ANDERSON, Bishop William

ANDERSON, KNIGHT, REESE, DERRY, LAMBERT, CHAMABERS, MILLS

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 1/20/2014 at 00:40:16

History of Decatur County Iowa and Its People
Illustrated, Volumne II.
Prof. J. M. Howell and Heman C. Smith, Supervising Editors
The S.J. Clarke Publishing Company. pp. 288-90. Chicago. 1915

BISHOP WILLIAM ANDERSON

Bishop William Anderson, who was bishop of the Lamoni stake of the Reorganized Church of Latter Day Saints, proved a worthy leader and under his direction the church grew in spiritual power and prospered materially. He was also identified with a number of business interests of Lamoni and its vicinity and carried to successful completion all enterprises which he undertook. He was born on the 1st of February, 1840, at Glasgow, Scotland, a son of William and Jeannette Anderson, who, with their family, on the 18th of April, 1855, sailed for the United States, landing in New York on the 22d of May. They lived for a short time in Atchison, Kansas, but on the 16th of August, 1855, started for Utah, traveling with ox teams. Thev arrived in Salt Lake City on the 24th of October, that year.

On the 16th of August, 1856, after residing in Salt Lake City something less than a year, they returned to Atchison, Kansas, and as the western country was then unsettled, during part of the journey they were escorted by cavalry for protection. On the 9th of November, 1856, they removed to St. Louis, where the father passed away the year following.

In 1859 Bishop Anderson left St. Louis and for four years worked on the plains as a freighter and teamster. In 1863 he returned to St. Louis, where he was married, and the following year he was baptized as a member of the Reorganized Church of Latter Day Saints. Not long afterward he was ordained as a teacher in the church and some time later was made a priest, while in 1867 he became an elder. He was active in organizing the church at St. Louis and presided over the St. Louis branch until 1883, when he removed to Pleasanton, Iowa, where he helped to build up the church, of which he was in charge for a number of years. In 1889 he removed to Lamoni and in 1890 was ordained high priest and set apart as one of the high council. He was president of the Decatur district for several years in the early '90s and proved so able a church administrator that in 1900 he was made bishop by order of the general conference and was soon afterward chosen bishop of the Decatur district. Upon the organization of the Lamoni stake he became bishop thereof and remained in that office until his death.

Bishop Anderson lived for years on a farm near Pleasanton and proved very successful in his work as an agriculturist. He was one of the founders of the State Savings Bank of Lamoni, of which he was president for many years, and also established the Lamoni Hardware Company, now conducted by his son, E. K. Anderson. He was highly respected in business circles for his sound judgment, clear insight into conditions and his unquestionable integrity and absolute honesty.

Bishop Anderson was married on the 19th of August, 1863, in St. Louis to Miss Christobella Knight, and they became the parents of four children. Jessie became the wife of W. W. Reese and both have passed away. E. K. is proprietor of the Lamoni Hardware Company, which is one of the leading enterprises of that character in Decatur county. Charlotte married G. H. Derry, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work. Christobelle became the wife of Richard J. Lambert, of Lamoni, who was born in Woodbine, Harrison county, Iowa, on the 20th of September, 1874, a son of Joseph R. and Anna E. (Chambers) Lambert, who have resided in Lamoni since 1882. They also have a daughter, Mrs. A. H. Mills, of Independence, Missouri. Richard J. Lambert grew to manhood in Lamoni and in 1901 was ordained a minister of the Reorganized Church of Latter Day Saints and since 1903 has been the representative of the Lamoni stake in the state bishopric. He has an office in the Herald building and is one of three men who are in charge of the financial affairs of this stake. For eleven years he has been a member of the school board and takes an active interest in everything relating to the community development along lines of moral and intellectual advancement. To Mr. and Mrs. R. J. Lambert have been born three children: Jean I., who was born in 1897 and who will graduate from the local high school in 1916; Harold A., whose birth occurred in 1900 and who is a high-school student; and Bruce E., born in 1904, who is attending grammar school. Mr. Lambert is a democrat in his political affiliation. His wife is one of the three members of the commiittee of control of the church homes for the aged, which are known as the Saints and Liberty Homes.

Bishop Anderson gave his political allegiance to the republican party but was never an office seeker, as liis time was fully taken up by his church duties and bv his business affairs. He labored earnestly and untiringly for the advancement and growth of the church in Lamoni stake and was not only highly esteemed bv the members of the Church of Latter Day Saints, but was also sincerely respected by those of other faith. His demise, which occurred on the 5th of March, 1911, at Lamoni, was a great loss to his church and also to the communitv where he had resided for manv vears, but the influence of his life and work is still felt.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, January of 2014