Anderson, Hans Peter

ANDERSON, SWANSON

Posted By: Volunteer (email)
Date: 5/23/2007 at 20:41:32

Kellogg Township, Jasper County, can boast of no more typical twentieth-century farmer than Hans Peter Anderson, as is shown by a cursory glance over his well improved, well tilled and well kept farm, where everything seems to be in its place and all under a superb system.

Mr. Anderson was born in Malmo, Sweden, October 23, 1859. He is the son of Peter and Hannah (Swanson) Anderson, both born in 1840 in the same place as their son.

The subject grew to maturity in his native country and went to school in Malmo until he was thirteen years of age. He came to America in 1871 and settled in Kellogg Township, Jasper County, Iowa. He saw the future possibilities here and has remained. In order to get a start he herded cattle arid worked on the farm by the day for five years, devoting his time especially to gathering corn in the fall of the year. Then he railroaded for four years for the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific road, serving three years at section work for the same. Upon leaving the road he purchased eighty acres and began farming for himself in 1883. Thirty acres of this land was timbered, about ten acres of which he cleared during the first four years and in 1890 he added one hundred and seventy-three acres, thus making him a splendid farm of two hundred and fifty-three acres, which he has gradually improved and kept well cultivated, raising general staple crops and hogs, cattle and horses. He has an attractive and well-furnished home and good outbuildings.

In 1883 he married, in Kellogg, Iowa, Karna Anderson, who was born in Malmo, Sweden, June 16, 1863, and this union has resulted in the birth of eight children, seven daughters and one son, namely: Hannah, born November 1, 1883, died December 18th following; Hannah Elizabeth, born November 11, 1884; Mary, born September 18, 1886; Hulda Amelia, born October 31, 1888; Carrie, born September 1, 1890; Harry, born August 10, 1893, died November 7th following; Ethel Agnes, born August 28, 1894; Delia Pearl, born November 11,1896; May, born May 15, 1899; Laurence Wilbur, born September 25,1903.

Mr. Anderson was formerly a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He is a Republican and belongs to the Christian Church. He has always taken a great interest in public affairs and has held numerous local offices, having been school director for twenty years, holding this position at present. He was president of the school board of his district, his term expiring January 1, 1911, he having held that position since 1909, and he has served in that capacity four different times, always most satisfactorily.

Mr. Anderson is president of the Farmers Elevator Company at Kellogg, which was organized in June 1909; at which time he was elected president, and the large success achieved by this concern has been due principally to his judicious management and wise counsel. He relates with interest of his trip from Sweden, which was made on the old Allen line steamer, he having taken passage from Liverpool, England, to Quebec, Canada. He then came direct to Kellogg, Iowa. He could not then understand or speak a word of English, thus finding it very difficult to make himself understood, but he was treated with every courtesy and consideration. He found rather primitive conditions here, most of the settlers still living in rude shanties, and frequently during the long winters he would awaken to find the snow drifting under his bed, but, nothing daunted, he has forged to the front over every obstacle and is today one of the substantial and influential men of his community.

Past and Present of Jasper County Iowa, Gen. James B. Weaver, Editor-In-Chief, B.F. Bowden & Company, Indianapolis, IN, 1912, p. 1008.