ANDERSON, R. S.

ANDERSON, WICKHAM, CLINE, CHAFFA, HOLLYPETER

Posted By: Jean Kramer (email)
Date: 5/27/2004 at 15:45:02

Biography reproduced from page 623 of Volume II of the History of Kossuth County written by Benjamin F. Reed and published in 1913:

R. S. Anderson dates his residence in Kossuth county, Iowa, from 1882, and during that time he has given his entire attention to agricultural pursuits. He is one of the well known residents of this section and is numbered among the prosperous farmers of Burt township where he operates a valuable and well developed tract of land comprising one hundred and sixty acres. He was born in Tuscarawas county, Ohio, November 13, 1836. His father, John Anderson, was a native of Pennsylvania, but came to Ohio with his parents when he was still a child. He was educated in that state and later married there. He followed agriculture during his life and became one of the prosperous and successful farmers of Linn county. He cultivated the soil in Tuscarawas county, later removing to Genesee county, from whence he removed to Iowa by way of Cleveland, making the journey by boat to Muscatine and from there with teams to Linn county, Iowa. Here he took up a preemption claim of one hundred and twenty acres, broke the soil, fenced his holdings into fields and carried on general farming with much success. He had learned the blacksmith’s trade in his youth, and built a small shop upon his farm where he carried on an active business with the assistance of his sons. He made plows, wagons, buggies and all kinds of farm implements, and the enterprise which he started as a small blacksmith shop grew into one of the large industries of his section. In conjunction with his sons he operated a threshing machine for several years in Linn county, where he spent the last years of his life and where his death occurred. His wife also passed away upon the home farm.

R. S. Anderson is one of a large family of children born to his parents, six of whom grew to maturity. Mr. Anderson is now the only one living. He was reared in Linn county and received his education in the public schools. He remained at home with his father and his early life was closely identified with agricultural pursuits in various aspects. He learned in his boyhood the best methods of tilling the soil, and before he had attained his majority was an expert farmer. He also helped in the operation of the threshing machine, the blacksmith shop and the farm implement business, thus combining with his agricultural knowledge a comprehensive grasp of business methods and conditions. He remained in Linn county until 1882, in which year he came to Kossuth county, where he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of undeveloped land and began its cultivation. He fenced, tiled and drained his property, improved it in every particular and now owns one of the finest farms in the section. He built the attractive and comfortable residence in which he now lives, and has many of his acres planted in groves and orchards. He is a farmer of the modern school, interested in every development pertaining to any branch of his occupation. His barns and outbuildings are modernly constructed, and his acres are highly productive. He specializes in the raising of stock for the market, and has added materially to his income by this branch of his enterprise. He is one of the promoters of the Burt Creamery Association and a stockholder in the organization. He has for many years carried on an extensive dairy business. He is numbered among the very first who delivered goods to the Burt Creamery. He was a promoter and is a stockholder in the Farmers Elevator Company, and is one of the progressive and representative citizens of his section.

Mr. Anderson has been thrice married. His first union occurred in 1873 when he wedded Miss Elizabeth Wickham, who was born and educated in Ohio. She later taught in the public schools of Linn county, Iowa, and followed this line of occupation until her marriage. She died three years after her marriage, and some time later Mr. Anderson wedded Miss Rachel Jane Cline, of Linn county. To this union were born two children: J. C., who is a business man of Albert Lea, Minnesota; and Emeline, the wife of Andrew Chaffa, a carpenter of Kennebec, South Dakota. Mr. Anderson married his present wife in Tama county, Iowa, in 1881. Before her marriage to our subject she was Mrs. Ida Hollypeter, a native of Iowa, having been born near Belle Plaine, that state. To this union were born three children: Charles Ray, a young man of good education and exemplary character, who is now living at home and assisting in the operation of the farm; Sylvia, who also resides with her parents; and Nathan, who is married and lives in Minnesota, where he follows farming.

Mr. Anderson is republican in his political beliefs but has never held office. He has always been a vital force in educational expansion in his district and helped to secure the present fine school building. He was a director of the board for some time and did able and efficient work in this capacity. He and his wife are members of the Burt Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. Anderson has been, during the thirty years of his residence in Kossuth county, a progressive and prosperous farmers, an efficient and discriminating business man and a loyal and public-spirited citizen. He has witnessed the development of the state and has borne his share in the advancement of his section. He realizes that all general progress is directly dependent upon the success of individuals, and in accomplishing his own prosperity has been influenced by his regard for the public welfare.