Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens
Lawrence County Pennsylvania 1897
[p. 349] The elderly gentleman just named is one of Pulaski's prominent citizens, and leading farmers; he is in affluent circumstances, a result he secured by hard work and excellent foresight. He was born Sept. 21, 1822, and was a son of William and Jane (Dunbar) Anderson, who were both born in County Down, Ireland, coming to this country with their respective parents in youth.
John Anderson, the grandfather of our honored subject, "crossed the pond" about 1789, and after living a number of years in Westmoreland County, came to Pulaski township, Lawrence County, in 1799, and purchased the farm, a part of which is now the property of his grandson. The land, a tract of three hundred acres, was in its primeval state of wilderness, and he cleared about a third of it. He was a weaver by trade, and worked at that occupation a number of years after coming to this country. The family consisted of these members: William; John; James; Thomas; Mary (Walker); Eleanor (Ward); and Isabella. They were reared to reverence and adhere to the doctrines of the Presbvterian Church.
William Anderson, the eldest son, attended the district school, and on the parental farm engaged in farming, an occupation he never relinquished. As a voter he was loyal to the Whigs until the slavery question had precipitated the Abolitionist party, when he joined the ranks of the latter organization, and thereafter did what he could to bring to a head the agitation on the subject. However, he was, not permitted to see Columbia free from the taint of slavery, for he died at the age of sixty-six, some nine years before Ft. Sumter was fired upon. He married and became the father of ten children, six of whom lived to rear families. Elizabeth married F. J. Morrison of Pulaski township, and their children were: Hannah, William F., Albert, and David E. Isabella became the wife of James McGaughey of Pulaski township, and bore her husband five children: Rebecca, Maria J., Harriet A., William D., and Frank. Mary A. wedded John Sample of Lawrence Co., Pa., and now lives in Aledo, Ill., and their family comprised: Alvin, William, and Jane. Ellen married James Sherriff, and both are now deceased. Alexander, the subject of this sketch, was the fifth child. Nancy was the sixth child, and she became the life companion and wife of Isaac Book of Mahoning township, bearing him two children, Hannah and Alver, deceased. Newell, deceased, was the seventh of the family, and the remaining four died in infancy. The truths of the Gospel, as presented by the Presbyterian Church, were inculcated into their education, and became parts of their daily life. In 1865, Mrs. Anderson, our subject's mother, passed away, having completed four score years.
Alexander Anderson went to school, and having received a good common school training, in which he had labored as well as he knew how, taught school himself for a matter of four terms. He then applied himself to agricultural pursuits, and he has always lived on the parental estate, where he has succeeded fairly well in his mode of life. Politically, he is a Republican, and being high in the regard and confidence of his fellow-townsmen has held not a few of the township offices. He has been twice married, the first union in 1852 being with Lavina McBride, daughter of James M. McBride of Pulaski township; she bore him four children: Laura, deceased; Addie; Charles, who married Lillie B. Leslie of New Castle, and has in his family—Robert A., Helen, Raymond, and Christine; Melva, the youngest child, married Alexander A. Anderson of Mercer Co., Pa., and they have two sons, Clarence and Newell. The second matrimonial aliance was with Nancy Geddes of Pulaski township, and by this union there is one child living, Margaret Elizabeth, and two that died in infancy. In church preferences the family still adheres to the United Presbyterian Church. Mr. Anderson has profited by the years he has devoted to the pursuits of agriculture, and he has developed into a man of broad ideas, who is thoroughly informed on all points touching or relating in the remotest fashion to his business. He has a good standing in the community as a man who has never failed to pay his honest debts, and his private and public life elicits the full admiration of those with whom he comes in contact. His advanced years do not prevent him from mingling with younger men in the active fields of business, nor from taking an intelligent interest in matters of moment to the township, county, state or the country at large. He is certainly such a citizen of whom any country would be proud, and Lawrence County is fortunate in being able to include him among her number of representative and leading men.
Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens Lawrence County Pennsylvania
Biographical Publishing Company, Buffalo, N.Y., 1897
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Updated: 27 May 2001