Oliver Morton Anderson

Oliver M. Anderson.

In Boone county, Indiana, on the 24th of January, 1862, occurred the birth of Oliver Morton Anderson, and to him was given the name of Indiana's famous war governor. His father is Thomas F. Anderson, of Union township, Doniphan county, who was born in Warren county, Ohio, May 9, 1818. The paternal grandfather of our subject, Hiram Anderson, was born on the north branch of the Potomac river, in Maryland, in the year 1788. He was a farmer and shoemaker, and after following that pursuit throughout an active business career, his life's labors were ended in death, in 1853.

About the year 1807 he went to Ohio, where he married Miss Mary Mulford, March 18, 1813. She was of Welsh lineage, and born August 20, 1792, in Ohio, and died in Jefferson county, Iowa, November 16, 1859. In 1840 he moved with his entire family to Boone county, Indiana, where he resided until death. Their children were: Naomi, who was born May 19, 1814, married Wilson Elliot and died in Brandon, Iowa, in 1894. William was born May 26, 1816, and died in Independence, Iowa, in 1894. Thomas F., was the next of the family. Mary Jane, born November 4, 1819, was the wife of Isaac Bennett, and died in Indiana in 1873. Nancy, born April 27, 1821, married Jesse Bunton, who died in Indiana, and after his death she married John Furgason, who died in Iowa. Rachel, born December 3, 1822, was the wife of Abraham Bennett, and died December 21, 1893, at Norway, Kansas. Robert, born November 16, 1824, died in 1826. Hannah, born February 8, 1826, married John Lewis, now deceased, and she is now living near Wathena, Kansas. Eliza, born May 7, 1828 was the second wife of Elisha Bowlby, and died in 1871, in Doniphan county, Kansas. Hiram B., born August 7, 1830, died in Jefferson county, Iowa, December 4, 1859. Martha A., born May 20, 1832, became the wife of George Chase and died at Huron, Kansas, about 1885. Joseph M., born August 23, 1834 and resides in Doniphan county, Kansas.

The great-grandfather, William Anderson, who lived in Maryland, was a soldier in the Revolutionary War and after the close of the war joined the regular army, in which he died about 1805. His ancestry is not known. He chose for his wife a French lady, Miss Forshee, and they became the parents of five children, namely: Hiram; Josiah; Rebecca, who married James Allen; William; and Rachel, who married Nicholas Bennett, of Mason, Ohio. Thomas F. Anderson was reared under circumstances that made the acquirement of an education impossible for him.

He could not read when married, but realizing the need of knowledge he obtained an old spelling book and with this he learned to read, and with the aid of other volumes pursued his studies without assistance. He served an apprenticeship at fancy wood turning, and later at cabinet making, and carried on both lines of business successfully for a time; but, having given security for a party, he was overtaken by the misfortune of having his property sold to pay the debt. He was then forced to begin life anew, and in 1840 moved to Boone county, Indiana, where he worked at his trade.

On the first day of November, 1838, he married Miss Jane Peacock, a daughter of William Peacock, who was of English lineage. Her death occurred August 2, 1848, and the following children were left to mourn her loss: Joseph W., who resides in Cheyenne county, Kansas; Eliza J., who became the wife of William Gibson and died at Huron, Kansas, September 23, 1891, and Hiram G., of Xenia, Ohio. Mr. Anderson was married the second time August 31, 1851 to Clarissa R. Elliott, a daughter of Robert and Elizabeth Elliott, who was born April 30, 1824, in Nicholas county, Kentucky.

Her father, born December 25, 1769, came from Ireland at the age of sixteen, and her mother, nee Elizabeth Ingels, born July 23, 1780, was of Pennsylvania Dutch stock. She was a close relative of Daniel Boone. In 1850 she with her parents moved to Boone county, Indiana, where they bought a farm. Clarissa R. Anderson was above the average woman in intelligence, being well versed in medicine and an excellent financier, besides being well up in all the events of the time. She was a most devoted mother, but her life's work was ended April 20, 1893, in her sixty-ninth year.

To this union were born: Edy Alice, November 17, 1855, who married Samuel Winn and died September 1, 1878; Robert Orville, born August 24, 1857 and died September 24, 1870; Luretta Ann, born March 25, 1859, married John W. Donaldson, of Horton, Kansas; Oliver Morton was the next; Isaac Grant was born April 12, 1864 and died March 4, 1868. There were two children who died in infancy.

Soon after his second marriage T. F. Anderson and his energetic wife, who started life anew, purchased the old homestead and began its cultivation. He devoted his energies to agricultural pursuits and prospered in his undertakings, but in 1870 he became imbued with the desire to seek a home in the west, and accordingly made his way to Kansas.

On the 30th of June in that year he reached Doniphan county, and at once took possession of the quarter-section of land upon which he now resides. It was then a wild prairie upon which not a furrow was turned or an improvement made, but with his characteristic energy he began its development and transformed it into a good farm. He held to the political belief of the Andersons, and gave his support to the Democratic party, until 1856, when he voted for General John C. Fremont, since which time he has been a stalwart Republican.

Oliver M. Anderson was brought to Doniphan county, Kansas during his early boyhood, and was here reared and educated, enjoying the privileges afforded by the public schools. He has made farming his life's work, and through his well directed efforts has gained a comfortable competence. "Agriculture is the most healthful, the most useful and the most noble employment of men," said Washington, and the truth of the fact remains the same today as when it was uttered by the father of his country.

It requires ability of no mean order to successfully conduct a farm, for there is a demand of knowledge of the rotation of crops, of the needs of the different products, and an unabating industry and enterprise whereby to put into actual use one's information on these subjects. The well improved farm owned and cultivated by Mr. Anderson is an indication that our subject ranks among the leading agriculturists of the community.

He also has been twice married. He wedded Miss Amy M. Newcomb, of Independence, Iowa, February 2, 1887, who died July 31, 1892. Three children were born to Mrs. Anderson, who died in infancy. On July 22, 1896, Mr. Anderson was joined in wedlock to Rebecca Orem, of Baileyville, Kansas. Mrs. Anderson was born in Doniphan county, October 20, 1865, and has been the mother of two children: Orem Oliver and Mary Clarissa.

Her father was W. J. Orem, born January 8, 1836, in Dorchester county, Maryland, and is of English and Scotch lineage. He came to Doniphan county, September 1, 1857, and for years took an active part in the politics of the county, being a representative sent to the state legislature from that county. He is also an active advocate of the Soul Sleepers' faith. Mrs. Anderson's mother, Mary, nee Haggard, was born in Madison county, Ohio, June 27, 1846 and died in Doniphan county, Kansas, July 10, 1871 and was of English descent.

Our subject and wife enjoy the friendship of a large circle of friends and acquaintances near Purcell, Doniphan county, where they have so long resided, and deserve mention among the representative residents of this locality.

Source Citation: Boone County Biographies [database online] Boone County INGenWeb. 2007. <http://www.rootsweb.com/~inboone> Original data: "Genealogical and Biographical Record of North-Eastern Kansas." 1900 [online data] The KSGenWeb Project, <http://skyways.lib.ks.us/genweb/index.html>. Transcribed by Penny R. Harrell.

Submitted by: T. Stover - October 27, 2007