Biographical Memoirs of Wells County, Indiana, 1903. pp. 397-398.

GEORGE L. SAUNDERS.

What a strange fascination the business of newspaper publishing has for all persons who have ever become skilled in the calling. Men have followed it for years, cried out in anguish at the incessant grind, yearned for an opportunity to let go, even at a sacrifice, and when it came and they let go, reveled in their coveted liberty for only a few short weeks, when they were just as insistent in their desire to get back into the harness as they had been in the first place to get unhitched. An old newspaper man who had followed the calling for more than fifty years prayed to be relieved of the tread-mill work that he had followed nearly all his life. His prayer was answered. He sold out at a figure that rendered him independent and then declared his intention of taking a good, long, well-earned rest. In less than six months he was pleading for the privilege of buying his old plant back again at an advance, and when it was denied him he went into an adjoining county and bought another plant. In describing his feelings, he said, "A man suffers the pains of purgatory in the business, but he suffers the tortures of hell when out of it." That is not the experience of one or a dozen, but of the many who have ever become wedded to the tripod.

The subject of this sketch, George L. Saunders, of Bluffton, is still comparatively young. He was born September 1, 1866, in Muncie, Indiana, and hence is but little more than thirty-six years old. Nevertheless, ten years ago he was afflicted with the newspaper fever and only secured permanent relief by buying an interest in the Bluffton Banner.

William and Ellen Saunders were the parents of George L. Saunders. At the time of the birth of the latter they resided in Muncie, where they remained until 1868, when they removed to Green, Jay county, remaining there until 1876, when the family moved to Portland, where the father still resides. There were five children in the family, but two of them, both girls, with their mother, are dead. In the common schools of Portland George L. Saunders received his education. In securing it he had the wisdom to subordinate the ornamental to the useful. Realizing that his time in the school room must necessarily be brief, he endeavored to secure all the valuable knowledge he could in that time. On leaving school, he entered the office of the Portland Sun, for the purpose of learning the printing business. The paper was then edited by B. S. Gray, son of Hon Isaac P. Gray, an ex-governor of Indiana and United States minister to Mexico under President Cleveland. In this office Mr. Saunders continued until he became a skilled printer and newspaper man of recognized ability. In 1886 Mr. Gray retired from the publication of the Sun and upon his recommendation George L. Saunders secured a position in the Government printing office at Washington. It speaks well for the native ability and aptitude of Mr. Saunders that after so brief a time in a country printing office he was able to secure and hold for more than eight years, and until it was voluntarily surrendered, a position in an establishment of such magnitude as that of the government printing office. On resigning his governmental position, in 1894, he returned to Portland and purchased a half interest in the Sun office, in which he had secured his knowledge of the printing business. His business partner was W. W. Timmonds, and for four years, or until 1898, this association continued. The Sun has always been a handsome, readable and interesting publication, but during this period it was especially welcome in the homes of its patrons. Upon dissolution of the partnership Mr. Saunders disposed of his interests to his partner and retired from the publication. At the time of his retirement from the Portland Sun, Mr. Saunders had been connected with the printing business for nearly twenty years. To say that he was greatly relieved on getting out and that he enjoyed for a time his freedom, expresses it only mildly. Like other publishers, he had wearied of the incessant, eternal grinding. Liberty was sweet and enjoyable, but it did not remain so. He engaged in different pursuits, in which he met with success and prospered, but there was that constant, unaccountable desire, that unreasonable yearning for the odor of the printing office. Forgetting that he had nothing to do with the news, except read what others published, he often caught himself outlining matters which came under his observation and which deserved to be written up. He had the newspaper faculty and not to exercise it was painful to him. The result was inevitable. In January, 1902, he purchased an interest in the Bluffton Daily and Weekly Banner, a publication that has been regularly conducted for more than half a century. From its earliest infancy, in 1850, it has been recognized as one of the leading Democratic newspapers in eastern Indiana and at different times its publishers have been some of the foremost men of the state. To write its history would be like writing the history of the Democratic party of the state. It is a splendid, prosperous publication with hosts of friends throughout the northern and eastern part of Indiana.

On October 10, 1889, George L. Saunders was united in marriage to Miss Belle Evans, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. J. J. Evans, of Winchester, Indiana. She is a lady of refinement, many accomplishments and good education, being a graduate of the Winchester high school. To them have been born three daughters, one only of whom is living, the others having died in infancy. In their domestic relations Mr. and Mrs. Saunders are most happy, their home being a model American home. With a prosperous, perhaps a brilliant, business career before him, there is no reason why it should not continue to be all that it is at present.