In the book's own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
Born 1838
From History of Lafayette County, Mo., carefully written and compiled from the most authentic official and private sources, including a history of its townships, cities, towns and villages, together with a (1881)
JAMES A. ANDERSON, post office Tabo, son of William H. and Didama Anderson, was born in this county June 20, 1838, two miles south of where Higginsville now stands, where he was raised and educated. During the years 1858 and 1859 he was in the employ of Russell & Majors, government fi-fighters to the west and in the spring of 1860 was employed by Jones & Cartwright in the same business, when he crossed the plains, returning late the following fall. Then had a hard spell of the typhoid fever it being twelve months before he recovered, which kept him out of the army. February 16, 1864, he was married to Miss Mary E. Roach, of Johnson county. Mo. They have seven children now living: Charles R., Carrie E., Flora M., James H., Sue Ella, Arthur and Willie A. With two ponies and $160 he began married life, renting a farm for two years. In 1866 he purchased 100 acres of land of his uncle, Ira Anderson, at $1,250 on twelve months time, which he paid for and on which he now lives; and has now a farm of 240 acres.
As printed in History of Lafayette County, Mo., carefully written and compiled from the most authentic official and private sources, including a history of its townships, cities, towns and villages, together with a (1881). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
The printed record stops around 1881. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.