The Rev. Turner Saunders (January 3, 1782–1854), a noted Methodist preacher, was born in Brunswick County, Virginia

Brunswick County, Virginia

As of the census of 2000, there were 18,419 people, 6,277 households, and 4,312 families residing in the county. The population density was 32 people per square mile . There were 7,541 housing units at an average density of 13 per square mile...

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In 1830 he was elected President of the Board of Trustees of an academy for young women. This was LaGrange College, near Leighton, Alabama, which was burned during the Civil War. He served in that position until moving to Aberdeen, Mississippi, in 1844. Saunders lived in the mansion currently known as the Goode-Hall House

Goode-Hall House

-See also:*National Register of Historic Places listings in Lawrence County, Alabama...

, also known as Saunders' Hall, in Lawrence County, Alabama

Lawrence County, Alabama

Lawrence County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is included in the Decatur Metropolitan Area, as well as the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. It was named after James Lawrence, a captain in the United States Navy from New Jersey. As of the 2010 census, the population was...

. It is an example of the kind of vernacular classicism that a talented amateur with access to some architectural books could produce for a local builder to follow. The house was sold to Freeman Goode on Feb 12, 1844. There is a room with a dirt floor that is called 'the dungeon' by locals. It has bars on the windows and chains on the wall. There is also a brick-floored kitchen in the basement where the slaves are said to have cooked the meals.

Family

Turner Saunders was the son of Revolutionary War veteran Thomas Saunders. His mother was Ann Turner. Turner married Frances Dunn and moved to Franklin, Tennessee

Franklin, Tennessee

Franklin is a city within and the county seat of Williamson County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 62,487 as of the 2010 census Franklin is located approximately south of downtown Nashville.-History:...

; then in 1822 he and his wife moved to Courtland, Alabama

Courtland, Alabama

Courtland is a town in Lawrence County, Alabama, and is included in the Decatur Metropolitan Area, as well as the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. As of the 2000 census, the population of the town is 769.-Geography:...

. His wife died in 1824 and he married Henrietta Millwater on July 1, 1826. Saunders and his wife moved to Aberdeen, Mississippi

Aberdeen, Mississippi

Aberdeen is a city in Monroe County in the U.S. state of Mississippi. The population was 6,415 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Monroe County....

 where he died on March 9, 1854. Ten children survived him.

One of Turner's sons, James E. Saunders, authored the first major history of Lawrence County, Tennessee. James was aide and personal friend to Gen. Nathan Forrest. James built a plantation house about 1860 known as Rocky Hill Castle, some four miles south of his father's mansion between Town Creek and Courtland. Rocky Hill Castle was widely accepted as being haunted due to a disagreement between the architect and James Saunders.