Sophia Josephine (Phillips) Saunders (abt. 1803 - bef. 1870)

Born about 1803 in Tennessee

Wife of Henry Matthew McCullough — married [date unknown] (to 19 Nov 1857) in Collin Co., TX

Wife of Robert M. Saunders Jr. — married 16 Feb 1822 in Jefferson Co., AL

Descendants

Died before 1870 before about age 67 in Visalia, Tulare, California

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Barbara Baker [send private message]

From Eva Evans manuscript, An Outlaw and his Family, re: her grandmother Isabella and great grandmother Sophia: "Grannie, (Isabelle Saunders Byrd) my mother's mother, lived next door to us on some land Dad (Chris Evans) had given her out of our block. Grannie was a Tennessee Mountain woman, and had had a very hard life. She had only been to school for three months, but she could read and write and spell better than any of us, because until she was a middle-aged woman she only had three books; a Bible, a dictionary, and a 'Dr. King's "Doctor Book'.[sic] This had belonged to her mother, and had pictures of herbs in it . . . This great-grandmother McCullough was a remarkable woman. She was six feet tall, could ride and shoot, and was not afraid of anybody or anything. She came to California in 1852 (Correct year for Jesse and Isabel is 1854 and correct year for ggrandma McCullough is 1858) with my grandparents and their two children, crossing the plains with a covered wagon caravan, and though they were not attacked by the Indians, they had several narrow escapes."

"Once they came upon a butchered train, the ruins of the wagons still smoking, and the mutilated bodies not yet cold. They washed them and gave them a Christian burial, expecting to be attacked any any moment. They went to the mines in Amador County, and during the seven years they lived there, Grannie cooked in a fireplace, in cabins with dirt floors, and had three more children. . . . There wasn't a doctor in the country, so Great-grandmother McCullough got out her 'Dr. King's' and started looking for herbs and making medicine. She knew how to set broken bones, so in a little while she was going miles to care for the sick. The Tule River Indians were on a rampage at this time; but she had some saddlebags, so she would put her medicine on one side and her gun on the other, and away she would go. What cared she for Indians!"

It could be that the legacy provided by the example of her mother and grandmother led Sophia Josephine Byrd (McClelland) to pursue as a young woman, becoming the first or one of the first female MD in California. Sophia's birthplace is stated as Ireland on two of her children's death certificates, but in the census, Sophie is always enumerated as born in Tennesee. Perhaps her parents or grandparents were from Ireland, or perhaps, she indeed was born in Ireland, but grew up in TN.

In 1810 Rutherford Co. are Bennet Philips and Samuel Philips. Samuel is promising due to the several male children of Sophie whose first initial was S, but alas Sam has no girls 0-10. Bennet Philips, however, a few doors away does have 1 daughter between 0-10. . 2 1 0 0 1// 1 2 0 1 0 0 This Bennett Phillips is said to have been born in Somerset, MD

In 1820 TN there are a number of male Phillips, head of household; there are two in Nashville (now Davidson Co.) ., Samuel Phillips and above him David Phillips. Samuel has 2 males 0-10, 1 male 26-45, 1 female 0-10, 2 females 16-26 (right age group for Sophia), 1 female 26-45. David has 1 male 26-45, 1 female 16-26, (age group for Sophia) and 1 female 26-45. Sophia married in 1822 in Alabama. There are no index lists in 1820 for Alabama. In 1830 there is a Robert Saunders in the index for Rutherford Co., TN, but no index linkage for the image as yet. In 1840 TN there are no Saunders indexed for ancestry.com.

By 1830 there were Phillips in Maury Co., TN: 3 Williams, 1 Benjamin, 1 John W., 1 Brittain, 1 each Creasy, Elias, Louis and William R.. a William, Jonathan, and Samuel are in Rutherford Co..

TX Land Records Grantee Sophia Sanders, Certificate 2293/2394, Patentee Thomas C. Gillespie, Patent date October 28, 1854, for 320 acres in Harrison / Nacogdoches, Upshur County, File # 583, Patent # 678, Patent Volume 11, Class Harr'n. 3rd. Upshur Co. adjoins Harrison Co. on its northwestern border.

Widow Sophie appears in Harrison Co., TX 1850 census p. 95 next to her daughter Isabelle Saunders Byrd (Bird in this census) and family: S. Saunders, age 46, female, b. TN (widow Sophie) S. Saunders, age 21, male, b. TN W. Saunders, age 18, male, b. TN (Winfield Scott Sanders) S. Saunders, age 15, male, b. TN S.J. Saunders, age 13 female, b. TN M. Saunders, age 6, female, b. in Arkansas (Mary?) next dr. J. Bird, age 28, Male, farmer, b. Alabama I. Bird, age 22, female, b. in TN O.P. Bird, age 2, male, b. in Arkansas (Bradley Co.). I. Bird, age 21, male, b. Alabama (this is Isaiah), Also in Harrison Co. TX in 1850 possible relatives of Robert and Sophie?? Some of the states of origin are right for his family. Robert had he lived would have been about 48-50. Wm Saunders, 42, all b. TN M. f, 38 S.E. f , 19 RP m 17 ME f 15 MF f 12 TH f 10 AV f 8 Wm, m 6 GB m 4 (George, see school census below) E f 2 (Eudora, see school census below) I/J Roberts f 2

1855 Harrison Co. School Census Wm Sanders W 11 (William) . . A 10 . . Geo 9 . . Eudora 7

Harrison Co. 1850 Census J.M. Saunders, 30, doctor, AL (Jefferson M.) M.A., f, 25, AL (Mary Ann Heard Saunders) C. m 3, TX (Charles..see school census below) J. 2, TX (John) G. Herd, 7, TX (George) W. Saunders, m 7 TX (W.J.)

Harrison Co. 1855 School Census J M Sanders W J 10 . . Charles 8 . . John 7 . Guardian for George Herd 11 This is probably: Jefferson M. Saunders Marriage Date: 12 Jun 1845 Spouse: Mary Ann Heard Marriage County: Harrison Marriage State: Texas Source: Texas Marriages, 1814-1909

Harrison Co. 1850 Census Thos. Saunders, 31, TN E. Saunders, 27, VA

R. Saunders, m 70, NC, farmer (1780) S. 65, fem. NC BF, male 21, TN This last is especially interesting...could it even be Sophie's father-in-law? Robert M. Saunders, Jr. was b. in NC, so likely was his father. S. Saunders may have been a second wife. Robert M., if my assumption is correct that he and Sophie m. in Jefferson Co. AL in 1822...otherwise quite a coincidence of names., was b. abt 1800-1901 most likely. S. Saunders b. 1785 was a little young to have a son b. those years, but not impossible.

Also Sanders in Harrison Co. 1850 R.A. Sanders, 25 AL. M.E. Sanders, 22 GA I. Sanders, male 4 AL C. Sanders female 1 TX

DT Sanders, male, 40, no occ., TN E. Sanders, male, 33, farmer, TN

UPSHUR COUNTY LAND RECORDS Original Land Owners of Texas for Upshur County and Key to columns 1.Person with cert. when surveyed 2.Grantee 3. League Flag. L = 4,428 acres, B = League + Labor. Labor = 177 acres 4. Number of the Abstract on file at county courthouse and at the Texas General land Office in Austin. SOPHIA SANDERS S. SANDERS 176 452

Upshur Co. School in 1854 Parent Name, #male ch., #female ch. total ch Sanders, M 2 1 3 Byrd, Wm 0 1 1

1850 Upshur Co. TX, Census; this is probably Ira Thomas Sanders, son of Ardon Sanders. Ira had son William Henderson Sanders. Ira Sanders, 31, farmer, TN E. 35 TN MA, m, 13 TN S., f 11 TN LR f 9 TN CA m 7 TN W m 5 TN Ira, m 2 TX

LAND GRANT Grantee: Sophia Sanders Certificate: 2295/2394 Patentee: Thos. C. Gillespie Patent Date: 07 Sep 1854 Acres: 320 DISTRICT: Bowie County: Franklin File: 405 Patent #: 501 Patent Volume: 10 Class: R.R. 3rd. Franklin was formed from Titus Co. in 1875, so did not exist in 1854. Titus Co. lies just above Upshur and next to Cass, its SE corner borders on Harrison Co.

Collin Co. TX Marriage Book 1 McCullough, Henry Sanders, Sophia 18 Nov 1857 license 19 Nov 1857 marriage John M. Salmons, JP Page 428

Letter from Sophia (Phillips) Saunders McCullough to stepson Robert McCullough in Dallas, TX.

Mexico below Franklin July 6th (1858) Dear Son and daughter i have seated my self for the (first) time since i left (Texas?). i have not passed a post ofice since left fort gates(?) train we are all well at (this) time but we have had a great many caces (cases) of sickness but all is on the mend now Do not begin to (say) you know any thing about hard thimes till you start to cala (Calif)) by land we followed our Captain Keener through the sand dessert and the forth day at sunup we found our selfes lost without knowing where water was what water we had we had taken from us and placed under guard we got one pinte a day for four days before we heard fresh water and then c/some two loads? hard paced (packed or placed) in kegs we was in the desert 12 day before we could get cattle to get(out) our oxens was all dead but four their was seventy two yoke in the train to(o) and their was eight yoke found alive the stock cattle nearly all died or run off we found them no more our yong men was forced to shot down the cattle and drink the blood by catching it in their shoese to suport life but some of the men was spechless when they reached water imagin the seen (scene) frantic men and run mad cattle hundrered fell on the road dead we had enought left to start TWO WAGONS and the big waggon was left we are ______________________________________ hanes ( man’s name?) left wagon and every thind(g) he had in the road congeous (another man’s name?) left his Mary’s health very good and so is mine. (Who is Mary? Henry has a granddaughter Mary, dau. of Robert McCullough on the trip. She is 14 and in her photo about 4 years later, she looks frail.) (Sophia also had a daughter (1850 Harrison Co., TX census: M. Saunders, female, age 6 b. AR) In the 1860 census Henry and Sophia in CA have Madison Saunders male, 14 b. MO, (but the Saunders never were in MO) and Mary McCullough, 14 b. AR. Robert McCullough’s Mary is living with Robert in CA and is 17. your father says to read this to Sexse__ (Wm Sachse is Henry’s son in law) i have not seen one indian since left i will wright you again. your father and mother Henry Mcollough Sophia Mcollough (Then in another handwriting) george armstrong lost all but one ox the loss of the train was estimated sixteen thousand dollars. will wright you mother William Sachse (William Straily, son of Elizabeth McCullough and first husband Straily used the name of his stepfather Sachse until he returned to TX from the Civil War)

Per my 2nd gr-grandma's (of Glenda Kent) notes, they LEFT DALLAS on FEB 7, 1858; her brother's bio says they left in March. Both say they ARRIVED in EL MONTE, CA., in NOV 1858 Mary Ann Mccullough (gg grandmo of Glenda Kent) recalled in her notes that they LEFT DALLAS for CA on FEB 7, 1858. Her brother John Robert's bio (b. 1843 MO) says they left in Mar. 1858. Both say they ARRIVED in EL MONTE, CA., in NOV 1858. HENRY, his brother JOHN ROBERT (b. 1820), Henry's sons ROBERT, JAMES T., and JOHN R. all left on the same train. I'm especially certain of this now because of the letter signed by the brothers. the "Little John" mentioned in their letter must refer to Henry's son John R. re "new" mexico--i can see a very faint word before "mexico" on the top line of sophia's letter and have already added "new" in front of it. maybe it's a change i forgot to mention. Glenda Kent

In Cindy's List - The only Don Ana I find is Dona Ana, a town above La Cruces New Mexico. near San Andreas Mtns. This town is on older maps, showing Mexican-American War. Arleen Anderson

A letter from Robert McCullough and brothers to Francis McCullough, the one brother who remained behind in TX; it appears the McCullough brothers did not think too much of their stepmother Sophie: Tulare County State of California March 18th – 1859

Dear, Bother (Brother, probably Francis—glk) I embrace the present occasion as an oportunity of writing to you by which you may learn that we are all in the enjoyment of good health. I am on Outside Creek where the most of us are living. Father and the old lady started away from here a few days ago. he intended to stop on dry creek some 40 miles from Stocton (Stockton) in the mines. I think it was a bad step in him, but (Winfield) Scot Sanders, the Old Lady’s (Sophia Phillips Saunders McCullough) son came down here from that region of country in this way he was influenced to go there, through the solicitations of the old lady, who thinks that her son Scot knows every thing. I think there will be an effort made to sell the old man’s property in Texas, letters I think will be written to you to this effect. They will be written to you and Henderson Caldwell. (Before leaving TX for CA in 1858, Henry McCullough gave a power of attorney to his son-in-law William Sachse and to Henderson Caldwell to act in his behalf while he was out of the State. (Sachse was husband of Henry’s deceased daughter, Elizabeth McCullough Straily Sachse and her first husband Straily, but he used his stepfather’s surname for a time—glk) There have been assertions made to this effect. if such should suceed, the old man would son not be worth a cent. These demands to sell his Property and send the money money will be made with out the old mans knowledge. I write this for the old mans wellfare, even if he were to get the money there is a day coming when he will need it worse than he does now. I write this to warn you on the subject that you may know a little how things are going. If we find that the old man really needs his property to be sold we will writte to you. John (Henry’s brother—glk) says that what you told him on that subject turned out just as you said. I would write concerning the Country But we have written several letters to your neighbourhood on that subject, which you will no doubt get to see. A few words from little John (Henry’s son—glk) to wit alias viz in his own language, as gotten up by himself “tell all prettiest and wities(?) girls to set a trap to catch a Pretty bird when I come that I wish to marry so bad I cant rest, in fact have almost lost my composure, — Direct yours to Visalia Tulare County. nomore at present. Farewells James T. Mccullough John R. McCullough Robert McCollough

Direct yours to Visalia Tulare county Cala. Please write as soon as you get this. (Continued up the left margin of page—glk): Wm Sachse or Henderson Caldwell

1860 Census Visalia, Tulare Co, Twnshp 2 June 25 1860 Henry McCullough 65 M Blacksmith value 400, Personal estate 1,700 b. SC Sophia McCullough 56 F Housedeeper b. TN

• Mary McCullough 14 F b. AR in school (this is probably Sophia's daughter by first marriage who has been enumerated as a McCullough)

Scott McCullough 26 M Farmer b.TN (surname should be Saunders; Winfield Scott Saunders)

• Madison Saunders 14 M b MO (this is probably a McCullough or even Walker)
  • William SAXY (sic), 19. MO (William Straily Sachse)
• Were Madison and Mary's surnames interchanged, ie. should they have been Mary Saunders and Madison McCullough? Scott "McCullough" is definitely (Winfield) Scott SAUNDERS. If truly a Saunders, Madison would have been born in Arkansas, not MO and conversely a McCullough would have been born in MO.
  • William Straily, son of Elizabeth McCullough Straily Sachse, used his stepfather, William Sachse's surname until after he returned from fighting in the Civil War back in TX.

This is the GPS location of the land that Henry owned in 1860 in Farmersville, CA My husband is a land surveyor so he's been great at helping me find land records. Laverne Rudisill

GPS= N 36° 18' 43.6" W 119° 11' 20.7" - -"N.E. Corner- Henry & Sophia McCullough property" GPS= N 36° 18' 43.9" W 119° 11' 53.0" - -"N.W. Corner- Henry & Sophia McCullough property"

Philips in nearby Panola Co., just below Harrison Co., from TN 1850 Panola Co, TX. N.B. Philips 29, TN Pameila 22, AL William 3 TX Albert 1 TX Jacob Nichols A.G. Philips 23 m, farmer, TN Margaret 5 TN Thomas 4 TN Jesse 1 m TX

1850 Upshur Co., TX Gear Philips m 64 VA E. Philips f 60 VA M. M. Philips f 18, AL

Sources

• An Outlaw and his Family by Eva Evans

US Census Data Letter written by Sophie while crossing Mexico to California to stepson Robert McCullough in Dallas TX Land Records TX Marriage Record