James Anderson

Of all the men who have lived in Adams County, none has enjoyed this life more or made it more pleasing to those around him than the subject of this sketch. James Anderson may have had fits of bad temper, but the writer never saw him in one or ever heard of him having one. He was always brimful and running over with good humor. He always persisted in looking at the bright and cheerful side of things and was always ready to laugh and to make those about him laugh. Trouble rolled away from him like water rolls away from a duck's feathers. The writer never knew him until he was between fifty and sixty years of age and the foregoing describes him then. His acquaintance from twenty-five to fifty would have been precious and valuable. He was a man to drive away despondency and to lift the world up. He had the keenest sense of humor of any man of his time in the county and yet he met and performed all the serious duties of life as a man and Christian should. Nature endowed him with great natural and physical vigor and he never wasted any of it, but expended it in proper channels.

He was born in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, March 1, 1796. His parents brought him to Adams County in 1807. They took up their residence one mile north of West Union and there he resided until 1866 when he removed to Sardinia where he made his home until his death, May 11, 1886. His father was Robert Anderson and his mother was Elizabeth Dickey, both from Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. His father and mother died in Adams County and are buried in the old Trotter graveyard near the Wilson Children's Home.

Mr. Anderson was married June 2, 1831, to Mary Baird, sister of Robinson Baird, and daughter of James Baird, a brother of Judge Moses Baird. She only survived until May 7, 1840. By his wife, Mr. Anderson had the following children:
George Washington, who married a daughter of Wade Baldridge;
James Newton,
William Henry,
John,
Elizabeth,
Mary.
Washington is deceased. His widow and family reside at Webb City, Missouri. James Newton resides in Tulare, California; Elizabeth is the wife of Dr. Theo. Smith, of the same place. Mary is deceased. She died at Santa Cruz, California. Col. William H. died at McLean County, Illinois.

On November 7, 1844, he was married to Isabella Bryan Huggins, widow of Zimri Huggins. She had the following children by her first marriage: Nelson A., and Herman W.

To the last marriage were born the following children:
Irwin M.;
Benjamin Dickey, born June 8, 1847, residing at Santa Cruz, California;
Martha Caroline, born February 12, 1850. She married J. Porter McGovney. He died and she married Frank Major. They reside at Salmon City, Idaho.

Mr. and Mrs. Anderson reared the three sets of children without a jar. They all got along happily together. Mrs. Anderson had the same happy and genial disposition as her husband. When the furnaces were opened in Adams County, Mr. Anderson did a great deal of work for them in hauling iron to the river and supplies to the furnaces. He was a man never ambitious for public honors or offices, but he had a prominent place in the militia because his talents deserved it.

On June 26, 1838, he was commissioned by Governor Vance as Major of the First Cavalry Regiment, First Brigade, Eighth Division of the Ohio Militia, and on August 1, 1839, he was commissioned by Governor Shannon as Lieutenant-Colonel of the same regiment. When it is remembered that he was elected to those positions by those who knew him best, the honor will be more appreciated.

In 1862, he was selected as Captain of the "Squirrel Hunters" and took his company to Aberdeen to repel Morgan's Raid. James Anderson had a wonderful memory. He could remember every incident of his life and everything which had ever been told him. He was fond of telling of David Bradford's celebrated drive down the Dunbarton Hill. Bradford, who had a coach at Dunbarton, just repaired, wanted it down at the Sample Tavern at the foot of the hill. It was winter and the hill was covered with ice. He hitched two horses to the coach in front of the tongue and drove them from Dunbarton down the hill to the Sample Tavern. Bradford said it was a poor horse that could not keep out of the way of a coach. While Mr. Anderson was fond of telling humorous stories, yet he was a most earnest and conscientious man. He was anti-slavery. He was first a Whig and afterward a Republican. He was brought up an Associate Reform Presbyterian and adhered to that faith all his life. He was an elder for over thirty years. As a farmer, he lived comfortably and easy. He was not the man to worry himself to make money. He was honest and honorable in all his dealings. His life was a more valuable lesson than that taught by the Greek Philosophers, for he was up to their ideas and was a Christian beside. In August, 1886, his widow removed to California, where her son, Benjamin D., resides. She was born July 2, 1806, and died May 6, 1896.

Source: A History of Adams County, Ohio, From It's Earliest Settlement To The Present Time, By Nelson W. Evans and Emmons B. Stivers, West Union, Ohio, Published by E. B. Stivers, 1900.

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