Section: | 19 |
Space: | 3 |
Lot: | 2 |
Spouse: | Ella Day Smith |
Place of Birth: | Somerton, Va |
Occupation: | Business |
Comments: | Died in Pensacola |
Owner: | J. R. Saunders |
Outstanding Business Leader of Pensacola John Richard Saunders, was born Feb. 12, 1862, in Somerton, Va., and received his education there. When he was 23 years old, he moved to Georgia where he learned the sawmill and naval stores business. He came to Pensacola in 1899 and organized the West Coast Naval Stores Company which was later merged into the Consolidated Naval Stores Co. With the vast forests of pine trees, West Florida was at the forefront in the production of turpentine, lumber and naval stores. By World War I Pensacola's port was third in the world market. Naval stores were products from timber that were an essential part of wooden ship stores such as tar, pitch, masts and spars. In 1905 he established a stock company, J. R. Saunders Co., dealing with turpentine and rosin. He established branch offices and yards in New Orleans, San Francisco, and two inland ports in Illinois. With others, Saunders founded the German-American Lumber Co. with a sawmill at Millview, on Perdido Bay. He was president of several businesses including the Saunders Grocery Co., Export Lumber Co., Saunders Mill Co., Southern Brick Co. and the Pensacola, St. Andrews and Gulf Steamship Co (owner of the Tarpon). Saunders was a director in the American National Bank and a vice president of the Escambia Land and Manufacturing Co. Saunders acquired large holdings of real estate in the area. Early in 1883, Saunders and Ella Day Smith were married in Nansemond County, Va. They were parents of four children - a daughter and three sons. He was an active member of Pensacola's Methodist Church on Palafox and Garden and was building chairman for the "new" First Methodist Church on Wright Street. He was considered by many to be one of the most outstanding citizens of Pensacola. Saunders died Aug. 9, 1908, unexpectedly at the age of 46, before the church building was completed. The Saunders family contributed the magnificent "Saunders' window" in memory of John Richard and Ella Day Saunders. They were buried in St. John's Cemetery 2 North Section 19. |