Anderson, Gilbert A. 1867 - 1958

ANDERSON, NELSON, NESS, KJOME, WERMAGER

Posted By: Bill Waters (email)
Date: 4/15/2014 at 11:14:31

Gilbert A. Anderson belongs to an old pioneer family of Winneshiek county, his parents coming here at an early date, and is now located on a valuable farm of one hundred and eighty acres on sections 15, 16 and 22, Highland township, near the Minnesota border. The property is known as the Bear Creek Farm and Mr. Anderson devotes his time to raising of livestock, making a specialty of horses, although he gives considerable attention to cattle and hogs. He was born in the house in which he now lives on July 10, 1867, and is a son of Thurston and Maria (Nelson) Anderson, natives of Norway. The father was born December 30, 1837, and the mother July 5, 1843. She went to Wisconsin with her parents in 1853, at the age of ten, and the father arrived in Illinois in the same year. In 1854 the mother came with her people to Winneshiek County, the father arriving here after having spent three years in Illinois. The parents were married in Winneshiek County and settled on the farm which Gilbert A. Anderson now occupies, having bought part of it of a man who had previously preempted it. There the father engaged successfully in agricultural pursuits until his means permitted him to retire, both he and his wife removing to Decorah. There the former died on April 14, 1913, while the latter still makes her home in that city. The father was a republican all his life and held various township offices, including that of trustee. Both parents were members of the Lutheran church. In their family were three children: Gilbert A., our subject; Martha C, who married O. J. Ness and died in 1910; and Thea H., the wife of G. N. Kjome, of Decorah. The parents made their way to Winneshiek County in wagons at the time when the cholera was heavy upon the country and the paternal grandfather of our subject died of that sickness in Ohio. The mother's mother came to this section via the Great Lakes and died of the same terrible plague on Lake Michigan. In Chicago the cholera was so prevalent that people were carried off like animals after having succumbed to the disease. The father while in Illinois suffered with the ague and from that state went by boat to Lansing, Iowa, and from that place in company with a freighter walked most of the way to Decorah. When he first located here he made his home in a log house. His land was entirely unimproved then but he gradually put it all under cultivation and made it a valuable farm. How scarce money was in those pioneer times is evident from the fact that as high as forty per cent interest was paid as a bonus. In those early times the pioneers had to make all they needed in the line of clothing and they practically raised all of their provisions. When a neighbor could afford to buy a new wagon and harness it was considered in those days equivalent to a man buying an automobile nowadays. How different the present prosperous condition of the agriculturist, who has at his command all modern conveniences, including the telephone and regular mail delivery, when compared with the hardships and inconveniences the first settlers of the section had to overcome.

Gilbert A. Anderson has made his home all his life upon the farm which he later bought from his father. He was reared under the parental roof and early became acquainted with agricultural pursuits, being assigned the minor duties on the home place. Since taking charge of the property he has greatly enhanced its value, instituting modern improvements and up-to-date equipment. The property, which is known as the Bear Creek Farm, comprises one hundred and eighty acres on sections 15, 16 and 22 in Highland township, and is largely devoted to stock-raising. Mr. Anderson makes a specialty of horses although he also raises cattle and hogs. He breeds shorthorn cattle and has done so for the last fifteen years. He was president of the Rock Spring Cooperative Creamery Company but at the annual meeting of 1913 declined reelection.

On February 15, 1893, Mr. Anderson married Miss Maria Wermager, who was born in Wilmington Township, Houston County, Minnesota, June 9, 1874. She is a daughter of P. H. and Gunhild Wermager, the former a native of Norway and the latter of Minnesota. They now reside in Ambrose, North Dakota. Mr. and Mrs. Anderson have six living children, Truman C, Genevieve C, Pierce W., Myron H., Marie I. and Gertrude M. C. George A., the sixth in order of birth, passed away at the age of thirteen months.

Mr. Anderson is a republican and takes a laudable interest in the public life of the township. In the primaries of 1910 he was a candidate for county recorder and he has also held several school and road offices. His religion is that of the Lutheran church, his membership being in the Highland township organization. He has done much for Winneshiek County toward promoting the progress of agriculture and while he has won individual success has been a force for good in his locality. He enjoys the high respect and esteem of all who know him, the sterling traits of his character having won for him many friends Not only has he been an interested witness of the changes that have occurred in the onward march of civilization but he has been a helpful and cooperant factor in bringing about the general advancement.

Source: History of Winneshiek County, Iowa Vol. II Chicago the S. J. Clark publishing Company 1913

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