William C. Anderson, b. 1834
William C. Anderson is one of the extensive
landowners of Mahaska county, his home farm
comprising four hundred and thirty-six acres
on section 23, Spring Creek township. Here
in addition to tilling the soil he is engaged in
raising and breeding stock, and his life record
proves that success is not a matter of genius but
is the outcome of clear judgment, experience,
and indefatigable energy. He is, moreover,
entitled to representation in this volume as one
the old settlers of the county, for he has
made his home within its borders since the 4th
March, 1857, arriving here when a young
man of about twenty-three years.
Mr. Anderson is a native of Ohio, having
been born in Licking county on the 3d of April,
1834. His father, William Anderson, was a
native of Maryland and was there reared and
married, Miss Amelia A. Perygo, who was also
born in that state, becoming his wife. Mr.
Anderson's first property consisted of two slaves
that were given him and when he removed from
Maryland to Ohio, these slaves accompanied
him to the Pennsylvania line. In the latter
state he gave them their freedom papers and a
supply of clothing. Settling in Licking county,
Ohio, he opened up a farm in the midst of the
forest and there, surrounded by the green
woods, he tilled the soil, which he had first to
clear and break. His remaining days were
passed upon the old homestead, and there he
died in August, 1866, at the age of sixty-six
years. His wife survived him, passing away
in 1868.
William C. Anderson spent the days of his
boyhood and youth in Ohio, and is largely self-
educated, having but limited privileges in his
youth in that direction. When a young man
came westward to Iowa, settling in Mahaska
county in 1857. He afterward entered one
hundred and sixty acres of land in Page county,
near Clarinda, and after holding that property
for a few years he sold it. In 1862 he fitted up
an ox team and thus equipped crossed the plains
to Idaho with a large train of about one
hundred teams. He made his way to the gold
mines of that district and spent one season in a
search for the precious metal. In September, of
the same year, he bought two horses, using
one as a pack horse, while he rode the other,
and thus traveled home to Iowa, arriving in
Mahaska county in November.
On the 23d of December, 1863, Mr.
Anderson was united in marriage to Miss Rachel C.
Rice. a native of Indiana, and a daughter of
W. H. H. Rice, who, coming from Indiana,
became one of the first settlers of this part of
the state, arriving in the fall of 1853. He
bought land in Spring Creek township, broke
the prairie, built a house, and in the course of
years developed a large farm of several hundred
acres. He was one of the prominent and
substantial agriculturists of Mahaska county and
assisted materially in its early development and
improvement. Here he reared his family, and
he yet resides upon the old homestead farm at
the very advanced age of ninety-three years.
He and his wife, who is a few years his junior,
are numbered among the few remaining
pioneer settlers of Mahaska county. They are the
parents of two sons and two daughters, who are
all married and settled near them, and they also
have grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Mrs. Anderson was reared and educated in
Mahaska county. After their marriage the young
people went to Ohio on a wedding trip, arriving
there on New Year's day of 1864. It was a
fearfully cold day, the mercury dropping to
forty degrees below zero. They remained in
Ohio until June, and upon the return trip Mr.
Anderson brought with him a flock of sheep, a
span of horses and a shepherd dog, driving the
sheep across the country to Mahaska county,
where he arrived in August. He then settled
upon a part of the farm which he yet owns and
began the cultivation of the land, at the same
time engaging in the sheep industry. He
followed that pursuit for two years, after which
he sold his sheep and his dogs. He then began
raising cattle and made a business of buying,
feeding and fattening cattle, selling from one
to three carloads each year, and also about the
same number of hogs until the year 1898, since
which time he has concentrated his energies
upon the cultivation of his land. Mr. Anderson
commenced here with one hundred and sixty
acres, but as he prospered he added to his
property from time to time and within the boundaries
of his farm now has four hundred and
thirty-six acres. Upon the place he has built a
substantial residence and has a good barn and
other outbuildings. He also has two good
dwelling houses beside his own home and two
other barns upon the farm, so that there is
ample accommodation afforded for tenants.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Anderson have been
born five children who are yet living and they
also lost one. Charles A., residing in Seattle,
Washington, is an express messenger on the
Great Northern Railroad. Lorena is the wife
of William H. Zollars, a farmer of White Oak
township, by whom she has four children:
Clay, Cecil and Dulcea, twins, and Lida. W.
F. Anderson, who is married and carries on
the home farm, has two children, Judson and
Lloyd. H. W. Anderson, who is in the city
delivery mail service in Oskaloosa, has four
children: Carroll, Leslie, Wallace and Thelma.
T. R. Anderson is at home. Alice died in
Denver, Colorado, at the age of twenty-six
years.
Politically Mr. Anderson has always been a
democrat since casting his first presidential
ballot for James Buchanan in 1856. He has
since voted for each nominee of the party at
the head of the national ticket, but has never
sought or desired office for himself, preferring
to give his attention to his farming pursuits.
His wife is a member of the First
Presbyterian church. Mr. Anderson has been a
resident of the county since 1857, and his wife
since 1853.
He has watched the growth of Oskaloosa
from a crossroads village to its present
proportions when all of the advantages of city life
may be enjoyed. He has also helped to
improve and make the county what it is today. He
has been a hard-working and industrious man
and he and his estimable wife have labored
earnestly and long, enduring hardships and
privations together. They have worked
together and as the years have passed their labors
have been crowned with success. Here
they have reared and educated their children
who are a credit to their name, and they are
numbered among the worthy pioneer settlers of
the county. Their home is noted for its hospitality
and good cheer and their circle of friends
is very extensive and all wish that they may
live long to enjoy the fruits of their united labors.
-------------------------------
from Past and Present of Mahaska County, Iowa by Manoah Hedge
The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co. 1906
Past and Present of Mahaska County, Iowa
Mahaska County, Iowa Genealogy
Iowa Genealogy
Home Page