(from Watford Centennial and newspaper clippings)
Thomas Saunders’ family came from Ireland to Lanark County in 1822. By 1850 the family had moved their livestock and sawmill equipment to the 6th Line of Brooke Twp. Thomas was skilled in lumbering, using a unique type of pit saw, similar to a jig saw. He was also skilled in making potash.
His oldest son, Absalom, took over the sawmill, while Thomas continued farming and making potash. When Absalom died in 1903 the lumber business went to four of his sons, Jacob, Thomas, Daniel and John. Jacob and Thomas sold their interest to pursue farming.
Daniel and John continued in the lumber business until 1918, then the mill sat idle until 1933 when George Searson bought the equipment and moved it to Watford.
John Saunders’ son Basil purchased a tiling machine in 1911, which he operated until 1934. He had also bought Joshua Saunders’ blacksmith shop in Watford to use as a machine shop and gas outlet, then purchased the machine shop on John St. in the former Stapleford Rabbit building. (It is not known if Joshua Saunders of the blacksmith shop was related to this Saunders family.) In 1929 he bought the Restorick Hotel building and moved the machine shop there, where he continued until 1946 when he sold the building to his son Ross. Basil relocated to a cement block building adjacent to his house on Wall St. until ill health forced him to retire in 1952.
In 1943 Basil’s son Ross operated a body shop and a Dodge Agency plus an auto wrecking business. During the 1960s he worked part time restoring antique cars while conducting an insurance business.
By 1970 Ross and his wife Jean had an automotive machine shop and a full service garage for antique cars where they sold antique car parts. Ross and Jean’s sons John and James worked in the business also. James developed multiple sclerosis and was not able to continue working. He passed away in 2006, at the age of 55.
John and his wife Karen moved into an older home at the end of Simcoe St. beside the business. John frequently competed in the go-kart racing circuit, considering this the safest and cheapest way to enjoy the fun of racing. His father had been a frequent competitor on the race tracks in his younger days as well. John won many races in Canada and the United States, winning the Canadian Nationals three times and coming in the top five every year in the ten years that he raced go-carts.
Following Ross’s death in 2000, Saunders Auto Parts became John Saunders Enterprises.
Jean and Ross’ daughter Barbara Axford lives in London.
Chapter 24 of 25 - Saunders, Thomas
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