Robert Saunders Jr. (January 25, 1805 – September 11, 1868 or 1869) was an American politician and school administrator who served as

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of the

College of William and Mary The College of William & Mary (officially The College of William and Mary in Virginia, abbreviated as William & Mary, W&M) is a public research university in Williamsburg, Virginia. Founded in 1693 by letters patent issued by King William ...

from 1847 to 1848. Prior to that, Saunders served as professor of mathematics from 1833 to 1847. He also served as mayor of Williamsburg,

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the East Coast of the United States, Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography an ...

in 1859 and 1868 as well as the head of Eastern State Hospital (then known as the Eastern Lunatic Asylum). His family papers are held by the Special Collections Research Center at the

Ancestry

The first of the Saunders family is thought to have moved to Virginia in the late Seventeenth century. During this time, Robert Saunders, Jr.'s great-great-great-grandfather John Saunders (died c. February 1700) accumulated large amounts of property–both land and slaves–along the York River in York County.

Biography

Robert Saunders, Jr. was born January 25, 1805 to Robert Saunders (born 1761) and his second wife Susannah Jones. Like his father, Saunders, Jr. attended the College of William and Mary, receiving an

A.B. Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four ye ...

in 1823. He also attended the

University of Virginia The University of Virginia (UVA) is a public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia. Founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson, the university is ranked among the top academic institutions in the United States, with College admission ...

in 1825, the university's first year of operation, taking courses in law. On June 17, 1828, Saunders married Lucy Burwell Page, daughter of John Page, the former

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and

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of the

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. Lucy became an author, writing short stories including at least one ghost story. Robert Saunders, Jr. was elected professor of Mathematics at the College of William and Mary in 1833 and served in this position until 1848. While the College's president,

Thomas Roderick Dew Thomas Roderick Dew (1802–1846) was a professor at and then president of The College of William & Mary. He was an influential pro-slavery advocate. Biography Thomas Dew was born in King and Queen County, Virginia, in 1802, son of Captain Th ...

, was away on an extended honeymoon trip to Europe with his new wife Natalia Hay, Saunders was to serve in the role ''

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''. However, Dew died in

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in August 1846, leading to Saunders being narrowly selected to assume the role officially. Saunders is notable as he was the sole president of the College not to reside in the President's House during his presidency, instead electing to remain in his residency along the Palace Green near the former site of the Governor's Palace. Saunders's time as President of the College was fraught with divisiveness and a general decline in the College's wellbeing.

John Millington John Millington may refer to: *John Millington (professor) (1779–1868), professor of mechanics at the Royal Institution, 1817–1829 *John Millington (rugby league) (born 1949), English rugby league footballer who played in the 1970s and 1980s *Jo ...

and other professors urged Saunders to move the College to

Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States * Richmond, London, a part of London * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, a ...

, but Saunders's support for such an action and his inability to stabilize the College led to the forced resignation of Saunders and nearly every professor. Staunch slavery advocate

Nathaniel Beverly Tucker Nathaniel Beverley Tucker (September 6, 1784 – August 26, 1851) was an American author, judge, legal scholar, and political essayist. Life and politics Tucker was generally known by his middle name. He was born into a socially elite and p ...

of the

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was spared this fate as his politics secured favor with the Board of Visitors. After leaving the college, Saunders was elected to the

Virginia state senate The Senate of Virginia is the upper house of the Virginia General Assembly. The Senate is composed of 40 senators representing an equal number of single-member constituent districts. The Senate is presided over by the lieutenant governor of Virg ...

in 1852, representing Williamsburg for three two-year terms. Faltering in the political sphere, Saunders travelled alone to seek employment with the

Confederate States of America The Confederate States of America (CSA), commonly referred to as the Confederate States or the Confederacy was an unrecognized breakaway republic in the Southern United States that existed from February 8, 1861, to May 9, 1865. The Confede ...

in Richmond, ultimately finding some clerical work. Robert Saunders, Jr. died in either 1868 or 1869. Lucy died in 1885.

References

External links

Finding aid for the Page-Saunders PapersFinding aid for the Robert Saunders LettersSCRC Wiki page for Robert Saunders
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saunders, Robert Jr. 1805 births 1868 deaths 19th-century American politicians College of William & Mary faculty Mayors of Williamsburg, Virginia People of Virginia in the American Civil War Presidents of the College of William & Mary