Wilkinson-Jasper County GaArchives Biographies.....Merry Arthur Saunders ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: R. Carter Sanders rcs@sandershistory.com October 8, 2003, 4:47 pm Author: Josephine C. Robinson ED: Copied as in the original. “WRITTEN IN THE SPRING 1884 A brief history of our family accordingto the knowledge gained from myancestors by their decendants for her children. THE BRIEF HISTORY Many years before the Old Revolutionary War - I do not know the date, there came over from Scotland James Moffat, with his family - (burying in the ocean two of his sons during the voyage)And Settled in Lincoln County Georgia. He was a man of sterling qualities, influence, and good standing - possess - of wealth, with but few children. Elizabeth his eldest, and only daughter, married James Hunter merchant of Charleston S.C.who was a widower with three children 2 girls and one boy whose name was David. After some years he was thrown from his horse and killed leaving his wife(Elizabeth Moffat)with seven children, five daughters and two sons, she went back to Lincoln County, and there raised her family - One daughter dying at the age of 12 yrs, and one son at the age of 19 years. Her eldest daughter Elizabeth married Merry Arthur Saunders of Warren County Ga. Her second daughter Margaret married Mr. Seth Cason -her third Ellen married John Saunders brother of Merry Arthur. Her fourth Susan married Kitchen Maher youngest child was the Honorable Samuel Blakely Hunter of Macon Ga. I will first speak of the decedents the eldest daughter - Elizabeth Saunders My grandmother - who was left widow before she reached the age of forty years - with nine children (having lost one little son before his father) 5 sons and4 daughters, her eldest Henry - 18 years old, youngest a daughter only few days old (only one now living)Her husband (my grandfather) had sold out his possessions in Lincoln Co. and was on his way to Crawford County - to settle a new purchase[pg 032]of lands. In Jasper Co. he stopped at grandma's half brother’s David Hunters to buy up and pack pork to take with them to the new home, but alas he was destine never to reach it; for he was taken with pneumonia and died at Uncle David Hunter's being 39 years old. So the two eldest sons Henry & James who were with him rented lands for that year, there from their Unsteady Hunter, going back and carrying their broken hearted Motherland little children only to the dear husband and father's grave. So there in Jasper County during that year of 1822 or 3 my mother Sarah H. Saunders the eldest daughter being 15 years and 7 months old was married to Jacob Moffat, whose father, was a half brother to Elizabeth Moffat, who married Hunter, Grandma's mother - So Pa &Ma were a kind, of half second cousin; his father Thomas Moffat, was dead, and his mother, a noblewoman died that year. So my father sold his lands there and went with grandma Saunders and her family, to the newly purchased lands in Crawford county - and he being over thirty years of age, and very steady and ingenious, and well to do, acted as guide and head former family, until her sons were old enough to carry on business them selves successfully - which they did - It was often said no Mother ever raised five better sons than she did - Steady, pious, industrious intelligent, dutiful, kind, noble in every sense of the word. She educated them well - 3 of them graduated with high honors in the College at Athens. two choosing medicine as profession, tended lectures in Philiadelphia Pa. and graduated in the medical school there. So Henry the eldest married a lady of Savannah Gaga sister of Judge Law of that City, and settled there to practice medicine, and became eminent in his profession. But his brother Billington M -settled in WestPoint, bought drug store, and just as he was arranging for life he died -in his 27 year, he being the fourth son. The second son James H chose the life of a farmer, and married Matilda Miller, of a wealthy family, settled in Crawford County purchased his {?????????} accumulated in {??} considerable wealth, he had but four children 2 daughters & 2 sons - the eldest son at the age of 20 years - went into the service of his country, the war between the States, and took measles and died he was a most excellent youth, his little bright brother Henry died a few years later at the age of 15 years. The eldest daughter married G.W. Barfield, has two girl children and now resides in Bibb County Ga. near Walden, her sister Victoria with her since the death of their parents which occurred recently. Aunt Matilda their mother died in July 1881 - Uncle James in March 1883 being 78 years of age. Uncle Henry S - died I think in 1859 - leaving 5 children with out mother or father (as his wife preceded him some years to the grave) The eldest Mary Elizabeth married Mr. Took and resides in Americus Ga. Henry has a family and lives in Crawford County near Macon Ga. Louise married Woodard, but is now a widow with two sons in Dooly County Ga. Joseph Law Saunders the second son is now living in Atlanta Ga. is married with one son, they were all well educated. Uncle Seaborne Jones Saunders the third son died in 1854 leaving no children The 5th and youngest son Samuel Hunter Saunders, died in his 27th year unmarried a most excellent pious young man died a triumphant death - which I witnessed. My mother Sarah Hunter Saunders as I have already mentioned married very young, at the time of marriage her husband Jacob Moffett was just double her age - he was 31 Perhaps I had better mention [pg 036]here, that the Original name was spelled Moffat but by some means it was changed to feet instead of fat in the last syllable. Jacob Moffat (my father) had a twin brother Nathan, who married years before did, had several children -But I know very little about them as they went out west years ago. He also had an older brother called James, who raised a considerable family, mostly girls, he had three sons, but Milton died young, William died fighting for his country in 1864 and Thomas only one that married has no children. Uncle James Moffett and family moved from Zebulon - Pike Co. Ga. many years ago to Tallapoosa County Alabama where he died since the war, leaving a good record of a pious and useful life his son Thomas was still living the last I heard of him. My Grandfather Thomas Moffett also had three daughters named Margaret - Jane & Elizabeth Aunt (Peggy) as they called Margaret married Nathan Jackson, lived in Henry County Ga. and raised a large family of good children - her sons were James, Thomas, Jordan, Lewis and William, the girls I do not remember as I never knew them. Jane Moffett married Uncle David Hunter - my great grandmother's step son, previously mentioned in this narrative. She raised four boys and one girl, the boys were James, Boyd, Able, & Absolve - her daughter Margaret married a man named Champion. Elizabeth Moffett married Elijah Boynton (a northern man, him and another brother (Moses) settled in Georgia and made large fortunes Elijah settled near McDonough in Henry County and raised a large family of boys and girls. his sons were Yancy, Winston, Porter, Amos - Moses - Thomas James - Stoddard the girls names I [pg 038]do not know James the youngest of the six is living in Griffin Gad, is president of the Ga. Senate and was Governor awhile. The others I know but little about Amos - went to Texas before the war and married, dying since the war and leaving a family there. Now I will return to old Lincoln again to those left there, my great- grandfather James Moffat was married five times, but had no children except by the first and second wives, which was Elizabeth - my great grand mother on Ma's side and Thomas my grand father on Pa's side James M lived to be very old, his son Thomas my grand father went into Revolutionary War at about 16 or 17 years old and first served as a Courier - a very dangerous occupation - afterwards as Soldier so him and some others were once cut off from the main army and came near perishing to death, lived on roots, dog or horse flesh or any thing they could get, I have heard my father tell of an incident of that fearful time, of my grandfathers starvation, he and comrades were passing the house of a Tory - whose wife was cooking bread for the Tories and had a number of hoecakes setting by the fire, and they went in and ask her for some of the bread, but she would not give them any - So my grandfather said to her - If you knew my name you would give me bread, where upon she ask it, and he answered "Tom take a bit" and she repeated it in astonishment Tom take a bit, he lifted a hoecake politely thanking her and left - leaving her blank of course. After the war, he married the widow Carpenter - whose husband had been killed in the war, she having five children - Thomas, Ruben - John and two daughters, but she was a noble woman and possessed of property -She was Abigail Jordan (before she married Carpenter) of high family [pg 040]her brothers being very prominent wealthy and influential men. My grandfather Thomas Moffett died at the age of 59 years - very suddenly - he got up early in the morning and walked out to give directions to his hands for their days work, and returned and lay down on the bed asking his wife to hold his head as it pained him, and spoke no more, but was dead in a few minutes, as he was very fleshy, it was supposed to be apoplexy that took him off so suddenly. He was a pious Presbyterian - and was said to be a most excellent man. My grand mother (his wife) who mourned him so deeply as long as she lived was a Baptist, and died happily not very long after him. So the three graves of my grand parent spa’s father and Mother and Ma's father all lie near together in a church yard in Jasper County Georgia. And grandma Saunders after settling in Crawford County Ga. [pg 041]lived to raise and settle off her children, or at least those who did not precede her to the grave, but three of them died unmarried each in their 27 year - Billington Martial Susan Lucinda & Samuel Hunter. S. Lucinda was teaching in Salem Alabama and had high reputation in her vocation, but death came to claim her - while in the height of her usefulness - She was carried home to die and be laid in the family burial ground - where many of them now sleep peacefully a waiting the sound of the trumpet of the last day. Elizabeth grandmas second daughter and next in ages to my mother, married William Miller, brother to Aunt Matilda, Uncle James wife, previously mentioned also brother to the Honorable James A. Miller of same county. They settled near Hopewell, a village where the Presbyterian church was to which all the family belonged, and where a good school was kept The neighborhood people were generally wealthy and the Society [pg 042]very good, here they resided many years until after Aunt Elizabeth died which she did in her 37 year - leaving four children one daughter Frances Elizabeth, who afterward married William Chew and went to Texas. James P. the eldest son lives in Florida, second son William Henry had his hand cut off by his pa's gin when about two years old. he was educated as a lawyer, but I do not now know where he is, and Charles Arthur the youngest went to Texas since the late war, and we have heard no more of him. So four of Grandma's grown children preceded her to the tomb then she followed in her 69th year November 17 1850 she passed from [pg 043]earth. After a most honored and useful life. She too rests from her labors and her works do follow her. After she moved from Lincoln and settled in Crawford County, her mother Ole grandma Hunter, with all her family followed and settled too - (near grandma) she lived to be 85 years old and died in 1835 and is also buried in grandma's burying ground - which was near her dwelling where she lived 27 years before her death, a beautiful place. Old grandma Hunter was one of the most learned and best women of her day Said to be almost a Saint upon earth her house was always the home of the Presbyterian ministers and her library of good books a noted one, but alas they with her house and furniture were food for the flames which consumed all before her death. She was at my mothers on a visit when her house was burnt, and when one of her Negro men come and told her - her first expression of grief was - Oh! All my good books are gone. Her daughter Ellen [pg 044]who married John Saunders died not long after her mother, leaving 3 sons and one daughter, the boys were George W. Thomas J. James M. and Susan Elizabeth two are living yet - James M. died in 1874 about 50 years old leaving one son (John) George W. died 1883 about 76 years old having no son. Their families all reside in Bibb County Ga. near the city of Macon and near where their father died Susan E. married John Clamored in 1843 - and has raised a large family, she being one of the smartest of women. Aunt Peggy Hunter, who married Cason, left 3 daughters and one son - William Cason - who now lives in the city of Macon. Elizabeth E. married her cousin Seaborne Saunders, my Mother's brother, but both are dead leaving no children, the other two girls were twins Sarah and Mary and as much alike as two human [pg 045]beings could be, they were beautiful and accomplished, for their father was very wealthy, and proud of them, gave them every advantage, they married well - and are both living in Georgia. Aunt Susan who married May - had no child to live. Uncle Sam Hunter had two sons and three daughters, he lived in Macon and his children were all graduates, and his son Samuel also graduated in the Cambridge Law school in Massachusetts but died soon after, and the other son Arthur Fort, is a doctor, and still lives in Macon I think his daughters are all dead but the youngest Mary Mel who is a widow and childless. The girls died young and left no decedents. My mother's youngest sister, Aunt Margaret E. Jones, has no children and is now a widow in good circumstances living in or near Fort Gaines Ga. She has raised several orphans and educated them, She is a worthy descendant of a noble ancestry. Her Mother died very suddenly of heart disease in 1850. So did my dear Mother (her eldest daughter [pg 046]Sarah ) in Dec - 1879 being 73 years old. Pa [interlined Jacob Moffett] died in 1869 in his 78th year, they are both buried in Brooklyn Alabama, they raised to be grown 5 girls and one boy the youngest child - Thomas Moffett who married before he was 20 and at 20 years of age went into the war served faithfully under Stonewall Jackson until his death, and then under Long street until January 18 -1864, when he was killed fighting nobly for his country. he left one little son, in Barbour County Ala. who is now a young man his name is Willard Jacob Moffett. Pa's + Ma's oldest daughter Elizabeth Jane, married early in life William Carey Beckley - who moved to Louisiana in 1850 and settled about 16 mi from Shreveport in Claiborne Parish, but in 1860 he died with pneumonia, leaving sister E. with 7 children, 3 boys George Samuel, Seaborne Jacob & William C. the girls is Leonora [pg 047]Elizabeth, Mary H. Ellen C. Utopia Hunter, all married. She has her third husband A.T. Wood and she with nearly all her children are living now in Texas doing well. My sister Margaret Ann married A. T. Callahan near Bellville, Conecuh Co. Ala. but did not live long, her death is written out in this book on another page. her two little boys both died since her death. Sister Ellen married twice, her death’s also in here on another page. Sister Mary Arthur - the youngest daughter married G. P. Jones and is now a widow with six children 4 girls and two boys. Now I will speak of my self and family I am the third daughter, I began to teach school at the early age of 14 years but went to school afterwards some in Bibb Co. Ga. in 1850afterwards went to College in McDonough Henry Co. Ga. where I met A.J. Robinson whom I married in the summer of 1852 in McDonough - I will tell you how it happened. Col. L.T. Doyle with whom we boarded, was a celebrated missionary Baptist minister and had baptized us, and was a particular [pg 048]friend of us both, so he persuaded us to be united at his noble mansion in order that he might perform the ceremony - as it was near a hundred miles to my fathers, with no train then. So we were married, and on our journey home to Crawford we met with an incident I must relate, there was a terrible rain storm, raising the little streams enormously, so when with in 16 or 18 miles of home we drove into one spread out considerably but we did not think it was swimming, so when we got into the middle of it down stream we went the horse (which was a large fine one) clear under all but his nose - and the buggy swimming with us up to our necks nearly - scary time to me, after going down a piece the horse lodged against along which was floating and fast against some trees. My husband then got out in the water and took me out and put me in as safe a place as he could - and then swam under the side of the log and cut the home string to get lose the[pg 049]drowning horse, which he did with difficulty and danger to himself. The horse came near being drowned with all his efforts to save him however he did save him and me - but we were then in a fancy plight, for our bridal tour. We had to make our way back to the nearest house afoot, dripping wet, leaving every thing in the creek. But the people were kind and gave us at once dry clothing to put on, the old gentleman of the house taking my husband off to a room - and the old lady taking me to her room, gave me some of her clothes to dress in, Oh My! just imagine how I looked and felt, when I was fitted out in her garments, she low and weighing about two hundred and ole fashioned, I young tall and slender. When my husband came out he was not much better, and a lovely couple we were that night, but by morning the kind lady had our own garments washed dried ironed ready for our use again, we enjoyed many a laugh over that ludicrous scene. They got our buggy out of the stream dried the clothes from my trunk but many of them were ruined besides carpet sacks and things that went off down stream but we finally reach home thankful it was no worse and found all glad that we had escaped with our lives. A letter dated 17 Jun 1852 from AJR to Josephine}[pg 052]{two poems written?/copied? by JCR}[pg 053]Family History Contactor reaching home (my fathers) and spending some pleasant days in family, my husband getting acquainted with them all for he had never seen them before. We then visited Macon (a large city) and replenished my injured wardrobe &c. called on Uncle John Saunders & family and enjoyed their society for a day or two, visited uncle and Aunt May and family, all of whom lived near Macon then returned home, made a visit to my uncle's at Franksville on Flint River about 20 miles from my fathers, also visited many relatives nearer home, this being in September 1852. In October following we again visited McDonough, where sister Ellen was still in school, and attended a meeting there afterwards going on to Fayetteville to see for the first time my husband's people. I found them kind and sociable, making our stay among them as pleasant as we could wish. On our return home from there we spent a day and two nights with Old Uncle Sam Collins, great uncle of my husbands - there we also enjoyed ourselves well: and we have often [pg 054]in late years referred to all those visits as verdant spots in memory never forgotten by us, but treasured as dear pictures, life scenes, inscribed indelibly on memory's tablet. In January 1853 we left dear old Crawford County where I had been born and raised and father mother and all their family then with them, moved to Stewart County Ga. where all purchased lands and all lived together for three years. My father then being an invalid and being no son large enough to attend his business, my husband had charge of it all. We carried our letters from McDonough Church, to Elam Church in Stewart and were members there as long as we stayed in Georgia. My father Mother and family being Presbyterians they did not join any church at once, and after studying the subject thoroughly, and reading Howells Evils of infant baptism [pg 055]they became convinced, that believers were the only proper subjects for - an immersion the scriptural mode of baptism, so they all joined at one time our church at Elam (being a household) six in number, Pa and Ma 3 sisters and my only brother, the youngest of the family he being about 13 years old. and were all baptized by bro. E.C.J.B Thomas 1854 in the pool at dear old Elam Ga. They are now all (save one) members of the church triumphant above, I trust as they are gone from earth. We left Stewart County January 1856 and came to Ala. first settling on Pigeon Creek not very far from Fairmount Church and first put our letters in there but we soon came to Brooklyn, to which we removed our membership, and where it has remained ever since we arrived here Oct. 3rd 1856, bringing two sweet little boys with us - one 3 years old, the other 10 months old. But they are both gone to a brighter home beyond the river. [interlined: Three other children were born to us in Brooklyn]Josephine, Andrew J. and Estelle H. - which are with us yet, though Josie is [pg 056]married to M. H. Saunders. My space does not permit me to tell of our trials during the late war between the States, though it was indeed a trying time to us, as well as others. At its close the raid headed by Alf Holly tried to tear us up carrying all they could of supplies and clothing etc. After the war in the latter part 1865 my father and mother came out to Brooklyn to spend the remainder of their days with us, which they did pleasantly considering the times and state of affairs then - Our servants were freed and gone, and we had to struggle under difficulties. But time has brought us many changes, and some of them very sad ones to me. I have penciled this lying on the bed of affliction, where I have languished for three years and a half now. Josephine C. Robinson” This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/gafiles/ File size: 22.9 Kb