Turner Saunders

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The Rev. Turner Saunders (January 3, 1782-1854), a noted Methodist preacher, was born in Brunswick County, Virginia.

In 1830 he was elected President of the Board of Trustees of LaGrange College in Alabama. He served in that position until moving out of the state in 1844. Saunders lived in the beautiful mansion currently known as the 'Saunders-Hall-Goode Mansion.' It is one of North America's examples of Palladian Architecture. The home was sold to Freeman Goode on Feb 12, 1844.

[edit] Family

He was the son of Revolutionary War Veteran Thomas Saunders. His mother was Ann Turner.

Turner married Frances Dunn and moved to Franklin, Tennessee; then in 1822 he and his wife moved to Courtland, Alabama. His wife died in 1824 and he married Henrietta Millwater on July 1, 1826.

Saunders and his wife moved to Aberdeen, Mississippi where he died on March 9, 1854. Ten children survived him.

One of Turner's sons, James E. Saunders, authored the first major history of Lawrence County, Tennessee. James was aide and personal friend to Gen. Nathan Forrest. James built a plantation house c. 1860 known as Rocky Hill Castle some 4 miles south of his father's mansion. Rocky Hill Castle was widely accepted as being haunted due to a disagreement between the French architect and James Turner.