Sanderson Homestead

Alexandra (Sanderson) Stocker shared these photos of her family homestead located at 75 Broad St. in the village of Morris.

Click twice on the photo above to enlarge it.

There are many more photos below this sketch of the life of Albert LeGrand Sanderson written by Alexandra Sanderson Stocker.

Life of Albert LeGrand Sanderson (1835-1881)

Early Life and Family:

• Albert LeGrand Sanderson, known as "LeGrand" and nicknamed "Grandy," was born on December 23, 1835, in Butternuts (now Morris), Otsego County, New York, to Sally Ann Winton and Rufus Sanderson.
• LeGrand’s father, Rufus, at age 12, came to Butternuts from Hatfield, Massachusetts in 1822 with his sister Nancy and her husband Lucius Moody.
• LeGrand’s mother, Sally Ann, was the daughter of John and Sally (Hawley) Winton of Butternuts.

Career

• Around 1847, aged 11, LeGrand began working in wagon hub manufacturing in Morris.
• He apprenticed and then worked as a clerk for druggist William R.B. Wing, living with the Wing family until he married at age 24.
• Working as a clerk and druggist, Grandy continued in the employ of Wing and then J.P. Kenyon for many years.
• Finally, in 1880, Grandy established his own drug and grocery business, renting the store part of the building just west of the southwest corner building on Main and Broad (now the Morris Historical Society building).

Family Life & Residence:

• On September 2, 1860, LeGrand, 24, married Edna Jane (Spencer) Hyland, 23, from Oneonta. She was a widow and had recently lost her only child.
• Happily, Grandy and Edna had two children together: George Addison Sanderson (1863-1917) and William Wing Sanderson (1870-1929).
• In 1867, LeGrand purchased the house at 75 Broad Street, which remained in the Sanderson family for over a century. A Greek Revival structure, the house was built for Henry and Eliza Maria Washbon in 1833.
• Of note, the photograph of the Sanderson homestead dated 1868-1875 shows a (blurry) small dog. In 1881, the Morris Chronicle reported “A.L. Sanderson’s little Scotch dog Dick died Saturday night, age 13 years.”

Community Involvement:

• Legrand was a member of the Zion Episcopal Church.
• He was also a member of the Morris fire department and the Masonic Tienuderrah Lodge.
• In 1870, he signed an election notice to incorporate Morris.

Death and Legacy:

• In March 1881, LeGrand suffered a stroke, leading to declining health. He died on December 5, 1881, at the age of 45.
• His funeral was attended by a large gathering of family, friends, Masons, and members of the fire department.
• LeGrand is buried in the Sanderson family plot at Hillington Cemetery.
• His son George successfully took over the family business at age 17.

Biographical sketch written by Alexandra (Sanderson) Stocker, 7 Dec 2024.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/97486147/albert-legrand-sanderson