Anderson, A. J.

ANDERSON

Posted By: Joyce Hickman (email)
Date: 3/10/2007 at 19:59:04

A. J. Anderson

(From the 1883 History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, by J. H. Keatley, p.152, Macedonia Twp.)
A. J. Anderson, grain merchant and farmer, Carson, was born in La Salle County, Ill, April 12, 1842. His father, Jacob Anderson, was born in Norway in June, 1807; emigrated to America when eighteen years old in 1819; settled first in New York, where he remained till going to Illinois in the year after the Black Hawk war. He settled in La Salle County, where he remained till the fall of 1848, then removed to Iowa, settling in Grove Township, Pottawattamie County, on a farm of 680 acres, which he improved; he remained there till spring of 1854, when he crossed the plains with ox teams to Napa County, Cal., where he lived on a farm till his death, May 4, 1864. The family remained in California till 1868, when the mother of our subject, with two children, returned to Iowa, and settled on the old farm in Grove Township, Pottawattamie County. Subject's mother was born in Norway January 1, 1814, and emigrated to America with her father's family (said to be the first Norwegian family to come to America) and who became permanent settlers. She is living with the subject of this sketch, her only surviving child. Mr. Anderson began life on his own responsiblity in California on a farm; there he remained but a year or two, when he emigrated to Iowa, settling in Grove Township, Pottawattamie County, on a farm, where he was engaged exclusively in farming and stock dealing till he entered the grain business in Carson, erecting an elevator, which he owns and operates in connection with his farm. He first bought a partial interest in the old homestead of 680 acres in Grove Township, Pottawattamie County, then his mother's interest; since then he has added land until the farm now contains 1,000 acres. This farm consists of what is known as Wheeler's Grove, in Grove Township, and is very valuable. There being 200 acres of good timber land. Mr. Anderson lives in Carson; he married Miss Melissa Broadhurst of Napa County, Cal., June 24, 1866. She was born in Berrien County, Mich., January 2, 1846; her father was Joseph Broadhurst, born in Ohio in May, 1818, lives in California; her mother, Nancy (Gorham) Broadhurst, born in Indiana June 10, 1826, died March 9, 1854. Mr. Anderson is a member of the church of Latter Day Saints; he is no partisan in politics.