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ISAAC CALLENDER SAUNDERS
Isaac Callender Saunders was born
May 14, 1825, and is a son of Harry and Eliza
(Callender) Saunders. The father was born in
1802, and the mother in 1805, and both of them
were of English ancestry. The fact that their home
was on the shore of Lake Champlain, had doubtless
much to do with the taste that their sons Phineas
and Isaac both had for life on the lakes.
The father, Harry Saunders, was well known as
a public-spirited citizen, active in political life, and
especially prominent in the State militia, both in
New York and Michigan. He emigrated to Michigan in 1832, and in 1839 served as representative in
the State Legislature.
His commission as Captain in the 20th Regiment
of New York Cavalry, in 1825. bears the signature
of the eminent Governor DeWitt Clinton, and in
Michigan he held commissions as Colonel from
Governors Mason, Barry and Fetch. In 1854 he
was appointed by Governor Parsons, Brigadier General of the first brigade, first division of the militia
of Michigan.
Isaac C. Saunders attended the district school
until about fifteen years of age when he conmenecd to care for himself. He served for a brief
period on The steamboat "Macomb." commanded
by S. F. Atwood, then running on Lake Erie, and
in the winter was employed in Barclay's iron foundry. and in the summer was again sailing on one of
the lake boats, spending the succeeding winter in
the Michigan Central engineering simps, then
located in Detroit, where the City Hall now stands.
By these methods, followed through several years,
he obtained both a theoretical ami practical knowledge of engines and boilers, became an expert in
their coast met ion and management, and was soon
well known as a marine enginceer and machinist.
His thorough knowledge of his business coupled
with his methodical habits and irreproachable conduct, caused his services to be always in demand,
and he was always sure of a position, and served
on a large number of steamboats including the old
"Southern Michigan." and the "Arrow."
During the War with the South he was able to
render valuable service to the Government, enlisting
in 1863. under Quartermaster Arthur Edwards, the
Master Machinist and Chief Engineer of the government fleet on the Teiutrssce river, and held this
position with entire satisfaction to the government,
remaining until the fall of Richmond rendered the
fleet no longer necessary.
After his return to his home in Trenton he continued his former occupation, one of the last trips
he made professionally being on the screw wheel
steamer Algoma, commanded by Captain Kirby,
which he took to Mackinaw where it was to serve
as the first railroad ferry between Point St. Ignace
and old Mackinaw.
Under appointment from President Cleveland he
served as Deputy Collector of Customs, at Trenton,
and is at present Justice of the Peace, for Trenton,
and the township of Monguagon. Politically he is a
Democrat, and undoubtedly went into the war and
cainc from the war as truly a War Democrat as any
who enlisted. He is a member of the Independent
Order of Odd Fellows, having passed through all the
chairs in the Trenton Lodge, and has served repeatedly as a delegate to the Grand Lodge. He is also
connected with the Knights of Honor. Religiously
his sympathies are more particularly with the
Methodist Episcopal church, and his character and
manner is such that it would be easy to believe
that he practiced most, if not all, of the Christian
virtues. Unassuming, sympathetic, conscientious,
and considerate, he is worthy of the esteem in which
he is held.
He was married in 1851 to Ellen A. Stout, a
native of Pennsylvania; she died in 1874, and is
buried in Woodmere Cemetery.
They had five children, Harry D. born in 1852.
died in 1872; Eva A., born in 1852, married Captain John Duddleson and died in 1876; Charles C,
born in 1855, died in infancy; Flora C. born in
1856, now the wife of W. J. Keeney; and Edith
Ruth, born in 1867.
Source: History of Detroit and Wayne Co 1890 by Silas Farmer
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Phineas Earll Saunders was born at Whithall, Washington County, New York, January
4, 1824. He was the eldest son of Harry and Eliza C. Saunders, whose home was on the shores of
the beautiful Lake Champlain. At the age of
eleven, he removed with his parents to Michigan,
and settled at Truago, now Trenton, then an
almost unbroken forest. His educational advantages were meagre, for, at the age of sixteen, after
the death of his mother, his father placed him as
an apprentice in the machine shop of Stebbins
Brothers, at Maumee, where he learned the trade
of machinist and engineer, which pursuit he followed on land and water for a number of years.
He was for a long time in the employ of the Detroit, Toledo, Sandusky and Cleveland lino of
steamers, acting as chief engineer of the steamers
"John Owen." "Bay City," and "Arrow." His
more than ordinary abilities soon brought him to
the front, and in the year of i860, he was appointed
to the office of United States Inspector of Steam
Vessels, under the administration of James
Buchanan, which office he held until the time of
his death. He was an obliging, faithful and conscientious officer, noted for his truthful and honorable dealings with all with whom he had business
transactions.
