Descendants of Robert & Jane SAUNDERS
First Generation 
1. Robert SAUNDERS, son of John SAUNDERS and Esther EDWARDS, was born in 1802 in , Kilkenny, Leinster, Ireland, died on September 16, 1872 in Greenock Twp, Bruce Co, Ontario, Canada aged 70, and was buried in Purdy's Cemetery Greenock Twp. Bruce Co, Ontario, Canada.
Robert Saunders emigrated from Ireland to Canada in 1823. It is believed he came with his parents and sisters. He was the only son in the family and had several sisters who went to London, Ont., area at later dates and were married in the London area.
Bessie (Laidlaw) Butchart has the following to say regarding Robert Saunders, sisters and parents: "They had come from Antrim, North Ireland, and we have learned from Ada Hutcheson (now deceased), of Oshawa, that she was told by her mother that the Saunders were driven off their land during one of the uprisings, made their hurried way to the seaport, losing packages of silver and other household effects on the way when fording some river, emigrated to Canada, settled, first near Perth, Ont." In 1842, Robert, Jane and their family were living on Lot 21, Con. 3E, Beckwith Twp., Lanark Co. They had 200 acres of land and this is not far from Perth, Ont.
In 1842, Robert's mother was living with them as she also was in 1851 and she was 75 years of age in 1851. We do not have a record of when she passed away. They lived in a 1 1/2 story log house. They raised the usual crops of oats, barley, wheat and peas on their farm.
In 1854, there was a big land sale of Crown lands in Bruce Co. Sept. 27th and thereafter for several days. The surveying of Greenock Twp. had been completed in 1852 and much property in this township was to be sold at ten shillings per acre with nine years to pay. Robert Saunders, his son-in-law, John Keyes and his next-door neighbour from Beckwith Twp., James Keyes, all purchased property in Greenock Twp. and moved there from Beckwith in 1855. We do not know their reason for leaving Beckwith Twp., but Greenock Twp. was thought to be good land. Robert Saunders was 52 years of age and James Keyes was 68 years of age when they purchased this land.
Robert Saunders had purchased Lot 6, Con. 16, Greenock Twp., while John Keyes purchased Lot 8, Con. 16 and James Keyes purchased Lot 5, Con. 17. There were very few roads in Bruce County in 1855 and the roads they did have would be little better than trails through the bush. The same conditions probably were true the greater part of the way from Bruce to Lanark County. It is difficult to imagine how these pioneers were going to move their families, household goods, farm implements, cattle, hogs. etc., over this 550 mile route from Beckwith Twp. to Greenock Twp. and then build a house and barn and start clearing the land at their new home. But they did it. Robert and Jane sold their farm to their son, Samuel, and his wife, Elizabeth, in 1869.
Events
• Robert relocated to Bruce County from, Beckwith Twp, Lanark Co, Ontario, Canada, in 1855.
Robert married Jane WYNNE, daughter of John WYNNE and Mary STYLES, on March 14, 1831 in Beckwith Twp, Lanark Co, Ontario, Canada.1 Jane was born in 1812 in , Kilkenny, Leinster, Ireland, died on February 28, 1897 in Greenock Twp, Bruce Co, Ontario, Canada aged 85, and was buried in Purdy's Cemetery Greenock Twp. Bruce Co, Ontario, Canada.
Children from this marriage were:
+ 2 M i. John SAUNDERS was born on December 23, 1831 in , Lanark Co, Ontario, Canada, died on April 10, 1898 in Greenock Twp, Bruce Co, Ontario, Canada2 aged 66, and was buried in Purdy's Cemetery Greenock Twp. Bruce Co, Ontario, Canada.
+ 3 F ii. Elizabeth "Betty" SAUNDERS was born on September 30, 1833 in Beckwith Twp, Lanark Co, Ontario, Canada,3 died on February 10, 1924 in Greenock Twp, Bruce Co, Ontario, Canada aged 90, and was buried in Purdy's Cemetery Greenock Twp. Bruce Co, Ontario, Canada.
+ 4 F iii. Mary Ann SAUNDERS was born on October 19, 1835 in Beckwith Twp, Lanark Co, Ontario, Canada, was christened in Franktown Beckwith Twp, Lanark Co, Ontario, Canada, died in January 1887 in Greenock Twp, Bruce Co, Ontario, Canada aged 51, and was buried in Purdy's Cemetery Greenock Twp. Bruce Co, Ontario, Canada.
+ 5 M iv. James SAUNDERS was born in March 1839 in Beckwith Twp, Lanark Co, Ontario, Canada, died on February 1, 1883 in Paisley, Bruce Co, Ontario, Canada aged 43, and was buried in Paisley Cemetery, Bruce Co, Ontario, Canada.
6 M v. Robert SAUNDERS was born in 1840 in Beckwith Twp, Lanark Co, Ontario, Canada4 and died in 1926 aged 86. He had no relationships and no children.
Events
• He worked as a watchmaker in Kincardine Twp, Bruce Co, Ontario, Canada.
+ 7 M vi. Samuel SAUNDERS was born on June 30, 1842 in Beckwith Twp, Lanark Co, Ontario, Canada,4 died on December 26, 1919 in Walkerton, Bruce Co, Ontario, Canada4 aged 77, and was buried in Purdy's Cemetery Greenock Twp. Bruce Co, Ontario, Canada.
+ 8 M vii. Edward SAUNDERS was born on January 10, 1848 in Beckwith Twp, Lanark Co, Ontario, Canada,4 died in 19304 aged 82, and was buried in Rosedale Cemetery, Toronto, Ontario.
9 M viii. Thomas SAUNDERS was born in 1850 in Beckwith Twp, Lanark Co, Ontario, Canada.
10 F ix. Esther SAUNDERS was born in 1853 in Beckwith Twp, Lanark Co, Ontario, Canada.
+ 11 F x. Margaret A. SAUNDERS was born on June 13, 1858 in Beckwith Twp, Lanark Co, Ontario, Canada.4,5
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