Biographical Sketch of James I. Anderson, M.D., Johnson County, Missouri, Warrensburg Township >From "History of Johnson County, Missouri," by Ewing Cockrell, Historical Publishing Company, Topeka, Cleveland, 1918. ********************************************************************** James I. Anderson, M. D., one of the best known practitioners in John- son County, is a member of a highly respected pioneer family, who were prominently connected with the early history of both Johnson and Henry counties. Doctor Anderson was born in 1859 in Warrensburg, Mo., the son of William Harrison and Mary (Davis) Anderson. William Harrison Anderson was born in 1813 in Campbell County, Kentucky. He was the son of John H. Anderson, a native of Virginia. John H. Anderson's father, John Anderson, came with General Braddock from England to Vir- ginia in March, 1755. John H. Anderson was a veteran of the Revolu- tionary War. He came to Missouri and settled in Johnson county after his sons had located here. His death occurred in Hazel Hill or Simpson township when he was one hundred three years of age. William Harrison Anderson came to Johnson County, Missouri from Tennessee in 1833. He first located north of Warrensburg on a farm. This was before the town of Warrensburg was laid out or the county of Johnson was established. In 1838 he moved to Warrensburg and there filled the offices of deputy sheriff, tax collector, and later treasurer of Johnson County. For several years William Harrison Anderson was employed as clerk in the different stores, working at one time in the employ of a country mer- chant named Gallaher and subsequently in the first store in Warrensburg. In the early forties he entered the mercantile business for himself in Warrensburg and was thus engaged until 1857, at which time the St. Louis Union Bank established a branch bank in Warrensburg and William Harrison Anderson was employed as cashier. The bank in Warrensburg was organized in July, 1858, and continued in business until 1862, when the unsettled condition of affairs due to war times obliged the bank to close its doors. At the time Mr. Anderson was cashier, the railroad had been built west only as far as Sedalia, Missouri. Fearing the bank might be looted, he placed seventy five thousand dollars of the bank funds in five boxes, containing fifteen thousand dollars each, and hauled the boxes to the farm home of John Parr in June, 1861. The boxes were stored beneath the hearthstone of the fireplace in the Parr home and remained there in safety until the ensuing autumn, when the St. Louis bank sent their cashier in October for the funds. He, Mr. Anderson and Mr. Parr loaded the five boxes upon a wagon and the two cashiers hauled them to Sedalia, from whence they were shipped to St. Louis. The thoughtfulness and precaution of the young cashier undoubt- edly saved the bank's money, for Warrensburg was visited by both armies that summer. Colonel Dare, with his Federal troops, and General Ster- ling Price, with the Confederates, confiscated everything they could find of value belonging to the enemy. From 1862 to 1869 the Anderson family resided in St. Louis, Missouri. They returned to Warrensburg in 1869 or 1870 and Mr. Anderson assisted in the organization of the John- son County Savings Bank. He then entered the mercantile business, in which he was engaged for many years. James Isaac Anderson is one of ten children born to William Harrison and Mary (Davis) Anderson who were as follow: John D., who died in Nashville, Tenn.; Sarah, who died in childhood; Zachary T., whose death occurred about ten years ago in Nashville, Tenn.; Henry B., who died in Warrensburg, Mo., about 1892; Alice, who died in childhood; William Harrison, Jr., who resides in Helena, Arkansas; James Isaac, the subject of this review; Mary, formerly the wife of Charles Davis of Helena, Ark., who is deceased, and she is now the wife of Reuben Reeves, of Warrensburg, Missouri; and Charles, Statesville, North Carolina. One child, Robert, died in infancy. The father died in 1892 in Warrensburg, Mo. Mary (Davis) Anderson was born at Bowling Green, Kentucky. She came to Johnson County, Missouri, with her parents when she was a child three years of age. She was the daughter of Zachary T. and Elizabeth (Bradley) Davis. Zachary T. Davis was one of the first county officers of Johnson County. Both parents of Mrs. Anderson were interred in the cemetery at Lees Summit, Missouri. Doctor Anderson received his early education in the public schools of Warrensburg, Mo. He later attended the Warrensburg State Normal School, Vandiver University of Nashville, Tenn., and the New York Polyclinic at New York City. Thirty-five years ago he opened his office in Warrensburg, Mo., on the corner of Pine and Holden Street where he has ever since remained, enjoying one of the most extensive practices in the city. In 1890, James Isaac Anderson was united in marriage with Elizabeth Plumer, the daughter of M. A. and Sarah Plumer, of Warrensburg, Mo. The parents of Mrs. Anderson came to Johnson county, Missouri, about 1870. Both are now deceased and their remains rest in the Warrensburg cemetery. To Dr. and Mrs. Anderson have been born four children: Gladys, who is a graduate of Pratt Institute, New York City and now supervisor of art in the Warrensburg State Normal School; A. P., who is a graduate of the Pratt Institute in the class of 1915 and is now employed as chemist for the Dupont Powder Company in Virginia; Caroline, a grduate of the Warrensburg State Normal School and now teaching in the Warrensburg schools; and Albert, who is employ- ed in Helena, Arkansas, by the Pendergrass Cotton Company. ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. 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