According to the oldest Saunders’ grandchild, Mary Way, this house was built in the mid 1880s from heart pine cut on the property. Mr. Saunders had a saw mill on the farm as did many large farmers. Looking out their back windows in 1900 the family could have seen the western branch of the Nansemond River, one of the two stores, the Wagner home, the Kirk home, the baptismal area, the saw mill, as well as the bridge and the warehouses and loading docks along the shore. The house with 14’ ceilings had carbide lights. You could cut a tube on in each room to let in carbide from the building where it was produced. The house was sold c1938 to Weyland T. Joyner of Windsor. Mr. Joyner sold the house in 1947 to Alfred and Emma Russell who made extensive renovations. While Mr. and Mrs. Russell had no children they welcomed young people including many nieces and nephews to their home. After the death of Mr. and Mrs. Russell the house was purchased in 1988 by Dr. and Mrs. Arthur L. Chambers, III. They renovated the home in 1993 to better suit their family which included three daughters. The Chambers family still owns this beautiful home in 2011.
