Abstract:
W.O. Saunders was a prominent figure in Elizabeth City in the early 20th century, decades after the Transcendentalist movement swept through New England. Despite this, he is known for his work mirroring the Transcendentalists Walt Whitman and Elbert Hubbard, among others, and that he emphasizes several tenants of the movement: self-reliance, spirituality, man’s relationship with nature, and women’s rights.