This portion of our Sanders family History section is devoted to Sanders - Saunders and descendants who have been elected to federal, state and local offices and those who have served notably in government positions.
This site is sponsored by the Sanders Family Association, a national, non-profit family club devoted to gathering and preserving family history of all Sanders-Saunders families.
If you have information and records on any Sanders relative who has been elected to any public office or served in government in any capacity, please send us this info to preserve in the Sanders Family National Library.
Sanders - Saunders and descendants who have served as governors of the American Colonies, the States and territories.
Highlighted names can be seen in other government sections. Click to see them.
Alvin Saunders, Governor of Nebraska Territory. See "United States Senate"
Carl E. Sanders Sr. was born 15 May 1925 in Augusta, Richmond County, Georgia, son of Carl T. Sanders and Roberta Alley. Carl attended the University of Georgia on a football scholarship where he earned applause as a sportsman.
During World War II, Carl entered the US Army and became a pilot of a B-17 bomber.
After the war, he returned the Georgia and completed his undergraduate degree. He received a degree in law in 1947. He married Betty Foy of Statesboro, Ga. and they settled in his hometown of Augusta where he began the practice of law.
Carl was elected as to the Georgia General Assembly House of Representatives in 1954 and served until 1956, when he was elected to the Senate. He became the floor leader of Governor Ernest Vandiver and later served as President Pro Tem of the Senate. He served in the Senate until he ran for governor in 1962.
In 1962 at the age of 37, Carl defeated former Governor Marvin Griffin and several other candidates to become Governor of Georgia, the youngest governor in the United States. During his administration, Georgia experienced some of the most radical changes in its history. The old "county unit system", by which governors were elected in a system similar to the federal Electoral College whereby the 3 largest counties in population had 6 votes and the remaining 153 counties had 3 votes. The candidate receiving the highest popular votes of a county got all that county's unit votes.
The Congressional districts of Georgia was also radically changed, leading to the election of negroes from Georgia for the first time since the yankee Reconstruction era of the 1860's.
Carl made improving education in Georgia one of his main priorities, especially in the University System. Enrollments in Georgia colleges doubled during his administration. Several new junior colleges were established. The budget for the University System was increased and the system received more funds during his term than it had in all of the previous 31 years of existence. Salaries of college faculty was also dramatically increased, moving Georgia from 10th to 4th among the 13 Southern states in pay scale.
Racial tensions throughout the South were dealt with by Carl reasonably and peaceably, earning him national attention. He won a good working relationship with administrations of both President Kennedy and President Johnson. Johnson offered him several positions in the federal government which Carl turned down.
Under Georgia's law, he could not succeed himself for a second term. After he left office, Carl settled in Atlanta and established a law practice there. It developed into the Troutman Sanders firm, which today has more than 300 attorneys in offices at Atlanta, Washington, DC and Hong Kong, China. The firm earns more than $100 million annually and has become one of the most prestigious law firms in America.
Jared Young Sanders, Jr. (usually referred to as "Senior") was elected as a Democrat as Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana in 1904 and as Governor of in 1908. (See US Congress)
Isaac Saunders was born 8 Nov 1808 in Westerly, Washington Co., Rhode Island, a son of Caleb Saunders Sr. and Esther Harkness. He was elected Lieutenant Governor of Rhode Island and served from 1859 to 1860. Isaac married first Mary Cushman 2nd Marietta Salisbury and 3rd Anna Chamberlain. He died 7 Apr 1888 in Scituate, RI.
Jared Young Sr., Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana. (see US House of Representatives)
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