In the year 1810, a deeply sorrowful event occurred in the township. Joseph Saunders and his brother Oliver were felling some trees for timber on the center road running east, about a half mile east of the center of the township. A tall spruce tree which they were chopping was arrested by a smaller tree as it began to move slowly towards the ground. Joseph stepped forward to weaken the smaller tree by a few blows of the axe, so that it might yield to the pressure of the larger tree and let it fall to the ground, but the larger tree unexpectedly became detached from the smaller and fell rapidly. Oliver, seeing his brotherŐs peril, warned him of his danger, but it was too late. The tree in its downward movement crushed one of his legs. Becoming very faint, he begged for water. His brother replied "There is nothing to bring it in;" when he instantly exclaimed, "Bring it in your shoe!" As soon as assistance could be procured he was removed to his home. His neighbors believed that his life could be saved by amputation of his limb, but his family had a superstitious dread of the dismemberment of the human body by knife and saw, and he soon passed away.

He was a young man, and his death having been the first that had occurred by accident, was a severe shock to the in habitants of the township. At the time of his death, he had recently made a profession of religion under the ministrations of the Rev. John Sawyer. Mr. Saunders was a brother of Mrs. Robert Seward, and an uncle of Mrs. Charles E. Merriam