ANDERSON, FRED

ANDERSON, FREDERICK, HOWARD, CLAYTON, JOHNSON, PRESNELL

Posted By: Jean Kramer (email)
Date: 5/27/2004 at 15:48:24

Biography reproduced from page 174 of Volume II of the History of Kossuth County written by Benjamin F. Reed and published in 1913:

Fred Anderson, who in November, 1910, was elected to the office of county treasurer, since which time he has made his home in Algona, is proving efficient, capable and trustworthy in this office, thus justifying the faith of his fellow townsmen, who believed that a man displaying as good business qualifications as he had always done would prove an efficient officer in charge of the public funds. He was born in Columbiana county, Ohio, November 29, 1853, his parents being James and Catherine (Frederick) Anderson. The father was a farmer of Ohio, to which state his people had removed from Pennsylvania in 1819. He died April 26, 1890, in his eighty-second year, and the mother in August, 1889. They had seven children, those beside our subject, being David H., deceased, who served in the Civil war in the One Hundred and Ninety-seventh Ohio Volunteer Infantry; William C., who lives in Ohio and served in the One Hundred and Eighty-third Ohio Volunteer Infantry; James A., who lives in Ohio; Mrs. Joanna J. Howard, who lives in Ohio; Mrs. Mary Anderson Clayton, who resides in the same state; and Mrs. Charlotte Anderson Johnson, deceased. The father’s brother, David Anderson, was for fifty years a school-teacher of Lisbon, Ohio, and at different times numbered among his pupils many noted men, including C. L. Verlandingham, Edwin M. Stanton, Mark Hanna and William McKinley. James Anderson removed from Columbiana county to a farm near Findley, Ohio, and there Fred Anderson began work, clearing land, making rails, building fences, sawing wood and doing any other work necessary in the development and improvement of a new farm, while at brief intervals during the winter months he had the opportunity of attending the district school, a mile and a half from his home. He remained there until after his twenty-fourth birthday and in October, 1878, came to Iowa, hoping that on his removal westward he would find better business opportunities which would lead more quickly to success. He settled first at Wesley, Kossuth county, and worked during the first year on the railroad. During the next eighteen months he was employed in the creamery at Wesley and through the succeeding seven years clerked for F. M. Butts, proprietor of a general mercantile store at Wesley. In the meantime he had saved his earnings and purchased a farm and on leaving the store of Mr. Butts he applied himself diligently to the cultivation of his land for two years. In 1890 he became manager at Wesley for the Huntting Elevator Company, which position he filled acceptably for twenty-one years, resigning in order to take the office of county treasurer, to which he had been elected in November, 1910. He entered upon the duties of that position on the 1st of January, 1911, his incumbency to continue for two years. He has ever been found faithful, capable and diligent. Hard work has been the secret of the success he has achieved, enabling him to work his way steadily upward.

In December, 1878, Mr. Anderson was united in marriage to Miss Jane Presnell, a daughter of Thomas Presnell, of Wesley, who is a retired farmer. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Anderson were born eleven children, seven sons and four daughters: Maud, the wife of William J. Presnell, residing at Findlay, Ohio; Leroy, who is married and now follows school-teaching at Radcliffe, Iowa; James and Grant A., both of whom are married and follow farming in Kossuth county; Guy B., a school-teacher of Whittemore, Iowa; Mary, who is acting as assistant in the county treasurer’s office; Reed, a high-school student in Algona; and Fern, Homer, Leah and Raymond, all at home.

In politics Mr. Anderson has always been a stalwart republican, believing firmly in the principles of the party. He is a prominent member of the local organization of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He joined the society in Ohio in 1875, is now a member of Wesley Lodge, has filled all of the chairs and has been representative to the grand lodge. He is likewise a valued member of the Masonic fraternity and is a past master of Paradise Lodge, No. 553, A. F. & A. M., of Corwith. He belongs also to Prudence Chapter, No. 70, R. A. M., of Algona, and to the chapter of the Eastern Star at Corwith. His religious faith is that of the Methodist Episcopal church, with which he has held membership for thirty-four years, and at different times he has held all of the offices in the church which it is possible for a layman to fill. He has been a class leader of the church for thirty-three years. His religious principles constitute the basic element in a life that has been well spent. At all times honorable and straightforward, he enjoys the good-will and confidence of those with whom he has come in contact and his fellow townsmen have learned to know that he can be depended upon under all circumstances to do that which he believes to be his duty.

(Photo of Fred Anderson accompanies this biography.)

Kossuth Biographies maintained by Linda Ziemann.
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