Sanders Family History

Our Ancestors

(Picture taken at the Sanders homestead in Vernon, Alabama around 1903 – 1904 based on the ages of the children.)   Left to right:  Man with horse (probably Harvey Sanders);  George H. Sanders (seated);  two young ladies behind fence  (unknown); Bedford Morton; Annabelle (Sanders) Morton (standing by tree behind fence) Selina J. Sanders (seated)William “Billy” Morton; young lady behind fence (probably Lona Morton); Lessie Sanders (with doll)Clara Sanders (behind fence)unknown girl (behind fence)Myra Sanders (with doll); lady in black behind fence (probably “Lulie” Sanders); James M. Sanders (seated with dog) Emma S. Sanders; Kelly Sanders; Kent Sanders. 

Emma Springfield Sanders and James Marshall Sanders on the front porch of their home near Vernon, Alabama. Photo by their son, Prentice Sanders.

From “Family Ties and Memories”, 1977.  Contributed by their daughter Myra Sanders Cunningham. 

James Marshall Sanders and his wife Emma Springfield Sanders with four of their seven children – Clara, Myra Agatha, Gaston Kent, and Lessie – in 1899. Three of their children, Kelly Gray, Reginald, and Prentice were not yet born when this picture was taken. All their children including their birthdates are also listed in the family record kept by Emma that is pictured below.

The first time that James Marshall Sanders saw his future wife was when they were both quite young and lived on adjoining hills.  He decided at that time that he was going to marry her someday and he eventually did.

He was completely uneducated until his marriage when Emma taught him to read and write a very good hand.  He eventually went on to become a businessman, assistant mail carrier, president of the school board, and at all times a farmer.

At one time while he was plowing, his family was burning off some terraces.  Myra was quite young and caught her dress on fire. He leaped through the terraces and grabbed her to him to smother out the flames.  This is one of Myra’s first memories of him.  

In later years he became a heavy set man and picking cotton was hard for him so he designed a four-wheel, low-set wagon that he sat on and pushed backward while he picked cotton.  He also owned two sets of tools –one which he loaned out and one which he kept just for himself.

The Sanders Tabernacle near Vernon

He became very interested in singings and went each Sunday with his family in tow somewhere to conduct a singing.  He went on to become a singing teacher and also a non-denominational preacher, who in later life, built his own tabernacle near Vernon, Alabama. (Picture at left) 

Sanders Ancestors

Military Service

William Richard “Dick” Bomar

The following information is from the files of Edna Sanders, mother of Legacy Keeper Donna Thompson and wife of Prentice Sanders. The newspaper obituary is from the files of Frances Cunningham Wojtusik, daughter of Cosby and Myra Sanders Cunningham.

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William Woods

William Woods and his wife, Susannah Wallace Woods. The following is from the Woods Family files of Legacy Keeper Sandra Scott.

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Sanders Ancestors

Military Service

William Richard “Dick” Bomar

The following information is from the files of Edna Sanders, mother of Legacy Keeper Donna Thompson and wife of Prentice Sanders. The newspaper obituary is from the files of Frances Cunningham Wojtusik, daughter of Cosby and Myra Sanders Cunningham.

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William Woods

William Woods and his wife, Susannah Wallace Woods. The following is from the Woods Family files of Legacy Keeper Sandra Scott.

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