by,
Paul Duval
and Bill Poole
Corporal Samuel Sanderson, a member of Captain John Parker’s Lexington Militia
Company, was of the fifth generation of the Sanderson family in America. His great, great
grandfather, Edward Sanderson, was born on May 5, 1611 in Northamptonshire, England,
and died about May 8, 1680 in Cambridge, MA. He was the first of Corporal Samuel’s
ancestors to immigrate to the Massachusetts Bay Colony.
He married in Watertown, MA, on October 16, 1645, Mary Eggleston, baptized January 19, 1614 in Norwich, Norfolk County, England. Edward and Mary first settled in Watertown, MA, where he was “an early proprietor.” About 1654 Edward and Mary removed to Cambridge. Their son, Jonathan, great grandfather of Corporal Samuel, was born September 15, 1646 in Watertown. The couple had at least three more children: Hester, born March 12, 1652; Abigail, born 1660; Hannah, born about 1670. They also may have had two additional children as indicated below:
There are no official records of other children born to Edward and Mary
Sanderson in Watertown, but in January of 1661, town records show that they
had six children who were illiterate, and the family was becoming a burden—
not only for Edward, but for the town itself. The family was one of four
identified by the selectmen as providing an inadequate education for their
children. In a town meeting of 28 Jan 1664 the town gave Edward money to
support his family. Later in May, the town voted to give Edward three bushels
of Indian corn. In 1671, a town clerk wrote that Edward was indigent and two
young daughters (probably Hester and Abigail) were apprenticed out, to
ensure their education and relieve the financial burden on the family. In 1663,
Jonathan, the eldest child, worked as a servant for Justinian Holden of
Cambridge for 4 or 5 years, beginning at the age of 17. Watertown paid for the
care of Edward’s children at least through 1676.5
Edward is thought to have died between 1674 and1680 in Cambridge, MA. Mary is thought to have died earlier in Watertown.6 Jonathan Sanderson, great grandfather of Corporal Sanuel, married in Cambridge, MA on October 24, 1669, Abiah Bartlett of Watertown, born May 28, 1651, daughter of Thomas and Hannah Bartlett.7 Jonathan said in a deposition that “he had lived with Justinian Holden when he was 17 on Holden’s large farm on the Cambridge-Watertown line.” He was probably a laborer for Holden. After their marriage, Jonathan and his bride moved to a farm that adjoined the Holden farm, called “Hassel’s Farm”, and lived there for 21 years. Abiah gave birth to their eight children there.
While in Cambridge, Jonathan was chosen Hog Reeve in 1673/4 and Surveyor of Highways in 1679. In 1689 they moved to Watertown to a location called “Piety Corner.” In Watertown, Jonathan was chosen Constable in 1695 at which time he was referred to as “Serjant Sanders”; and in 1702 he was a member of a committee of five selected to view the line between Cambridge and Watertown. In 1702, he was chosen Selectman, an office in which he served several terms, and was now referred to as Deacon Sanderson. He also served as Representative to the colony’s Great and General Court. “The last record of him is June 18, 1733 when the town voted ‘to fix upon land between Old Deacon Sanderson and Allen Flagg, for a schoolhouse.” Jonathan died at 89 in Waltham.
He wrote his will on April 2, 1728 and named his sons John and Jonathan as executors.15 He was buried in Grove Hill Cemetery in Waltham. Abiah and Jonathan had eight children all born in Cambridge: 1. Abiah, born August 25, 1673, died before May 28, 1739 in Waltham, MA; 2. Jonathan, born August 25, 1673, died in
Waltham October 4, 1743; 3. Thomas, born March 10, 1675, died July 8, 1750 in Sudbury, MA; 4. John, born March 25, 1677, died January 18, 1750; 5. Benjamin, born May 28, 1679, died before 1735 in Watertown. 6. Samuel, Corporal Samuel’s grandfather, born May 28, 1681, died July 21, 1722 in Waltham; 7. Edward, born March 3, 1684, died May 5, 1766 in Waltham; and 8. Hannah, born May 31, 1689, died May 21, 1770.
Jonathan’s will was dated 26 Jan 1780. His estate was valued at £867 10s 11d, including a
70 acre farm (Middlesex Co. Probate, No. 19803). Grandfather Samuel Sanderson was born in Cambridge, MA on May 28, 1681. He was the son of Jonathan Sanderson and Abiah Bartlett Sanderson.17 Samuel married April 13, 1708 in Watertown, Mercy Gale, daughter of Abraham Gale and Sarah Fiske Gale.
Samuel and Mercy settled in Watertown, where Samuel was killed by lightning July 8, 1722 at the age of 63.He and Mercy had five children, all born in Watertown. 1. Samuel, born December 29, 1708, died July 21, 1722 in Watertown;
Abraham, born March 28, 1711, died December 3, 1776 in Lunenburg, MA; Jonathan, Corporal Samuel’s father, born February 24,1714, died March 31, 1780 in Waltham, MA. Mary (Mercy), born November
26, 1718, marred John Addams in Waltham on November 26, 1743, and is thought to have died in Acton, MA on March 12, 1768. Moses, born February 22, 1722, died August 10, 1798 in Littleton, MA. Jonathan Sanderson married in Watertown on 7 May 1741, Mary Stearns who died in 1741. On February 21, 1744, Jonathan married, in Watertown, Mary Bemis, daughter of Jonathan and Ann Livermore Bemis.26 They had ten children: 1. Mary Sanderson born February 17, 1745, died young; 2. Esther Sanderson Stearns, born February 24, 1747, died June 1793; 3. Corporal Samuel Sanderson, born 8 September 1748, died 24 July 1803; 4.Sarah Sanderson, born February 11, 1750, died June 18, 1750; 5. Elijah Sanderson, born October 10,1751, died February 13, 1825; 6. David Sanderson, born November 19, 1753, died1800; 7. Nathan Sanderson born
April 9,1755, died April 14,1834; 8.Jacob Sanderson, born October 20,1757, died February 14, 1810; 9. Jonathan Sanderson, born March 31,1760, died November 17, 1808; and Anna Sanderson Pierce, born April 12, 1762, died November 18, 1806.27 Jonathan’s will was dated 26 Jan 1780. His estate was valued at £867 10s 11d, including a 70 acre farm (Middlesex Co. Probate, No. 19803).
Corporal Samuel Sanderson was born in Waltham, MA September 8, 1748, the son of Jonathan and Mary (Bemis) Sanderson. He moved to Lexington, MA, where he married on October 27, 1772, Mary Munroe, born October 10, 1748 in Lexington, MA, daughter of William and Rebecca Locke Munroe. 28 Samuel and Mary were both not quite twenty-four. Samuel’s occupation was “joiner,” one who “joins” wood to manufacture items such as doors, furniture, coffins and anything else that requires the joining together of pieces of wood. Samuel carried on his trade in the cellar of his and Mary’s Lexington home, and she
would often hold a candle to enable him to work.29 Later, Samuel’s brother, Elijah, came to live with them, and would become along with another brother, Jacob, noted cabinet makers in Salem, MA where they introduced what became known as “the Salem Style” of furniture that gained world-wide reputation.
“To the east of Munroe Tavern is the Sanderson place, in 1775 this long low house was occupied by Samuel Sanderson and his wife Mary Munroe Sanderson, to whom he was married in 1772. With them was his brother Elijah. These two Sandersons were cabinetmakers. At a later period Elijah lived in Salem and from time to time sent venture of cabinet to France and Spain where they sold well, for the old New England joiner was an artist and made all kinds of woodwork from Pine coffins to the most beautiful desks
and sideboards.”
On the evening of April 18, 1775, young Samuel Brown of Lexington was one of the first to encounter the British. He was returning home when he saw several mounted riders that he recognized as British officers. They were members of a patrol that preceded the main British force to prevent news of the expedition being spread throughout the countryside. He hurried on to Munroe Tavern to announce his news. Undoubtedly, the news then quickly reached the Sanderson household.31 Paul Revere and William Dawes brought news of a British expedition to Concord to destroy military supplies there, and that would undoubtedly come through Lexington. Corporal Samuel accompanied his young wife, Mary, and their nine month old son, Amos, to Mary’s parents home in that part of Lexington known as Scotland because of the numerous Munroes living there. At first, the news was received with disbelief, but the Munroe men seized their muskets and hurried to join Captain John Parker on Lexington Common.32 After bringing his wife and son to safety, Corporal Samuel hastened to the common to join with the other members of Captain Parker’s company gathering there. He would be in line, with eight members of his wife’s Munroe family when the British arrived. Samuel, along with thirteen other Lexington militiamen signed a deposition concerning what they had seen that morning.
The deposers were clear that they had not begun the fight. “Some of our company were coming to the parade, with their backs toward the troops, and others on the parade began to disperse, when the regulars fired on the company…”33 That day, the Munroe clan suffered the loss of two of its members, sixty-three year old Robert Munroe was killed on the common, and fifty-four year old Jedediah Munroe was wounded on the common and then killed in the afternoon while opposing the return of the
British from Concord. The Sanderson home lay just a short distance from the British occupied Munroe Tavern, and became an obvious object of looting.
A few rods from the Tavern, down the road toward Boston were two more
Lexington Homes, on opposite sides of the street, and so quite near to each
other. They are still standing (1912). In the one on the westerly side lived
Samuel Sanderson, a member of Capt. Parkers company. He was not at
home, so they killed his cow instead, not for food, but for the pure pleasure of
killing something.34
When the British left Lexington to continue their retreat to Boston, Lexingtonians returned to assess the damage done to property, and to grieve over and bury those who had been killed. Among those who returned was Mary Munroe Sanderson.
After the British retreated Mary returned home and found a good many things
had been stolen. Her cow (which was a good part of her marriage portion)
had been killed; and a wounded British soldier was stowed away in her bed.
She cried out “ I wont hae him there. Why didn’t you knock him on the head?”
But the town authorities insisted he be taken care of. Those who lived on that
part of Lexington called Scotland had a little of the Scottish accent and Mrs.
Sanderson kept it all her life. The soldier begged for Tea but she refused.
“what for should I gae him tae for? He shall hae none.” The wounded man
refused to eat or drink unless the food was tasted by some of the family.35
Following the engagement on Lexington Common on the 19th of April, Corporal Samuel was engaged for further service.
He was “sergeant in a detachment from the Lexington militia company
commanded by Capt. John Bridge, service 5 days; detachment reported on
command at Cambridge from 11 May to 15 May 1775, by order of Committee
of Safety”.
Called to Cambridge on June 17th,18th led by Capt. Parker, “repaired
promptly to the scene of action, and offered themselves for active service”
during the battle of Bunker Hill.37
“Also corporal, pay-roll of a detachment from Lexington militia company
commanded by Capt. John Parker, service 2 days; detachment reported on
command at Cambridge from 17 June to 18 June 1775, by order of
Committee of Safety.”
38
“Also Samuel Sanderson (no rank) on the muster roll of Capt. John Bridges of
Lexington company in Colonel Eleazer Brooks regiment on command at
Roxbury from Mar 4,1776 to Mar 8, inclusive.”
39 “Also listed on the roll to
receive pay for First campaign of eight months 1775 Samuel Sanderson for
Isaac Durant, 5 pounds 0 shillings Second campaign of twelve months to
New York, Samuel Sanderson for Isaac Durant, 19 pounds 0 shillings.”
40
Samuel and Mary had six children, three of whom were baptized in Lexington. 1. Amos, baptized July 17, 1774 of whom nothing else has been found. 41 2. Samuel, baptized February 2, 1777, married on March 25, 1802, in Waltham, Eunice Lawrence. It has been stated that he died at Waltham, July 18, 1829, but his grave has not yet been located; and neither he nor Eunice are listed in the Waltham death records.42
Mary, baptized December 26, 1779, married in Salem, MA about December 16, 1803, Daniel Clark. Daniel died of marasmus (severe malnutrition) on March 30, 1830, aged 60. Interestingly Daniel’s occupation was listed as cabinet maker. Perhaps he was employed at Elijah and Jacob Sanderson’s furniture manufacturing company. Mary’s name was not found in the Salem death records.43
Sometime after the baptism of daughter Mary in Lexington, Samuel moved the family to Lancaster, MA . He may have been motivated, in part, by the presence of a number of relatives there, suggested by the many Sandersons in Lancaster using Samuel’s grandmother’s name, Bemis, as their middle names.44
Corporal Samuel and Mary had three additional children whose birth records have not yet been found. 4. Isaac, born August 4, 1782; 5. Nancy, and 6. Lydia. Nancy and Lydia may have been born in Lancaster, but so far no records have been found to prove this. However, the death of a Nancy Sanderson in Lancaster on March 15, 1880, born 1794 is recorded.45 Corporal Samuel died in Lancaster on July 23, 1803.46 His widow Mary then decided to return to Lexington. There, she became somewhat of a celebrity, recounting the events of April 19, 1775 and retelling the story of the wounded British soldier. Mary Munroe Sanderson died in East Lexington on October 15, 1852, five days past her 104th birthday. The inscription on her grave read:
MARY MUNROE
Relict of
Samuel Sanderson
Born in Lexington
Oct. 10, 1748.
Died in East Lexington
October 15, 1852:
Aged 104yrs. 5 days.
A witness of the first revolutionary
conflict, she recounted its trying
scenes to the last. The vitality
of her Christian faith was evinced
by cheerfulness under severe
bodily infirmity for more
than twenty years.47
FOOTNOTES
!Edward Sanderson of Watertown, Mass., by Page Sanderson of Meredith, N.H., New
England Historical and Genealogical Register, July 1973, Hereinafter cited as Edward
Sanderson of Watertown, MA.”
2Watertown, MA, Vital Records, p. 12.
3″Edward Sanderson of Watertown, Mass. op. cit., page 181.
4Watertown, MA Vital Records, p.12
5Edward Sanderson of Watertown, op. cit.
6 https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/131246193/mary-sanderson.
7Genealogies of the Families and Descendants of the Early Settlers of Watertown, MA,
p. 19. Vital Records of Cambridge, MA, Marriages, p. 27, Hereinafter cited as Early Settlers
of Watertown.
8Edward Sanderson of Watertown, op. cit., p. 183.
9Ibid.
10Ibid.
11Ibid., p.184.
12Sanderson Family Genealogy at http://hausegenealogy.com/sanderson.html.
13Edward Sanderson of Watertown, op. cit. p. 185.
14Middlesex, Massachusetts, Vital Records of Waltham, p.287.
15Middlesex County MA: Probate File Papers, 1648-1870. Middlesex Cases 18000-19999,
Jonathan Sanderson, 1735, Watertown, Middlesex, Massachusetts, Case Number 19801,
pages 19801-19809.
16Bond, Henry M.D., Genealogies of the Families and Descendants of the Early Settlers of
Watertown, Massachusetts Including Waltham and Weston to Which is Appended the Early
History of the Town with Illustrations and Maps, Boston, New England Historical Society,
1860, page 417. Hereinafter cited as Bond, Genealogies.
17Ibid.
18North American Family Histories 1500-2000; Genealogy of the Gale Family by George
Gale of Galesville, WI.
19Bond, Genealogies, op. cit. p. 417.
20Ibid., pp. 417-18.
21Eary Settlers of Watertown, op. cit., p. 417.
22Find a Grave at https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/91317/memorial-searchfirstname=&middlename=&lastname=sanderson&cemeteryName=North+Cemetery&birthyear=&birthyearfilter=&deathyear=&deathyearfilter=&bio=&linkedToName=&plot=&memorialid=&mcid=&datefilter=&orderby=r&page=1#sr-114397871
23Early Settlers of Watertown, op. cit., p. 418.
24Vital Records of Waltham, MA to the Year 185, Boston, Mass, New England Historic
Genealogical Society, 1904. p. 243, Hereinafter cited as Vital Records of Waltham, MA.
25Records of Littleton, Massachusetts, births and deaths, from the earliest records in the
town books begun in 1715, p. 117.
26Vital Records of Waltham, MA, pp. 213 and 288.
27Vital Records of Waltham, MA, pp. 78-80.
28Hudson, Charles, History of the Town of Lexington, Middlesex County, Massachusetts
from Its First Settlement to 1868, Revised and Continued to 1912, Two Volumes, Lexington
Historical Society, Boston and New York, Houghton Mifflin Company, 1913, Volume II,
Genealogy, pp. 605. Hereinafter cited as Hudson, Genealogies.
29Michael J. Canavan, “Canavan Papers,” unpublished manuscript, Cary Memorial Library,
Lexington, MA, p. 131. Hereinafter cited as “The Canavan Papers.”
30Ibid., pp. 130-31.
31See the Solomon Brown and Elijah Sanderson biographies at this site.
32Canavan Papers, p. 132.
33Kehoe, Vincent J.R., Compiler, We wereThere, April 19, 1775 The American Rebels,
Chelmsford, MA, Self-published, 1973, p. 89.
34Coburn, Frank Warren, The Battle of April 19, 1775 In Lexington, Concord, Lincoln,
Arlington, Cambridge, Somerville and Charlestown, Massachusetts, Lexington, Mass,
Published by the Author, 1912, p. 127.
35The Canavan Papers, p. 132.
36Hudson, Charles, History of the Town of Lexington, Middlesex County, Massachusetts
from Its First Settlement to 1868, Revised and Continued to 1912, Two Volumes, Lexington
Historical Society, Boston and New York, Houghton Mifflin Company, 1913, Volume I, p.
Hereinafter cited as Hudson, History.
37Hudson, History, p. p. 425.
38Ibid., p. 426
30Ibid.
40Ibid., p.427.
41Hudson, Genealogies, p. 605.
42Ibid.; Vital Records of Waltham, Massachusetts, To the Year 1850, Boston, MA., Published
by the New-England Historic Genealogical Society, 1904, page 181.
43Vital Records of Salem, Massachusetts to the End of the Year 1849, Volume IV.—
Marriages, Salem, MA, Published by the Essex Institute, Salem, 1925, p. 214; also, Volume
V, —Deaths, p,164.
44“Lancaster, Worcester County, MA, Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records,
1626-2001.” Database With Images at FamilySearch. https://FamilySearch.org : 23 April
2025, Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Boston, 2025.
45Ibid.; Hudson, Genealogies, p. 605;
46Nourse, Henry S., A.M., ed., The Birth, Marriage and Death Register, Church Records &
Epitaphs of Lancaster, Massachusetts 1643 to 1850, Lancaster, 1890, p. 190.
47Brown, Francis H., M.D., Lexington Epitaphs, A Copy of Epitaphs in The Old Burying
Ground of Lexington, Massachusetts, Lexington, The Lexington Historical Society 1905, p.
124.