WHO WAS C. A. SAUNDERS?

	CLAUDE A. SAUNDERS graduated from Emory College in 1876 with a Batchelor of Arts degree.  He was a member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity while at Emory. On Emory's 1910 directory of Alumni, Claude had taken up farming in Geneva, Fla.

In 1877 Claude was in Tampa attending the Annual conference of the M.E. Church--about the time he was hired as Principal of the Tampa school.  The term "on trial" below doesn't mean like a court trial to determine guilt of an offense, it means "on a trial basis" as a member until his admittance was approved.

 
Claude A. Saunders was in attendance of many more of the Florida Conferences of the M.E. Church.

Claude A. Saunders was the first President of Florida Southern College, named the South Florida Seminary at the time. He served until 1886 and the name was changed to the Wesleyan Institute.  The Florida Methodist Newsletter, p.8, Mar. 15, 1959, at Internet Archive

Image courtesy of Florida Southern College website.

1885 State Census - Orange Co., Orlando, Fla.
In 1885 Claude was a boarder in the home of C. E. Pelot and his family.  Pelot and Claude were both listed as Ministers.
Claude was 31 and single.  His parents were born in the West Indies.

On March 1, 1888, Claude married Miss Julie Adams in Hamilton Co., Fla.

Click the image to see it full size.

1880 Census, Hamilton Co., White Springs, Fla.
According to Julie's 1880 Census, she was born 1864-65 in Florida, one of at least four children of Robert W. Adams and his wife Sophia.

Julie Adams Saunders died on Sept. 24, 1900 in Oviedo, Fla.
She is buried in Geneva Cemetery, Seminole Co., Fla.

Photo by Janet M from Find-A-Grave

1920 Census, Gadsden Co., Hinton, Fla.

In 1920 Claude (62) was living with his 2nd wife "Suedie" (43).  Claude indicated his father was born in the West Indies, his mother in Florida.
Suedie's parents were from Georgia. 

1930 Census, Broward Co., Pomano City, Fla.

Claude (76) was living with his 2nd wife Sudie (51) and daughter Elizabeth (7), so she was born around 1922-23.
The fact that Elizabeth was born ca. 1922-23 and her absence on the 1920 Census strongly indicates she was the dau. of Claude & Sudie.
Claude would have been 64 or 65 and Sudie 45 or 46 when Elizabeth was born.
This census was the last to ask where each person's parents were born.
Claude indicated his father was Bahamian (consistent with 1920C "W. Indies") and mother from Florida.  Sudie was from Ga. and so were her parents.
Elizabeth's info is consistent with Claude and Sudie being her parents.  The occupation for all was "None."
This census also asked each person how old they were when the FIRST married, even if it was to a previous spouse.
Claude didn't answer but Sudie said "36".  If Claude was her first husband, it means they married 15 years ago or around 1915 (assuming Sudie's age is accurate).
 

1935 Census, Broward Co., Pompano City, Fla.

Claude was erroneously listed as "E. A." Saunders, living with his 2nd wife "Sutie" (56) born in Ga., and their daughter, Elizabeth (12).
Claude indicated he had a college level education and was retired.

1940 Census, Polk Co., Lakeland, Fla.

Claude was 86 and living at 836 S. Success Blvd. with his 2nd wife Sudie (61) born in Ga., and their daughter, Elizabeth (17). 
Occupation for all persons was left blank.
This census asked where each person was living on Apr. 1, 1935 and showed Pompano, Broward Co. for all.

1910 Census, Hamilton Co., Fla.

"Sudie" is not a common name, and not ever having been married by age 36 as Sudie Saunders had indicated on her 1930 Census, are two of SIX reasons that Sudie Crews seen here at age 30, single, in the home of her parents Charles M. Crews and Eliza Crews, would have been Claude's 2nd wife.
Other reasons are:  3.  Sudie Crews was born in Georgia.  4. Sudie Crews was born c1879-80.  5. Both her parents were born in Georgia.  6. Her mother's name was Eliza and probably Elizabeth--same name Sudie and Claude choose for their daughter.

Claude A. Saunders died in Lakeland, where he and his family were living on the 1940 Census.
He would have been 90 in about 4 months.

Buried at Roselawn Cemetery, Lakeland Fla.
Photo by Donna McPherson at Find-A-Grave

1945 Florida Census, Polk Co., Lakeland
Here is Mrs. Sudie Saunders living in Lakeland, age 66, with her daughter Elizabeth Sue Saunders, age 22.  They both had a High School education, Elizabeth was working as a Secretary ("Secy".)  This census did not ask marital status--Sudie would have been widowed.