Charles J. Anderson
For the past twenty-five years Charles J. Anderson, who is a resident of Stockholm township, has been identified with the agricultural interests of Crawford county.
A son of Gustav and Caroline (Danielson) Anderson, he was born in Sweden on the 12th of February, 1852. He is the fifth in a family of nine children, the others being as follows: August, deceased; Anna, the wife of Charles Peterson, of Sweden; Frederick, deceased; Matilda, also deceased; August, a resident of Crawford county; William, of Sioux City, Iowa; Hilma, the wife of A. Lindan, of Sac county; and Clara, who died in infancy. The parents have long since passed away.
In 1879 Charles J. Anderson decided to become a citizen of the United States, believing that better opportunities and greater advantages were here afforded than in his native land. He first located in Wall Lake, Iowa, and after one year's residence there removed to Odebolt, where he lived for five years. During that time he saved the means requisite to enable him to farm as a renter, and so, removing to Crawford county, he leased eighty acres of land in Stockholm township. He cultivated this land for ten years and then in 1895 he bought it. He has since added another one hundred and twenty acres to his holdings, so that his homestead now contains two hundred acres of well improved and highly cultivated land. He engages in general farming and stock-raising and is receiving lucrative returns from both undertakings.
On the 18th of December, 1880, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Anderson and Miss Augusta Elstrom, the youngest child of John and Johanna (Gripwall) Elstrom, the other members of the family being as follows: Carl, deceased; August, living in Sweden; Ferdinand, also of Sweden; and Reinhold, Matilda, Anna, and Emma, who have passed away.
Mr. and Mrs. Anderson have become the parents of nine children: Hattie, the wife of J. B. Johnson; and Matilda, Emma Christina, Seth, David, Elizabeth, Levi, Mildred and Irene, all of whom are at home.
The family are Christians and worship with the Mission Friends. Ever since acquiring the full rights of citizenship Mr. Anderson has given his political support to the candidates and principles of the republican party. He has always taken an active interest in all local governmental matters, having served in a number of the minor township offices, and is one of the progressive and public spirited citizens of his community as well as one of the most successful.
Source: History of Crawford County, Iowa. Vol. II. Chicago: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1911.