Anderson, H.C.

ANDERSON, MILLER, NELSON

Posted By: Linda Ziemann, Plym. CC (email)
Date: 2/21/2005 at 17:02:51

H. C. Anderson

H. C. Anderson, a native of Denmark, and now a successful farmer of Fredonia township, Plymouth county, is the son of Christ Anderson and wife, both of whom were natives of Denmark and there lived their lives. The father was a farmer until the time of his death some years ago. Of the eleven children in the family, H. C. and his brother, J. C., are the only ones that left their native land and came to America. H. C. Anderson received his education in the public schools and grew to manhood in the land of his nativity, where he resided until 1894, when he decided to come to the United States. On his arrival in this country, he came direct to Iowa and located in Plymouth county, working in Remsen township, as a farm hand for two years. He then rented a farm for seven years and engaged in general farming for himself. At the end of that time, he purchased the old Varnem homestead, of eighty acres, to which he later added eighty acres.

In 1898 H. C. Anderson, was united in marriage to Lena Miller, the daughter of Nels and Christina (Nelson) Miller. Mr. and Mrs. Miller were natives of Denmark. They later came to the United States and located near Madison, Wisconsin, where Mr. Miller engaged in farming for several years. They then came to Plymouth county, having made the trip from Wisconsin, with a team of oxen and a wagon, there being no railroads in this section of the country at that time. On his arrival in the county, Mr. Miller purchased a homestead right to eighty acres of land, seven miles east of Le Mars, having given a heifer for the land. He later pre-emted another eighty acres of land, which he developed and improved, and here he engaged in general farming and stock raising until the time of his death in 1912; Mrs. Miller died in 1908. They were the parents of the following children: Marie, Christina, Nels, Lena, Anna, Mary and Carrie. Nels lives at Le Mars; Lena is the wife of the subject of this sketch; Anna is single and a missionary in India, and Mary and Carrie are now deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Miller were prominent in the social and the religious life of the community and were highly respected people.

H. C. Anderson and wife are the parents of two children, Eva and Irene. Mr. and Mrs. Anderson are active members of the Danish Lutheran church of Fredonia township, and are prominent in all church work. Mr. Anderson has been secretary of the local society, since it was first organized. For the past three years he has been president of the school board, and has always been interested in the success of the schools. Mr. Anderson is one of the active members of the Fredonia Grange and takes much interest in the work of that organization. He is independent in politics, but has always taken a keen interest in local affairs and has had much to do with the civic life of the township and the county, where he is regarded as one of the substantial citizens.

BOOK SOURCE:
History of Plymouth County, Iowa
Indianapolis, Ind.: B. F. Bowen, 1917