The following information was assembled from numerous sources and cannot be used directly as proof of Qualifying Service or Lineage.
It is considered a research aid and is intended to assist in locating sources that can be used as proof.
State of Service: RI
Qualifying Service: Private / Patriotic Service
Author: Michael A. Saunders
Tobias Saunders was born in Westerly 28 Mar 1732. The son of Stephen Saunders and Rachael Bliven. He married Martha Hall in Westerly 9 Apr 1752. She was born in Charlestown, Washington County, Rhode Island 24 Feb 1735, the daughter of John Hall and Elizabeth. They had a large farm in Charlestown , according to his will. There was an orchard, cider mill, they raised Indian Corn for flour, they had cows, sheep, chickens, geese, hogs and horses. Tobias and Martha had 12 children.
During the French and Indian War, Tobias Saunders served as an officer in the Rhode Island Militia. In Aug. 1759, Tobias Saunders served as an Ensign for the Charlestown Company of Col. William Pendleton's Kings County Regiment. By May 1760, the Regiment was commanded by Col. Joseph Hazard and Tobias had been promoted to Captain and was the Company Commander of the Charlestown Company.
In June 1761 he continued to command the Charlestown Company and was also listed as a Justice of the Peace for Charlestown, a post he held again between 1772 and 1776. (Sources from the Rhode Island Archives: Rhode Island in the Colonial Wars: A List of Rhode Island Soldiers & Sailors in King George's War 1740-1748 and A List of Rhode Island Soldiers in the Old French & Indian War 1755-1762) and Civil and Military List of Rhode Island.)
Tobias Saunders was reported in the Military Census of Rhode Island for 1777 on page 21 as a resident of Charlestown between the ages of 16-50 (group) able to bear arms (from the R.I. State Archives). He saw active Revolutionary War Military Service as a Private in the 1st Kings County Regiment, R.I. Militia, under Col. Joseph Noyes as a member of the 1st Charlestown Company, from July 24 to August 31 1778.
He performed 65 miles of marching and participated in the Battle of Rhode Island on August 29, 1778. (Military Records, R.I. State Archives, Vol. VI Page 143 and Vol II, Page 269.) He was additionally a member of the town council in Charlestown in 1779, 1780 and 1781.
He died 13 May 1809 in Charlestown and Martha died 20 Jun 1805. They are buried in the "Saunders Lot" in Charlestown which is on the south side of Burdickville Road, (Rhode Island Historical Cemetery – Charlestown #18). There are about seven graves there.
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