Thomas H. Saunders, 1841 - 1875

by Brian Stevenson
last updated March, 2026

T.H. Saunders and his family owned a major shoe- and hat-selling business in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. During the early 1870s, Saunders took up microscopy as a hobby. He learned to prepare good-quality slides (Figure 1). By 1873, he was confident enough in his skills to advertise for exchanges in the English magazine Hardwicke’s Science-Gossip (Figure 2). Saunders’ slides are occasionally seen for sale in the UK, indicating that he attracted a number of exchanges.

Figure 1. “Section of tongue of sheep” by T.H. Saunders, dated 1872

Figure 2. 1873 exchange advertisement from Thomas Saunders, published in the English magazine “Hardwicke’s Science-Gossip”. He provided his business address for contact. This, and his slides, are the only known evidence of T.H. Saunder’s involvement with microscopes.

Thomas H. Saunders was born during 1841. He was the eldest of at least nine children of MacPherson and Sarah Saunders. MacPherson and (presumably) his brother John owned J. & M. Saunders, “Manufacturers and jobbers of boots, shoes and straw goods”, at 34 North Fourth Street in Philadelphia. The 1860 national census listed MacPherson’s net worth at $30,000, a sizeable estate in those days. Accordingly, the 1860 census recorded that the Saunders employed three live-in servants. Thomas was then reported to be a “clerk” in the family business.

Thomas married Sallie Grant on March 19, 1863. They had three children, two of whom survived to adulthood. The middle child, Howard, lived 1866-1867.

As a Quaker (Society of Friends), Saunders did not participate in fighting during the US Civil War. But the family was very active in supporting medical and other relief to those affected by the devastation, such as described in this 1865 announcement, “Friends’ Association, of Philadelphia, for the aid and elevation of the Freedmen, have co-operated with Government in the establishment of Hospitals on Mason's Island, where much sickness and great destitution now exist. The undersigned, a sanitary committee of said Association, solicit from Friends and others, contributions of hospital stores, which will be judiciously distributed by nurses and teachers sent out by the Association to Mason's Island, Camp Wadsworth, and other points in the vicinity of Washington. The articles most needed, are dried fruits, such as apples, peaches, cherries, plums, and blackberries; also blackberry and other syrups, and all other articles suitable for the sick and convalescent. Contributions of bed-covering, and clothing for women and children, will be very acceptable, as they are greatly needed. Free transportation has been granted by Government from Philadelphia. All contributions should be sent to J. & M. Saunders, 34 North Fourth Street, Philadelphia”.

Father MacPherson Saunders died in 1866. Thomas served as an executor, and evidently inherited part-ownership in the family business.

As noted above, known slides from T.H. Saunders are dated 1872 and 1873. He published an exchange offer in “Hardwicke’s Science-Gossip” in 1873 (Figure 2). I have not found evidence of involvement in local scientific societies.

His efforts in microscopy were short lived. Thomas H. Saunders died on February 26, 1875, only 33 years old. His wife, Sallie, died in 1881, at the age of 41-42. Those young deaths suggest a contagious disease such as tuberculosis.

Figure 3. “Section of tongue of sheep” by T.H. Saunders (see Figure 1). Imaged with a 3.5x objective lens and C-mounted digital SLR camera on a Leitz Ortholux II microscope.

Resources

Find-a-Grave (accessed March, 2026) Thomas H. Saunders, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/38809515/thomas-h-saunders

Friends' Intelligencer (1865) page 441

Hardwicke’s Science-Gossip (1873) Exchange offer from T.H. Saunders, Vol. 8, page 48

The Journal (Society of Friends) 1875) “Saunders. On 2nd mo 26th, Thomas H., son of Say=rah and the late Macperhson Saunders, in his 34th year. A member of the Green Street Monthly Meeting”

Legal Intelligencer (1866) Estate of MacPherson Saunders, dec'd., page 26

McElroy’s Philadelphia City Directory (1863) page 660

Philadelphia and Its Manufactures (1859) Edward Young, Philadelphia, page 25

US census and other records, accessed through ancestry.com