The Anderson Families of Washington County, Iowa

JAMES B. ANDERSON, a son of one of the I early settlers in Washington County, and ] himself one of the pioneers, was born in (Ufi Highland County, Ohio, Aug. 29, 1816. His parents were Balaam and Wilhelmina (Bowen) Anderson. The former was a native of Maryland, and was a soldier in the War of 1812. He received only such education as was common in those days of log cabin school-houses with luncheon floor, slab seats, and often indifferent teachers. In 1839 he came with his parents to this county, where he assisted his father in starting a farm.

In the Last-named ye.ar.Mr. A. married Elizabeth, daughter of Daniel McCoy, of JIassacliusetts, and soon started a home of his own, on the place where he has now lived for forty-seven years, and on which at that time there was not a shrub or vine of any kind except hazel-brush. He and his wife began poor, but by industry and economy have accumulated a competency. The site of Washington, now a city of 3,000, was then wild land, and the nearest trading-post was at Burlington, and all of the changes in this region, of which this is an illustration, have been witnessed by Mr. and Mrs. Anderson during their long residence here. There was, when he settled here, plenty of game; deer and wolves roamed the forest, and the equally wild Indian was frequently seen on the trail which passed near by.

The union of Mr. and Mr. Anderson was blessed with twelve children, of whom the following nine are now living: Daniel M.; Eliza J., the wife of Daniel Ackcrman; Melville M.; Lewis F.; Floretta M., the wife of William McFarland; Seward Lincoln, and HnldaliF., the wife of Samuel.M. Logan, are all living in this county; Rufus H., a resident of

Ringgold County, Iowa, and Oscar H., who lives in Rush County, Kan. Mr. Anderson has succeeded by reading and study in supplying his lack of early advantages, but is a warm advocate of good schools for the younger generation. In politics, he is a Republican, having acted with that party since its organization. He and his wife are members of the Christian Church, and respected members of society.

Levi B. Anderson, a younger brother of.Tames B., was born in Westfall, Ohio, Sept. 13, 1832, and was but seven years old when his parents came to Washington County, where his entire life has since been passed. He had only the same educational advantages as his elder brother, but well improved what opportunities he had. In 1857 he was married to Sarah, daughter of Joseph and Rachel (Rhodes) Cooper, natives of Virginia and New Jersey, respectively, who came to Washington County in 1855, and are now living in Rawlins County, Kan.

Mr. and Mrs. Levi Anderson have six living children, named: Priscilla Jennie, the wife of Frank Pickens, now living in Dakota; Emma 'iola, Martin E., Minnie E., Charles G. and OrpliaL. Mr. Anderson has lived to see many changes here. The prairies were then wild and unbroken, and the cabins of the settlers few and far between. Now finely cultivated farms and comfortable residences great the eye on every side. He owns a well-improved farm of seventy'-eight acres, all under cultivation. He and his wife attend the Christian Church,' and at the polls he votes the Republican ticket.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

The name of Absalom Anderson is so closely, prominently and honorably interwoven with the history of Washington county that no record would be complete without extended mention of him and what he has accomplished. For more than a half century he has lived in this county. LTnfamiliar with the experiences of farm life when he arrived here at the age of sixteen, he was long associated with general agricultural interests and his ready adaptability enabled him to soon place himself in a position where success followed his labors as a legitimate and logical sequence.

THE iLV/ YORK lilSToRN I M' W ASIIIXtiTOX e'OL'X'l ' V.i9

He was born near Steubenville, Ohio, January 9, 1841, his parents being John T. and Sarah (Baxter) Anderson. In the paternal line he comes of Scotch descent. His grandfather, a native of Pennsylvania, was a river trade on the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, building boats which he floated down the rivers to New Orleans, trading with the planters along the way. After disposing of his goods he would then return on foot to the north. On one of these trips he lost his life through accident and his remains were interred at Natchez, Mississippi. He had married a Miss Craig, who was of Scotch-Irish lineage and both died in middle life. They were the parents of a son and two daughters: John Thompson: Eliza, the wife of Ezekiel Garrett; and one who died in infancy.

John T..Anderson was a native of Washington county, Pennsylvania, and a cabinetmaker by trade. He also gave his attention to the undertaking business in early manhood in Washington county, Pennsylvania. With the exception of two years spent in Ohio he remained a resident of the Keystone state until 1855, when he removed to Sauk City, Wisconsin, where he lived for a year and a half. In the spring of 1857 he came to Washington county, Iowa, settling on a piece of land eleven miles northeast of the city of Washington in Highland township. There he lived for twenty-nine years, after which he took up his above in the county seat, spending his remaining days in the enjoyment of well earned rest. He died in 1888 when nearly eighty-three years of age. His wife survived him for only five months and died in February, 1889, at the age of seventy-eight years. His people were all of the Presbyterian faith, while Mrs. Anderson belonged to the old-school Baptist church. Her birth occurred in Brooke county. West Virginia, and she was a daughter of Greenbury Baxter, a native of Maryland, who was of English descent. He followed farming as a life work and removed from the vicinity of Baltimore, Maryland, to Brooke county. West Virginia, where he engaged in farming. He, too. was a river trade and made seven trips down the Mississippi river. His death occurred at Natchez on his seventh trip. His wife bore the maiden name of Hannah Butler and was also of English lineage. The birth of Mr. Baxter occurred November 16, 1780, and his death on the ist of April, 1823, so that he was but forty-two years of age at the time of his demise. His wife, who was born December 30, 1784, died in April, 1829. They were the parents of eleven children: Absalom; Samuel; Susanna, the wife of Samuel Thorley; Sarah, who became Mrs. Anderson and the mother of our subject; Anne, the wife of Berry Haney; Charles O.; Mary, the wife of Dr. S. Gregory; William; Ruth, who died in childhood: Rachel and John, also both deceased.

Unto the marriage of John T. Anderson and Sarah Baxter there were born seven children, five sons and two daughters: Marion B., who was a member of Company A, Twenty-fifth Iowa Volunteer Infantry in the Civil war and lost his health in the army, his military experiences eventually terminating his Hfe; Anna E.. the widow of Bazil Wells, of Washington, Iowa; Sarah M., the widow of Thomas Craig and a resident of Washington; Absalom, Samuel and John Thompson, who are all living in Washington; and Charles O., who died in 1897.

1-io HIST(.)R\' i. \VASllI\iiT( )X COUNTY

In Washington county, Pennsylvania, Absalom Anderson spent the first fourteen years of his Hfe and then accompanied his parents on their removal to Wisconsin. In his sixteenth year he came to Washington county, Iowa. While in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin he had lived in towns, but on the removal to this state the family home was established on a farm, where he continued until twenty-two years of age. The surroundings were new and the experiences interesting. He became a factor in the early development of the locality in which the family lived, for from the outset he aided in the cultivation of the home place. He also engaged in teaching school for two or three terms in early manhood and after leaving the farm located in Ainsvvorth, Iowa, where he purchased and sold live-stock and grain. Subsequently he built a store there and carried on general merchandising in partnership with Samuel A. White for twelve years. On the expiration of that period he removed to Washington, where he continued to deal in live-stock for a few months, after which he turned his attention to financial enterprises, becoming cashier of the Washington County Savings Bank, which position he filled for twenty-three and one-half years, when he resigned. He is now vice president, but leaves the active management of the bank to others, while he gives his attention merely to the supervision of his farms and other properties. He is the owner of a tract of valuable land of two hundred acres in Washington township, has realty in Ainsworth and is likewise the owner of a fine home in the city of Washington. In all of his business affairs he showed keen discrimination and closely studied the possibilities and improved the opportunities of every situation. As the years passed he thus reached a prominent position in the community and now in well earned retirement is enjoying the fruits of his former toil.

On the 31st of July, 1869, Mr. Anderson was united in marriage to Miss Martha J. Stretch, of Muscatine county, a daughter of Andrew and Melinda (Purcell) Stretch. They became the parents of two sons, Marion Thompson and George Jay. The former, now well known as a dealer in coal and ice in Washington, married Lucy, daughter of Dr. Burroughs, and they have two children, Charles B. and Marion. Mrs. Martha J. Anderson died July 28, 1896, at the age of fifty-eight years. She was a member of the Methodist church, to which Mr. Anderson also belongs. Her Iiirth occurred near Urbana, Ohio, and during her girlhood days she was brought to Iowa by her parents, who were natives of Kentucky, while her grandparents were natives of Virginia.

On the 29th of May, 1900, Mr. Anderson was married to Mrs. Emma C. Ink. the widow of Parker P. Ink and the oldest daughter of Harrison Arnold Ball and Mary Ann (Ihrig) Ball. Mrs. Anderson was born near Wooster, Ohio, and in 1856, at the age of four months, was brought by her parents to Washington, where they settled, the father still living in the house which he built that year and in which the large family of nine children was reared. He was born in Jefferson county, Ohio, and is of English descent, his parents being Virginians and her mother was born in Wayne county, Ohio, of German descent.

Politically, -Mr. Anderson is a republican, having supported the party since age conferred upon him the right of franchise. Without invidious distinction he may be termed one of the foremost citizens of Washington, inasmuch as his activity in various lines has contributed largely to the material intellectual, social, political and moral progress of the community. In all his connections he has been actuated by high and honorable purposes and throughout his entire life it has been his habit to look beyond the exigencies of the moment to the possibilities and opportunities of the future so that his labors have been fraught with great good. He has never regarded any position as final but rather as a starting point toward further accomplishment, and it has been his intelligent appreciation of the possibilities of a situation that has constituted the foundation for his most gratifying and continuously increasing success.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

Samuel Anderson is now living retired in Washington but for fifty-one years was a resident of Highland township and for a long period was counted one of the foremost and representative farmers of this county. His careful management of business affairs and his wise expenditure at length brought to him a substantial competence so that he is now enabled to enjoy life without further recourse to labor, his investments bringing him sufficient income for all of the needs and some of the luxuries of life.

Mr. Anderson was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, April 30, 1845, a son of John T. and Sarah (Baxter) Anderson, natives of Pennsylvania and Wirginia respectively. The paternal grandfather was a miller and followed that pursuit in the Keystone state. He died in middle life and his wife afterward became the wife of Craig Taylor. The maternal grandfather of Mr. Anderson, was Absalom Baxter, a native of Maryland, who made many surveys in that state. He married a Miss Butler and both died when past middle age, having reared a family of several sons and daughters.

[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]

Samuel.Anderson was reared in Highland township from the age of twelve and there lived for fifty-one years. He remained under the parental roof until he had attained his majority and during that period pursued his early education in the district schools, while later he attended a school in Ainsworth, Iowa, taught by Professor Doig and his daughter. At the time of his marriage Mr. Anderson had forty acres of land, which he at once began to till and improve and to which he added from time to time until he owned three hundred and thirty-five acres, constituting a valuable property. He continued the cultivation of his fields until January. 1908, when he removed to the county seat and erected a beautiful home at the end of East Washington street. He still derives a substantial income from farming property, owning two hundred and forty acres in Spink county. South Dakota.

On the 31st of December, 1868, Mr. Anderson was married to Miss Mary Davidson, a daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth (Majors) Davidson. Mrs. Anderson was born in N'enango county, Pennsylvania, and her parents were also natives of that state and were of Scotch descent. Her grandfather in the paternal line was Archibald Davidson, a native of Pennsylvania, who made farming his life work. He died in N'enango county, Pennsylvania, when about seventy-five years of age, having for a long time survived his wife. There were three children of that marriage: Patrick; Thomas; and Jane, who became the wife of a Mr. McElfatric. After losing his first wife Mr. Davidson married again and by the.second union had four children, Martha, Mary, Margaret and John. The maternal grandfather of Mrs. Anderson was also a Pennsylvania farmer and his children were: Sarah, who became the wife of Peter Walter; Mary, the wife of Mathias McGarbey; Jane, who married John Elder; Elizabeth, who became Mrs. Davidson; Nancy, the wife of Joseph McWright; Richard; and William.

Thomas Davidson was reared to the occupation of farming m his native state, where he resided until the fall of 1864, when he came westward to Washington county, Iowa, purchasing two hundred acres of laml in Highland towiKhi] Year by year he carefully tilled the.soil and developed one of the fine farms of the locality) He died at the age of seventy-nine years and his wife, who.survived him for two years, also reached the age of seventy-nine. Thcv were the parents of the following children:.Archibald, Elizabeth. Jane, Major, Sarah, Mary, Matilda and Frank P.

[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]

The parents are members of the Presbyterian church and Mr. Anderson is a republican in politics, loyal to the party and thoroughly conversant with the vital questions and issues of the day. He served for seven years as a member of the board of supervisors and is a man of fine character who, in political life and in business relations, has proven worthy of the trust and confidence reposed in him and of the high regard in which he is uniformly held. His salient qualities are those of upright, honorable manhood and progressive citizenship and his life record constitutes a valuable asset in the agricultural progress of the county.

W. A. CLlRL.

W. A. Curl, who ow-ns, occupies and operates a good farm in Lime Creek township, where he is also well known as a successful dealer in live stock, was born in Peoria county, Illinois, March ii, 1860. His parents were R. H. and Emeline (Anderson) Curl, both of whom were natives of Greene county, Pennsylvania. In early life they became residents of Illinois and R. H. Curl purchased a tract of land in Peoria county, where he followed general agricultural pursuits for a long period. In 1880, however, he sold his property in that county and removed to Washington county, Iowa. Here he invested in land which he cultivated and improved until 189 1 when he again sold out and removed to Clarke county, Iowa. There his death occurred August 3, IQOO, while his widow still survives at the age of eighty-nine years. She now makes her home with her daughter Mrs. Rachel Frits, in Lime Creek township.

W. A. Curl, who was one of a family of eleven children, spent the first two decades of his life in the county of his nativity, working with his father on the home farm and pursuing his education in the common schools. In 1880 he accompanied his parents to Iowa and remained at home until twenty-nine years of age when he started out upon an independent business career and rented land which he cultivated for twelve years. He then bought the farm thereon he now resides in Lime Creek township, having saved the money from his earnings with which to invest in this property. To its further cultivation and improvement he has since given his attention and his practical and progressive labors are manifest in the fine appearance of his place. He has always made a specialty of raising and feeding stock and keeps on his place good grades of cattle and hogs. He pays close attention to the conditions existing on his farm that his stock may ever be healthy and in good condition when shipped to the market. He practices the rotation of crops in tilling the fields and gathers harvests as a reward for the care and labor which he bestow upon his land.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

WILLIAM H. ANDERSON, farmer and stock-raiser, resides on section 14, Oregon Township, where he is the owner of.a fine farm of eighty acres, which is well improved in every respect. He was born in West Wirginia in 1852, and is the son of Samuel T. anil Margaret E. (Crow) Anderson, the former a native of Ohio, and of Scotch-Irish descent, and the latter a native of the same State and of German descent. They came to this county in 1878, where they still reside. William II. Anderson, the subject of this sketch, was born Jan. 30, 1852,.and was reared upon a farm, ajid has followed that vocation thus far through life. He came to this county in 1874. and settled where he now resides. He w.as married in Louisa County. Iowa, in 1H79. to Rosella S., daughter of OHver S. and Charity (Il.anden).Sweet, who yet reside in Louisa County. She was born in that county May 7, 1857. They have three children: D. Wiley, born March 26, 1881; Marion E. Nov. 18, 1882, and Nellie M., Oct. 20, 1886. Before her marriage Mrs. Anderson taught eight terms of school in Louisa County. Mr. and Mrs. Anderson nvo members of the MetlnKlist Jipiscopal Church. Politically he is a Republican.

A patriotic street ran through the blood of Mrs. Anderson's family, both her grandfathers serving in the war with Jlexico; the same can be said of the family of Mr. Anderson, his father serving in the late war and both grandfathers in the war with JEexico. The poor of one generation in this country are generally the wealthy ones in the next. While not yet possessed of great wealth Mr. and Mrs. Anderson are comfortably provided for, and that which they possess was acquired by their own exertions, together with good management in the conduct of their business affairs. In their home contentment reigns, and all try to make it the happiest place on earth.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

J. N. ANDERSON.

J. N. Anderson is a prosperous farmer and stock raiser of Washington county, owning a tract of land comprising one hundred and sixty acres on section 25, Crawford township. He was born in Pawnee county. Nebraska, July 14, 1861, a son of Milton and Mary Ellen (Cochran) Anderson. The father was a native of Kentucky, and on removing westward first settled in Nebraska, where he spent several years. He subsequently came to Washington county, Iowa, and later he took up his above in Page county, this state, making his home near College Springs. He eventually went to Jewell county. Kansas, where he now makes his home. He has made farming his life work. The mother, who was Ixirn in Indiana, is deceased. The family of Mr. and Mrs. Milton Anderson numbered eleven children, namely: Belle, the wife of Thomas Jachrist, a resident of Norton county, Kansas; J. N., of this review; James, a farmer of Jefiferson county, Kansas; Charles, who makes his home near Burr Oak, that state: Samuel, David, George and Rufus. all of whom live near Esl)nn, Kansas; Lillie. the wife of Walter Watson: and Hattie and Daisy, at home.

J. N. Anderson, the second in order of birth and the eldest son. was educated in the common schools of College Springs, Page county, Iowa. He remained under the parental roof until he had reached the age of eighteen years and then began life on his own account by working as a farm hand by the month.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.