Edward Anderson Biography


	This biography is from "Memorial and biographical record; an illustrated
 	compendium of biography, containing a compendium of local biography,
	including biographical sketches of prominent old settlers and 
	representative citizens of South Dakota..." Published by G. A. Ogle & 
	Co., Chicago, 1899. Pages 590-593

	Scan, OCR and editing by Maurice Krueger,mkrueger@iw.net, 1998. 

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EDWARD ANDERSON, whose progressive business methods have made him one 
of the successful agriculturists of Spink county, and whose portrait 
appears on another page, was born in Grundy county, Illinois, October 
10, 1844. His parents died during his infancy and he became an inmate 
of the family of Baker Knox, with whom he remained until after the 
inauguration of the Civil war. Mr. Knox was one of the pioneer farmers 
of Illinois, and under his direction Mr. Anderson received practical 
training in the work of the farm and was thus well qualified for his 
chosen occupation when he took up farming on his own account. 

He put aside all personal consideration, however, in 1862, when on the 
22d of September, at the age of eighteen, he enlisted in the Thirty-
sixth Illinois Infantry. The most important engagement in which he 
participated was at Stone River. He was also in the battle of Buffalo 
Gap and in numerous skirmishes, and just before the battle of 
Chickamauga he was severely injured by a falling tree which crushed his 
left shoulder, breaking several ribs. After eighteen months spent in 
the hospital he was honorably discharged July 1, 1865. He then spent a 
few days in Nashville, whence he went to Kosciusko county, Indiana, 
where he worked as a farm hand for a year. He next removed to Kendall 
county, Illinois, where he carried on farming until 1870, when he took 
up his residence in Newton county, Indiana, there renting two farms. 
These he broke and planted a crop of corn. For thirteen years 
thereafter he engaged in the cultivation of that land, but in 1882, on 
account of ill health, left Indiana and made his way to Spink county, 
South Dakota. Being much pleased with this district, he preempted the 
southeast quarter of section 35, Lincoln township, and in addition he 
rents three other quarter-sections, having now three hundred acres 
planted to small grain, while two hundred and forty acres are included 
in fenced pastures. During the winter he keeps about forty head of 
cattle, and has ten head of horses for his farm work. 

Mr. Anderson was married November 23, 1887, to Mrs. Alice North nee 
Holt, of Menno, South Dakota. Her parents came to this state March, 
1875, from Illinois, where they had formerly been neighbors of our 
subject. In politics Mr. Anderson is a stanch supporter of the 
Republican party, is a recognized leader in its ranks in this locality, 
and since his arrival here has served as a delegate to each county 
convention and for the past six years as a delegate to the state 
conventions. His opinions carry weight in the councils of his party, 
and he labors untiringly in its interests. He has served as township 
supervisor and for one term as county commissioner. The cause of 
prohibition and woman's suffrage also receive his advocacy, and he is a 
friend to all measures which he believes will prove of public benefit. 
He belongs to the Grand Army of the Republic, the Masonic fraternity 
and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and is held in high regard by 
his brethren in all these organizations. He manifests marked loyalty to 
the state of his adoption, and is justly regarded as one of her 
representative men. His life has been well spent, and the success he 
has achieved in business and the prominence in political circles is but 
the acknowledgment of his sterling worth. Mrs. Anderson has one son by 
her first marriage, William C. A. North, who is engaged in teaching 
school in this county, and is the owner of a homestead in Cornwall 
township.