The Sanders Log Cabin is usually referred to as the "Britt Sanders Cabin". It is located on property owned by the Moore County Historical Association (MCHA) in Southern Pines. The drawing of the cabin is by Gail Saunders. Prints of this drawing can be obtained from the MCHA.
Sanders Cabin Drawing by W.R. Sanders
There is no convincing evidence to prove the original builders of the cabin. Based on the evidence we have it is likely that Jesse Sanders, Brittian's grandfather, came to Moore County with his uncle Hardy Saunders and that they built the cabin. We are not sure who the first occupant was but it is likely Jesse, who later deeded the cabin to his son Hardy (Britt Sanders father).
The MCHA publications and website state that the cabin was "built in the late 1700s by Britt Sanders whose family consisted of a wife and ten children" (see article "The Britt Sanders Cabin"). The Britt Sanders and family they are referring to, and whose picture is on the interior of the cabin, is Brittian Sanders (1831-1913). Obviously the dates do not match. The cabin was most likely not built until the early 1800's.
Other sources have stated that the cabin is "a relic of the original Scottish settlement of pre-Revolutionary years". There was a settlement of Scottish immigrants in Moore County in the 1700's, however the Jesse - Hardy - Brittian Sanders line came to America in the early 1600's from England and were not part of thatsettlement.
Quoted from a MCHA brochure:
"The Britt Sanders Cabin was moved to its present location from rural northern Moore County in 1952. It was in a state of advanced deterioration with damaged logs, crumbled roof and a fallen chimney. It took love and determination to raise the money to move and restore it.
Built in the late 1700s by Britt Sanders whose family consisted of a wife and ten children, it is a fine example of the early Sandhills settlers one-room cabins. It is of typical Scot-German construction with hewn logs and half dove-tailed notches producing a solid and durable dwelling. There were no windows in the original cabin and the floor was of red clay. The sleeping loft upstairs is typical; the main floor provided space for living, sleeping, cooking, washing and weaving.
Notable are the sand hearth for cooking, the crusie lamp hanging by the fireplace and the antique candle molds. The old trammel by the fireplace is designed to hang inside the chimney on an iron pole which was inserted during construction. The loom was necessary for a family, as everything must be made, and cloth was a precious commodity.
The beautiful chimney of native river rock is protected from the elements by a wide overhang. Chinking originally was a mixture of mud, clay, and hair and had to be replaced yearly. Yards in the early Sandhills were swept clean as a daily chore, both to keep down the danger of fires and as a matter of neatness.
The entire family worked together, and 'recreational' activities for the children largely consisted of learning skills. It was a hard existence by our standards, but it was by no means a drab one. The family provided stability and was a cohesive factor in the life of the early settlers."
Birth: 2 Sept 1831
Father: Rev. Hardy Sanders (16 Apr 1807 - 21 Jul 1895)
Mother: Sarah Brewer
Grandfather: Rev. Jesse Sanders (b. 1777)
Grandmother: Sally Lewis
Military: Co. F 3rd Infantry Regiment, Confederate
States Army - was at battles of Gettysburg and Cold Harbor
Marriage: Married first to Susannah "Susy" Morgan (1832-1852)
then married Sarah Ann "Spicey" Morgan (1 Jun 1837 - 10 Nov 1913)
Children: Sally (1852), Nathan (1854), Hardy, John (1859),
Andrew, Jane, Malinda (1886), Camilla, Bill, and an infant (girl) that died at
birth
Death: 28 Feb 1913 buried in Browns Chapel Cemetery, Spies,
NC (Moore County)
Note: Brittian Sanders name is sometimes misspelled "Britian" or "Brittan"