Indian Wars and Pioneers of Texas Page: 408 of 894

INDIAN WARS AND PIONEERS OF TEXAS.

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War, participating in the battle of King's Mountain,
where several members of the family were killed.
He was there under command of Gen. William
Campbell.
Martha Campbell was a Scoth lassie from the
house of Argyle and was born at Ellerslie, the
country seat of Sir William Wallace. Her mother's
maiden name was McGregor. Judge Saunders'
maternal grandmother was, before her marriage,
Miss Estler Edmiston, her parents being Col.
William Edmiston, a revolutionary officer, and
Henrietta (Montgomery) Edmiston. The Kennedys
were Virginia planters. His grandfather,
John Saunders, was a planter and stock raiser in
Kentucky and died there at his homestead on the
Licking river.
Joel Boone Saunders, father of the subject of
this memoir, received his education at the University
of Aaryland, in Baltimore, after which he practiced
medicine at Millersburg, Bourbon County, Ky.,
and at Fayetteville, Columbia, and Memphis,
Tenn., and still later at Natchez, Miss. After a
short residence at the last named place, his death
occurred there in October, 1833, at the age of
thirty-seven years. He was greatly devoted to his
profession and in fact sacrificed his life to it. His
widow survived him several years, her death occuring
March 29, 1846. He was a member of the
Methodist church and she of the Presbyterian.
Their oldest son, Napoleon B., a promising young
taer, died in 1858, at Memphis. Joel Boone,
the Youngest child, studied law and medicine and
fe aarently presented a bright prospect for him,
when war broke out between the States. He entered
the Confederate army in Texas in 1861, in
response to his country's call, and served until he
fell severely Ounded on the battle-field of Gettysburg)
from whence he was taken to Alabama, where
e died and was buried before the close of the year
1863f Sarah Grant, the oldest, child became the
Wfe of Robert Weir and is now a resident of Germantown,
Tenn. The other daughter, Eliza Marret
no aried Calvin L. Story, of Lockhart, Texas.
enophon Boone Saundelrs was educated in Jackson
.College, Clumbia, Tenn., and at Hanover College,
cld., graduating at the latter institution with the
cunerlas of 1 He read law at Indianapolis, Ind.,
under Smith and Yandes; finished at Nashville,
Tenn., nder the Hon. John Trimble; was adin
1tt camhe bar at Memphis, Tenn., in 1854, and
85 e to Belton, Texas, and began the

practice of his profession. He very soon established
a large and lucrative practice and became a
prominent figure in public affairs. In 1860 he was
elected Mayor of the town. He was opposed to
secession and made a canvass of the district of the
State in which he lived in opposition to the measure.
When, however, it was adopted and Texas withdrew
from the Union, he determined to follow her fortunes
and entered the Confederate army as Captain
of Company A., Sixteenth Regiment of Texas
Infantry, and was afterwards promoted to Major
of the regiment. He participated in the battles of
Perkin's Landing, Millican's Bend, Mansfield,
Pleasant Hill and Jenkins' Ferry, during a large
portion of the time commanding the regiment. He
was paroled at Millican's in June, 1865.
After the war he returned to Belton and resumed
practice. In 1866 he was a delegate to the State
Constitutional Convention and represented Bell and
Lampasas counties in that body. In 1875 he was
elected Judge of the Fourteenth Judicial District,
composed of the counties of Bell, McLennan and
Falls, which position he resigned in 1877. After
retiring from the bench he formed a copartnership
with A. J. Harris. The firm has since been counsel,
on one side or the other, in nearly every case
of importance tried in that section of the State.
Mr. Saunders is also engaged in farming operations
and owns considerable city property. He assisted
in organizing the Belton Compress Company, of
which he was vice-president, and has been an
setive promoter of all meritorious enterprises, having
as their object the development and upbuilding
of the portion of the State in which he lives.
He was married December 17, 1857, to Miss
Annie E. Surghnor, daughter of John Surghnor, of
Leesburg, Loudoun County, Va. To them have
been born six children, all of whom are living, viz.:
William Kennedy, now City Attorney at Belton;
Walter Cupples, engaged in newspaper work;
Kathleen Shelly, wife of John T. Smither, a prominent
business man of Temple, Texas; X. B.
Saunders, Jr.; Wilson M. Saunders; and Imogene
Mariam. Some of the family are members of the
Methodist and others of the Presbyterian church,
Judge Saunders has for many years been a 32
member of the Masonic fraternity and is Past Eminent
Commander of Belton Commandery, No. 23,
K. T., of which he was one of the organizers. He
has also been Deputy Grand Chancellor of Belton
Lodge No. 51, K. of P.