ANDERSON, JAMES B.

ANDERSON BOWEN MCCOY

Posted By: mjv (email)
Date: 3/26/2020 at 09:48:14

JAMES B. ANDERSON, a son of one of the early settlers in Washington County, and himself one of the pioneers, was born in Highland County, Ohio, Aug. 29, 1816. His parents were Balaam and Wilhelmina (Bowen) Anderson. The former was a native of Maryland, and was a soldier in the War of 1812. He received on such education as was common in those days of log cabin school-houses with puncheon floor, slab seats, and often indifferent teachers. In 1839 he came with his parents to this county, where he assisted his father in starting a farm.

In the last-named year Mr. A. married Elizabeth, daughter of Daniel McCoy, of Massachusetts, and soon started a home of his own, on the place where he has now lived for forty-seven years, and on which at that time there was not a shrub or vine of any kind except hazel-brush. He and his wife began poor, but by industry and economy have accumulated a competency. The site of Washington, now a city of 3,000, was then wild land, and the nearest trading-post was at Burlington, and all of the changes in this region, of which this is an illustration, have been witnessed by Mr. and Mrs. Anderson during their long residence here. There was, when he settled here, plenty of game; deer and wolves roamed the forest, and the equally wild Indian was frequently seen on the trail which passed near by.

The union of Mr. and Mrs. Anderson was blessed with twelve children, of whom the following nine are now living: Daniel M.; Eliza J., the wife of Daniel Ackerman; Melville M.; Lewis F.; Floretta M., the wife of William McFarland; Seward Lincoln, and Huldah F., the wife of Samuel M. Logan, are all living in this county; Rufus H., a resident of Ringgold County, Iowa, and Oscar H., who lives in Rush County, Kan. Mr. Anderson has succeeded by reading and study in supplying his lack of early advantages, but is a warm advocate of good schools for the younger generation. In politics, he is a Republican, having acted with that party since its organization. He and his wife are members of the Christian Church, and respected members of society.

Levi B. Anderson, a younger brother of James B., was born in Westfall, Ohio, Sept. 13, 1832, as was but seven years old when his parents came to Washington County, where his entire life has been passed. He had only the same educational advantages as his elder brother, but well improved what opportunities he had. In 1857 he was married to Sarah, daughter of Joseph and Rachel (Rhodes) Cooper, natives of Virginia and New Jersey, respectively, who came to Washington County in 1855, and are now living in Rawlins county, Kan.

Mr. and Mrs. Levi Anderson have six living children, named: Priscilla Jennie, the wife of Frank Pickens, now living in Dakota; Emma Viola, Martin E., Minnie E., Charles G. and Orpha L. Mr. Anderson has lived to see many changes here. The prairies were then wild and unbroken, and the cabins of the settlers few and far between. Now finely cultivated farms and comfortable residences greet the eye on every side. He owns a well-improved farm of seventy-eight acres, all under cultivation. He and his wife attend the Christian Church, and at the polls he votes the Republican ticket.

Source: Portrait and Biographical Album of Washington County, Iowa (1887). Excerpt from Biographical Sketch of James H. Auld, pages 283-284.