JAMES W. ANDERSON. Among the native-born citizens of Calhoun County, sons of its pioneers, is our subject, who is now one of its enterprising and successful farmers and stock raisers. He was born July 7, 1852, on the old homestead on section 5, Belleview Precinct, Calhoun County, which his father had then begun to develop from the wilderness. He is a son of the late well-known John W. and Mary J. (Harlow) Anderson, natives respectively of Missouri and Illinois. His father came to Calhoun County some time in the '40s, was married here and became the father of a large family of children of whom the following survive: Mary A. now the widow of Mr. White of Calhoun County; Melinda, wife of W. J. Wells of Pike County; Francis M., a resident of Missouri; and James W.
The father of our subject settled on the farm now occupied by the son of whom we write, in 1848, and was the first settler in the neighborhood. He located in the primeval forests and had to hew out his farm by hard and constant labor, and like most pioneers suffered hardships and was deprived of many comforts while building up his home. He had entered his land from the Government and in time brought it to a fine condition. At his death August 18, 1881, one of the best citizens and most honored pioneers of the county passed away. He was public spirited and favored all schemes likely to improve the township or county or elevate society. He was a member of the Christian Church, which he had served as Elder, and he was greatly esteemed by the entire community where so many years of his life were passed. His wife died a few years before he did and they are now resting together.
Our subject grew to a stalwart manhood in the county of his nativity and gleaned such an education as was afforded by the local schools. He was first married to Delia Zumalt, and for his second wife married Miss Ollie Zumalt and they have here a cozy home where hospitality abounds. Mr. Anderson owns one of the finest farms in the vicinity comprising two hundred and sixty-eight acres of highly fertile, well tilled soil, on which are all needed improvements. He gives much attention to stock-raising and is very prosperous in his calling. Like his father, he is a man of public spirit, and is greatly interested in whatsoever will promote the welfare of his native county. He is an intelligent, thoughtful man, with opinions of his own on all topics, and in his political views is a decided Democrat.
Extracted 23 Mar 2017 by Norma Hass from Portrait and Biographical Album of Pike and Calhoun Counties, Illinois, published in 1891, pages 695-696
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