90th Birthday./ county bridge history

ANDERSON, WARD, SUTTON

Posted By: Jo (email)
Date: 6/5/2007 at 20:09:20

JOHN ANDERSON OF MAQUOKETA MARKS 90TH ANNIVERSARY

John H. Anderson, veteran bridge contractor of Jackson county, today will observe the nintieth anniversary of his arrival in this county. He was born near Fulton, March 3, 1849, and has always lived in the county. For the last quarter century, he has resided in Maquoketa.

He engaged in general farming and stock raising for many years, but his interest in bridge building started in 1880, the year in which he married Miss Mary Ward. His father-in-law, Paul Ward, was the first person in the county to follow the trade of bridge building exclusively, and it was under Mr. Ward's direction that he learned the business. Mr. Ward erected the first bridge ever to span the Maquoketa river, a large wood structure.

It remained for Mr. Anderson, however, to begin the work of building steel - and - concrete bridges in the county.

He retired from active business only a few years ago, the infirmities of age, particularly failing sight, making his retirement necessary.

Since the death of his wife, he has made his home with his only daughter, Mary Eliza, now Mrs. Harold Sutton, in Maquoketa. His son, Charles, now operates the old Anderson farm, near Fulton.

DATE OF ARTICLE: March 3, 1939
SOURCE: Private collection of newspaper clippings