The Anderson Family

Don W. Anderson in History of Buchanan County, Iowa, and its people

The full biographical sketch as printed, transcribed from the public-domain book. Spelling and wording are the original author’s; a few scanning errors may remain.

DON W. ANDERSON.

Don W. Anderson has for a number of years been identified with business activity in Rowley and is now a salesman in the F. j\I. Williams general store. He was born in Otterville, this county, November 7, 1885, his parents being William and Flora (Pratt) Anderson. The father, a native of Indiana, arrived in Buchanan county in early life in company with his parents. He afterward followed farming for some time and finally turned his attention to commercial pursuits, engaging in the grocery business in Otterville, where he conducted a store for about eight years. He still makes his home in that place, but his wife passed away in 1885.

Don W. Anderson was but two weeks old when his mother died, and he after- ward lived with his uncle, L. R. Miller, at Independence, until nine years of age. He pursued his early education in the schools of that city and subsequently attended Highland Park College at Des Moines, Iowa, from which he was grad- uated with the class in pharmacy in December, 1904. After completing that course he worked in a drug store for others and afterwards engaged in busi-

ness on his own account. For two years he was proprietor of a drug store at Aurora, this county. Later he spent a year in Independence, and then came to Rowley, where he conducted a drug store for two years. On the expiration of that period he turned his attention to the real estate business, with which he was connected until January, 1914, when he accepted his present position as clerk in the general store of F. M. "Williams. He is well known to the trading public, is ever courteous in his treatment of patrons and thoroughly reliable in his busi- ness methods.

On the 28th of October, 1905, Mr. Anderson was united in marriage to Miss Lena Hutton, a daughter of Ira and Louise (Culbertson) Hutton, the former a native of Kansas, and the latter of Greele}-, Iowa. Her father was at one time engaged in the creamery business in Otterville and also in Independence, and is now conducting a similar enterprise at Earlville. Mr. and Mrs. Anderson have three children, namely : Gladys and Merle, who are five and four years of age, respectively; and Roth, who is in the second year.

The religious faith of the famil.y is that of the Presbyterian church, to which both Mr. and Mrs. Anderson belong. Politically he is a democrat and is a candidate for the office of clerk of the court on that party ticket. At the present writing he is filling the office of assessor of Homer township, which posi- tion he has occupied for two years. He holds membership with the Masonic lodge at Rowley, with the Eastern Star Chapter, and with the Modern Wood- men Camp at Otterville, and to the teachings of those organizations is always loyal. He and his family occupy a pleasant residence in Rowley, which he owns, and their home is the abode of a warm-hearted hospitality which is greatly en- joyed by their many friends. ^Ir. Anderson is a young man of genuine personal worth and justly merits the high esteem which is uniformly accorded him.

ZEXAS A. CO.MFORT.

Zenas A. Comfort, a prominent factor in financial circles of Buchanan county, is the president of the Jesup State Bank at Jesup and is also a successful stock- man and owner of extensive farm lands. His birth occurred in Cook county, Illinois, August 19, 1850, his parents being William and .Matilda (Blackman) Comfort. The parents were both natives of Canada but took up their abode in Illinois early in life, being married near Elgin, that state. Tiie father, who was a farmer by occupation, took up his abode in Buchanan county. Iowa, in 1868, purchasing four hundred and eighty acres of land a mile and a half east of Jesup. This he improved and cultivated throughout his remaining days, p'assing away on the home farm at the age of seventy-two years. He was a republican in his political affiliations and was an active member of the ]\K'thodist Episcopal church. He was well known throughout the county and his death brought to the community a distinct loss. His wife survived for a few years and passed away July 17, 1910. in the faith of the ]\Iethodist church, in which she was like- wise a devoted and active worker. In their family were seven children: Zenas A., of this review ; W. J., who makes his home in Sioux City. Iowa ; George M., who has i)assed away : E. W., who operates the old homestead farm in Perry

ZENAS A. COMFORT

township ; Levi L., who has also departed this life ; Elmer E., a farmer of Perry township; and Matilda, the deceased wife of John Cruikshank, of Cedar Rapids.

Zenas A. Comfort was educated in the schools of Illinois and was a youth of eighteen years when the family home was established in Buchanan county. He assisted his father in the cultivation of his new land and remained under the parental roof to the age of twenty-five years, when he was married and estab- lished a home of his own on eighty acres of land in Perrj^ township. To this tract he added eighty acres four years later and actively engaged in its cultivation for many years. During the winter months he gave his attention largely to shipping stock, but in 1901 he disposed of all his stock, rented his farm to his son and took up his abode in Jesup. He here formed a partnership with ]\I. R. Considine and from that time to the present they have engaged quite ex- tensively in buying and shipping stock. In 1901 ]Mr. Comfort and J. H. Carey solicited stock and organized the bank which has since conducted business under the style of the Jesup State Bank. Upon the inception of this institution Mr. Carey was elected president and Mr. Comfort w^as made vice president. Five years later the death of Mr. Carey occurred and ^Ir. Comfort then succeeded to the presidency, in which capacity he has since served, contributing in no small degree to the growth and success of the institution. In addition to his banking interests ^Ir. Comfort has accumulated farm lands in North and South Dakota, Minnesota and Texas, his possessions now aggregating nine hundred acres. He also owns city property in Jesup and holds stock in the telephone company and the creamery of this place and in the Rath Packing Company at Waterloo, Iowa.

Mr. Comfort was married, September 6, 1875, to ]\Iiss Mary Jane Wills, a native of England, and their union has been blessed with seven children : Fred', Clifford and Jesse, all of whom follow farming in Perry township ; Jasper, who resides in Texas ; Birdie, the wife of W. J. Campbell, a merchant of Jesup ; Lora A., at home ; and one who died in infancy.

In politics Mr. Comfort is a stanch republican and both he and his wife are devoted members of the Methodist Episcopal church, in which for many years he has served as a trustee. His life has been characterized by principles that command respect, and in all his dealings he has shown a probity that reflects upon him the highest credit.

Source: History of Buchanan County, Iowa, and its people. See the original pages at the Internet Archive.