Freestone County, Texas
Biographies




Biography of William Anderson
   (2/22/1825-07/12/1909, buried at St. Elmo Cemetery)
   
Book - Memorial and Biographical History of Navarro, Henderson, Anderson, 
Limestone, Freestone and Leon Counties, Texas.  Lewis Publishing Company, 
Chicago, 1893.  p. 405-407.

"
    William Anderson, one of the oldest Texans in the county of Freestone, was
born in San Augustine county, Texas, February 22, 1825, and was the eighth child
born in a family of eleven. He was the son of Bailey and Elizabeth (McFadden) 
Anderson, natives of South Carolina, who were married in Kentucky. Bailey Anderson
was the son of Bailey, and he in turn was the son of John, who came from Scotland,
when a boy and settled in South Carolina. He became a soldier in the Revolutionary
war, and his son, Bailey, who was the grandfather of our subject, served through
the same war with him. The latter was one of the pioneers of Kentucky, going there
in 1795 or 1796. He left that State about 1809 or 1810 and settled in Indiana, 
and in the winter of 1816 moved to Arkansas Territory, before that section was
ceded to the Indians. From there, in 1821, he removed to San Augustine county,
Texas, which was then the Republic of Mexico. He remained in this place from 1821
to 1837, and then moved to Harrison county, Texas, where he died, August, 1840, 
at the age of eighty-five. They reared a family of nine children, as follows:
Wyatt, who died in San Augustine county; Joshua died in Arkansas; Bailey is the
father of our subject; Pickney died in Indiana; Sarah married Joe English and 
died in this State; Delilah married Ratcliffe Boone, a man of considerable note, 
who was at one time a Congressman from Kentucky and they resided in Boone county,
Missouri; Visa married John Lout and died in this State; the two remaining sisters
married in Kentucky two brothers by the name of Kirby.  Bailey Anderson, the 
father of our subject, received a common-school education, following his father's
meanderings until he landed in San Augustine county, Texas, in 1821. Concerning
the maternal side of our subject's family he knows very little, as few of them
went to Texas. They were of Irish parentage. The mother of our subject was a niece
of his family.
    While living in San Augustine county, Texas, during the existence of the 
Republic, he took little interest in political affairs. In the fall of 1837 he
left that county, after a residence of sixteen years, when he settled in Harrison
county, residing there for sixteen years, removing them to McLennan county, where
he died July 14, 1865, aged seventy-seven years. His wife died the following year,
December 4, 1866, aged seventy-six years. They were the parents of eleven children,
nine of whom lived to adult years, two girls dying young. The names were: Felix
G., deceased; O. H., deceased; the latter was in the battle of Nacogdoches and
was out again for a short time in 1836; Hampton, deceased, also served in the war
of 1836; Bailey, deceased; Ratliff, deceased, August 1, 1846, while with the 
army in the war with Mexico; William, our subject; Sallie, deceased, wife of 
T. M. Hill; Pickney, resides in Leon county, Texas; A.J. Anderson, deceased.
    ... father being a typical frontiersman, always seeking the outskirts of 
civilization; consequently his children had but little chance to attend school.
The father was financially able to give his children education, but the 
opportunities did not present themselves. Our subject began life for himself at
the age of twenty-one, as a farmer in Harrison county, where he resided with his
parents until 1854. 
   In 1846 he joined Captain Bird Holland's company of cavalry and proceeded with
him to Mexico, but his services as a soldier ended under Captain E. J. Thompson.
He was out but six months, but during that time was in the battle of Monterey.
Returning soon after to his father's home, he remained until his parents removed
to McLennan county, when he accompanied a niece of Ben Hampton and of the same
family as Senator Wade Hampton, of South Carolina. Bailey Anderson upon reaching
San Augustine county engaged in farming. In August, 1832, he commanded a company
of Texas troops at old Nacogdoches, where he fought the first battle of the Texas
Revolution. After this he returned home, but in 1835 again cast his fortune with
the patriots, being at San Antonio for several days, skirmishing almost constantly
and for four days was in a constant fight. He with twenty or thirty men, then of 
his own company, then of Captain English's and the remainder of the New Orleans
Grey were piloted through the enemy's lines into the heart of the city, where
they secured the possession of old Colonel Navarro's house. This house proved of
great service to the patriot army, it being a stone structure and located close
to and almost within the enemy's lines. Captain Anderson was in command of these
men, who were all a picked crowd, noted for their bravery. They went to their
task with the full impression, that should the stone house be captured they would
forfeit their lives. In gaining access to the structure they passed within a few
yards of a Mexican battery, planted in the street of the city, and on one occasion
the guide became lost in the darkness of night, but for the timely aid of a 
Mexican woman they would undoubtedly have been killed, as they were marching 
single file upon the enemy's cannon. Warned by the woman they beat a silent but
hasty retreat, when they soon came up with their guide. Captain Anderson assured
him that if he attempted to pass beyond reach of his gun he would shoot him. No
further mishap occurred. Soon after entering their retreat the Mexicans trained
their cannon upon it, but being of small calibre and the walls very thick, little
damage was done.  After the battle Captain Anderson returned home to them and
remained with them until their death, as previously stated. Mr. Anderson has
always been a farmer. During the fall of 1863 he was out for a short time, with
the State militia, but was not engaged in any battle. At the close of the war
he resumed the occupation that had been partially neglected during the war. In 
the year 1868 he removed to this county, where he rented a farm for a few years, 
near where the post office of Winkler now stands. In 1870 he removed to his present
place of residence, which he had bought in 1861, consisting of 750 acres, and 
which he bought at $2.50 a half an acre. He has sold all this land except 200 
acres, sixty-five of which are under cultivation.
   Mr. Anderson was married, in 1859, to Miss Hannah English, a native of Louisiana
and daughter of William and Myra (Anderson) English. Mr. and Mrs. Anderson being
second cousins. Mr. English was a very early settler of Louisiana, where he engaged
in farming. He died in San Augustine county. His wife died in Panola county, in 
1863. Mr. and Mrs. English had a family of nine children, namely: John; Marina, 
wife of Joshua Epps; Elizabeth, wife of Holand Anderson; Hannah, wife of William
Anderson; Salina, wife of W. Whetstone; Permelia, wife of William Fife; Selena
died young; Bailey.  To Mr. and Mrs. Anderson five children have been born, namely:
Bailey J., deceased; Myra E., wife of Charles W. Gregory; R. B., resident of 
Corsicana; William H., deceased; and Cora, wife of E. L. Nunley, of this county.
Mrs. Anderson is a member of the Missionary Baptist Church, and both she and her 
husband are highly respected throughout the entire county where they reside.
    "