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SAUNDERS, Lieutenant John

SAUNDERS, Lieutenant John

Male Abt 1610 - 1670  (60 years)

 Set As Default Person    

Personal Information    |    Media    |    Notes    |    Sources    |    Event Map    |    All    |    PDF

  • Name SAUNDERS, John  [1, 2] 
    Title Lieutenant 
    Birth Abt 1610  England Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    Arrival 1635  Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [2] 
    Travel 1636 
    Returned to England and then back to Ipswich. 
    Travel 1638 
    Sent to England to obtain a patent to found another colony 
    Residence 1639  Hampton, Rockingham, New Hampshire, USA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Along with others, John founded the colony of Hampton, Massachusetts later to become present day Hampton, New Hampshire. He was admitted as an inhabitant of the Hampton colony on 13 December 1639. 
    Residence Between 1641 and 1643  Richmond Island, Cumberland, Maine, USA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    He was employed by John Winter at Richmond's Island sometime between the last of July, 1641, and 10 June, 1642. He was recorded in a letter John Winter sent to Robert Trelawny dated at Richmond's Island, 18 June, 1643. ( 
    Court Case 1643  Hampton, Rockingham, New Hampshire, USA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Was fined for offensive speeches against the court, and petitioned for relief, having a wife and six small children for whom he could hardly find bread or clothes, and was himself very sick. 
    Differentiator Immigrant; The Great Migration 
    Great Migration https://www.americanancestors.org/DB397/rd/12124/165/147525506 
    Web Address https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Saunders-308 
    Residence 1643  Wells, York, Maine, USA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    He received a grant of 150 acres in Wells by Thomas Gorges, deputy governor of the Province of Maine on 27 Jul 1643 plus 50 acres at a late date. Ezekiel Knight of Wells sold him a dwelling house there Aug 1645. 
    Residence 1663  Kennebunkport, York, Maine, USA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Sold his farm in Wells and moved to Cape Porpus where he ultimately died. 
    Death 1670  Cape Porpoise, York County, Maine, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [1] 
    Probate 13 Jun 1670  Lincoln, Maine, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [1] 
    Person ID I9393  My Genealogy
    Last Modified 4 Feb 2024 

    Family UNKNOWN, Ann,   b. 1609   d. 1670, Kennebunkport, York, Maine, USA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 61 years) 
    Marriage Abt 1631  England Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Children 
    +1. SANDERS, Elizabeth,   b. Abt 1637, Wells, York, Maine, USA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Abt 1728, Dover, Strafford, New Hampshire, USA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 91 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]
     2. SAUNDERS, John,   b. Between 1635 and 1641   d. 13 Aug 1703, Wells, York, Maine, USA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 68 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]
     3. SAUNDERS, Sarah,   b. Abt 1631, Kittery, York, Maine, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]
     4. SAUNDERS, Thomas,   b. Abt 1639, New Hampshire, USA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Aft 1670, York, York, Maine, USA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age > 32 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]
     5. SAUNDERS, Grace,   b. Abt 1633  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]
    Family ID F7050  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 4 Feb 2024 

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBirth - Abt 1610 - England Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMarriage - Abt 1631 - England Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsArrival - 1635 - Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts, USA Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - Along with others, John founded the colony of Hampton, Massachusetts later to become present day Hampton, New Hampshire. He was admitted as an inhabitant of the Hampton colony on 13 December 1639. - 1639 - Hampton, Rockingham, New Hampshire, USA Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - He was employed by John Winter at Richmond's Island sometime between the last of July, 1641, and 10 June, 1642. He was recorded in a letter John Winter sent to Robert Trelawny dated at Richmond's Island, 18 June, 1643. ( - Between 1641 and 1643 - Richmond Island, Cumberland, Maine, USA Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsCourt Case - Was fined for offensive speeches against the court, and petitioned for relief, having a wife and six small children for whom he could hardly find bread or clothes, and was himself very sick. - 1643 - Hampton, Rockingham, New Hampshire, USA Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - He received a grant of 150 acres in Wells by Thomas Gorges, deputy governor of the Province of Maine on 27 Jul 1643 plus 50 acres at a late date. Ezekiel Knight of Wells sold him a dwelling house there Aug 1645. - 1643 - Wells, York, Maine, USA Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - Sold his farm in Wells and moved to Cape Porpus where he ultimately died. - 1663 - Kennebunkport, York, Maine, USA Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDeath - 1670 - Cape Porpoise, York County, Maine, USA Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsProbate - 13 Jun 1670 - Lincoln, Maine, USA Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth 

  • Photos
    Maine, Wills and Probate Records, 1584-1999
    Immigrant
    Plaque commemorating the founders of Wells, Maine

    Documents
    Great Migration John Saunders (1610-1670)    		Great Migration John Saunders (1610-1670)
    Great Migration: John Saunders (1610-1670)    		Great Migration: John Saunders (1610-1670)
    John Saunders and his wife Ann (maiden name unknown) first set foot in the New World in 1635, arriving with their young daughter Sarah. However, this stay was brief, as John returned to England shortly after acquiring land in Ipswich, only to come back to New England in 1636. He made another trip to England and back in 1638.  John went on to become one of the founders of Hampton before moving to Wells and eventually to Cape Porpus (Kennebunkport). John and Mary both died in 1670, 4 months apart.

    We are descended from John and Mary through the Wright (Tucker) line.

    Albums
    Founding Families of Wells    		Founding Families of Wells (3)
    Great Migration    		Great Migration (119)
    The "Great Migration," as defined by the New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS), encompasses the English Puritan migration to New England from 1620 to 1640. This movement primarily involved English Puritans who relocated in family units, driven by a quest for religious freedom and the aspiration to establish a Puritan commonwealth. These migrants originated from various regions of England and settled in areas that now form Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine, including the Plymouth Colony and the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

    An individual's inclusion in the Great Migration Study Project requires evidence of migration to New England within the specified period of 1620 to 1640. The project's objective is to compile biographical and genealogical profiles of all immigrants who arrived in New England during these two decades. The NEHGS has produced extensive volumes and directories, providing details about the lives of these immigrants. This collection presents research on many ancestors who were part of this significant historical migration.

    You may be shocked by how many there are. Even I was at first. However, most of these Great Migration ancestors are my 9th and 10th great-grandparents, and in some cases 11th and 12th, and with the number of great-grandparents doubling with each generation, the possibilities quickly become immense. We have a total of 1024 sets of 9th great-grandparents and 2048 sets of 10th great-grandparents. This makes finding so many Great Migration ancestors more understandable.

  • Notes 
    • The story of Lieutenant John Saunders, alternatively known as John Sanders, encapsulates the adventurous and resilient spirit of early American colonists. His life, spanning from his arrival in New England in 1635 to his death in 1670, reflects a journey marked by movement, land transactions, and family growth amidst the backdrop of colonial America's evolving landscape.

      John Saunders first set foot in the New World in 1635, arriving with his wife Ann and young daughter Sarah. However, this stay was brief, as Saunders returned to England shortly after acquiring land in Ipswich, only to come back to New England in 1636. By May of that year, he was recognized as a freeman.

      Saunders' adventurous spirit led him to participate in the founding of the Hampton colony in Massachusetts (later Hampton, New Hampshire) in 1639. Along with William and Robert Sanders and others, he received a grant of land, marking the inception of a new community.

      His journey continued to Richmond Island, Maine, in 1641, where he was employed by John Winter. By 1643, Saunders had moved to Hampton, where he faced financial challenges and illness, yet he was regarded highly enough to be considered for a Sergeant's position.

      The year 1643 also marked his relocation to Wells, York, Maine. Here, he received a substantial land grant and purchased a dwelling house. His involvement in the community was significant: serving on the grand and trial juries, becoming a selectman, and rising in military ranks to Lieutenant by 1657.

      Saunders' connections and influence in the region were further evidenced in his interactions with the Native American community. In 1660, he was involved in a notable land transaction where a Native American named Flewelline testified regarding a land sale that benefited Saunders, along with his relatives John Bush and Peter Turbutt.

      His status as a trustee of Ferdinando Gorges' Patent in the Province of Maine is a testament to his prominence. In 1662, he played a pivotal role in transferring control of this patent to the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

      In 1663, Saunders sold his Wells farm and moved to Cape Porpus, Maine, where he spent his final years. His will, acknowledging his "very sicke and weake" state, was a careful allocation of his estate to his wife Ann and children, showcasing a mindful consideration of his family's future.

      Lieutenant John Saunders passed away between June and August 1670 in Cape Porpus. His wife Ann died four months later in the same year.

      John Saunders' life story is a remarkable narrative of perseverance, adaptability, and influence in early colonial America. His journey from England to various parts of New England illustrates the challenges and opportunities faced by settlers in shaping the new world.

  • Sources 
    1. [S1717] Ancestry.com, Maine, Wills and Probate Records, 1584-1999, (Name: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2015;), Probate Place: Lincoln, Maine.
      Maine, Wills and Probate Records, 1584-1999      		 Maine, Wills and Probate Records, 1584-1999


    2. [S1768] Ancestry.com, U.S. and Canada, Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s, (Name: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2010;), Place: Salem, Massachusetts; Year: 1630; Page Number: 253.


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