age and another group of people who would otherwise live only in disconnected documents and in isolated archives, but as the romance of the lives of our ancestors unfolded, we decided to share our findings with all of the descendants of Robert SAUNDERS and Jane WYNNE .

We were most deeply impressed by the stamina of these early people; namely, they braved the stormy, turbulent waters of the seas in frail sailing ships, under conditions on board that probably were most unhealthy also.

Upon reaching Upper Canada, a foreign and not exactly a friendly country, which was uninhabited except for Indians, they built a sod, pole or log shanty of one room and so began life anew. Church services were held in the shanty, or, possibly in good weather, out of doors. Next came small churches, never did we find any evidence that God was forgotten.

The descendants of Robert SAUNDERS and Jane WYNNE have remained in Ontario 1 Canada, almost intact for 8 generations. No effort has been spared to make the information in this book correct and to trace the Saunders families for 171 years.

The family lines have been carried back as far as possible with the aid of cemetery, church and census records both in Ireland and in Lanark and Bruce Counties in Ontario, Canada. Many personal records were generously furnished by members of each family line and have been included. We shall always treasure the many letters received from relatives, giving personal information. To these relatives we extend our sincere thanks. When all is compiled it is truly a most romantic narrative as well as a factual history.

Some of the more technical research and for verification of dates, names, land owned, etc., the following publications were consulted: "Illustrated Atlas of the County of Bruce 1880", H. Beldon & Co.; "The History of the County of Bruce", by Norman Robertson; County of Bruce 1867 Directory, by J. W. Rooklidge.

Many days were spent in the libraries of our vicinity reading records of Ireland and Canada on microfilm, always seeking for any small bit of information that would draw a clearer picture of our forbears. An 1874 fire in Dublin destroyed many Church of Ireland (Anglican) church records which had been sent there by the churches for storage purposes. A 1922 fire in Dublin totally destroyed many government records such as census records, etc. Many church records are available of marriages between 1730 and 1850.

Much correspondence has been had with members of family lines who graciously wrote their impressions of older family members and who searched old family records, Bibles, marriage certificates, death records and birth records. For such help we are deeply grateful.

It is most regrettable that so little is written about some family lines. However some are not interested in genealogy and the writers recognize their right to be so inclined.

Our family came to this new land of Canada in search of something they could not find elsewhere; freedom to worship God as they pleased; freedom to speak and be heard; freedom from want and hunger and, last but not least, freedom from fear.

These ancestors of ours worked hard; they suffered; they loved and hated; they despised their enemies; they enjoyed and respected their friends; they had great respect for the rights of others; they were brave; they sang; they laughed; they were sturdy; honest, their word could be relied upon completely; they were trustworthy, no door was ever locked; they were compassionate, neither friend or foe left a house without having "broken bread" with the family.

We would not have you think as you look at the beautiful old brick houses that now stand on almost every farm and the green fields that are unmarred by stumps that this was always true in Ontario, nor would we have you think that our ancestors were wealthy as we measure wealth today. But wealthy they were in their attitudes and earnestness of purpose.

They were mindful of the needs of their families. In coming into this new land they carved a beautiful land, as we view it today, out of the dense bush by the sweat of their brow - the women worked beside the men in felling trees, planting and harvesting the crops among the stumps, it was later that the stumps were pulled and the land leveled. First a house must be built, then a church, next a school house. The need for learning was cherished as is attested by the many successful descendants of Robert SAUNDERS and Jane WYNNE .

With this narrative of Robert and Jane SAUNDERS and all their descendants, be proud to belong to the SAUNDERS line. We leave you hoping that you will continue to add facts of your own group to this book which the authors have compiled with the help of many SAUNDERS descendants.

The SAUNDERS and related families were among some of the greatest of colonizers in many parts of the world, so history tells us.

This genealogy has no beginning and no end, and will never be complete. My current goal is to maintain this record as current as possible. To this end I would be pleased to hear from all of those reading these pages that recognize errors and omissions or have additional information that could be used to update this family history.