John Russell Anderson
John Russell Anderson is another of the well-to-do men of these parts who has witnessed the growth of a fine farm from a dense forest. In the thirty years of his residence here great have been the changes that have come to pass, and the transformation of his home into a fruitful and productive series of field is not the least of them, although, this land practically cleared when he bought the farm. His place, consisting of one hundred and seventy-three acres of timber, is lying in Sections 27, 38 and 34.
John Russell Anderson was born June 17, 1859, on the farm home of his parents in Van Buren Township, and he is the son of Isaac and Eliza (Camblin) Anderson, natives of Ohio and Pennsylvania, respectively. The father migrated to Grant County in 1837, settling on a farm in this township, and here he and his good wife reared a family of eleven children -seven girls and four boys. Brief mention is made of them here as follows: Samuel Wiley is deceased; he died near Jonesboro on his way home from the war in 1863, after having finished out his second period of enlistment; Mrs. Margaret E. Baldwin is also deceased; Mrs. Celeste M. Kilander, of Markel, in Huntington County is the wife of Dr. Wm. J. Kilander; Mrs. Mary Loundenback is deceased; Enoch E. is a resident of Van Buren County; Mrs. Nancy E. Young lives in Fort Wayne, Indiana; Mrs. Lucy J. Ray lives in Sims, Indiana; John Russell, of this review; William F. lives on the old home place in Section 28; Mrs. Alice A. Barnes is a resident of Grant County, and Mrs. Effie C. Harvey lives on the old homestead.
Mr. Anderson attended the old Anderson school, so called, now known as District No. 7, and he lived at home until 1883, when he was twenty-six years of age. At that time he married and received from his father-in-law a wedding gift of forty acres of land across the road from his present farm. He also bought ten acres about the same time and built the home. In 1906 he bought ninety acres adjoining his first property and he also owns thirty-three acres of the old home farm. In addition to his farming activities, Mr. Anderson carries on a considerable business in live stock trading, and is known for one of the successful men of the township. In 1905 he erected a fine ten-room home on his place, built upon the most modern lines, and embracing nearly every phase of convenience to be found in city homes. A handsome lawn lends a metropolitan appearance and all the buildings be found on the place are of the finest order, well kept and wholly in keeping with the general atmosphere of the place. In 1912 Mr. Anderson took from his acres 1,750 bushels of corn, 1,500 bushels of oats and about forty or fifty tons of hay. He raises something like sixty head of hogs annually, keeps twelve horses and colts, chiefly Normans and Belgians, and has three cows on the place.
Mr. Anderson is a Prohibitionist in his political faith, and does what he can to promote the cause of his party. He is a member of the Christian Church, as are also members of his family. He has given service of a worthy order to his community as superintendent of thirteen and a half miles of pike road in Van Buren Township, and in many other ways has demonstrated the high quality of his civic pride and his citizenship.
On December 24, 1882, Mr. Anderson was married to Sarah J., the daughter of Thomas B. and Margaret Doyle, one of the finest families of the community, and a sketch of the father appears elsewhere in this work. Four children have been born to them: Cecil N. is the wife of Charles Boller, of Van Buren Township; they have two children, Harriet Kathleen and Evelyn Maxine. Russell is a farmer of Van Buren Township. he married Olivia May Welsh and has one child, Austin Russell. Lucile and Celeste live at home.
Submitted by: Gina Reasoner