William C. Anderson, a prominent business man of Claysville, is a native of this county, born April 5, 1831, on the Stevenson farm in Donegal township. He is a son of Benjamin Anderson, who was born in 1789 in Ireland, and came with his parents to America and to Washington county, Penn. where his boyhood was passed on the pioneer farm. In the war of 1812 he was captain of a company of drafted infantry, First Regiment of Pennsylvania Militia, and was afterward promoted to the rank of colonel. In 1816 he was married to Margaret Cook, daughter of Gen. James Stevenson, a civil engineer of Pennsylvania, who was born July 25, 1755; he was a soldier in the Revolutionary war. and was taken prisoner by the British and confined in prison ship. To Benjamin and Margaret C. Anderson were born eight children: Ann Eliza, Mrs. John Moore, of Buffalo township, who died at the age of thirty-five years; James Stevenson, a farmer of Donegal township; Thomas Love who died March 7, 1892; Nancy Jane, deceased at the age of nineteen; Catharine, Mrs. Jonathan Brownlee, of Buffalo township; William Cook; Mary Melila, deceased at the age of nineteen, and John, who died when seven years old. Col. Anderson passed the first five years of his married life on the old home farm, situated about three miles west of West Middletown, in Hopewell township. He then moved to Donegal township, settling about one mile west of Claysville, along the National pike, where he owned 250 acres of land, which became his permanent residence. He was a stanch Democrat, and, besides holding different township offices, he was elected county commissioner in 1836. He was brigade inspector of Washington county for seven years. Col. Anderson and his wife were members of the South Buffalo United Presbyterian Church. He died in 1861, Mrs. Anderson in 1875.
William C. Anderson was reared and educated on the home place in Donegal township, and at the age of fifteen years commenced clerking for Joel Truesdell, with whom he remained two years. He then entered into partnership with James G. Noble, of ClaysviIle, and two years later went to Cameron, W. Va., remaining with William McConaughy for three years. In 1856 he dissolved partnership with Mr. Noble, and passed one year with Samuel Prother, in Wheeling, W. Va. In 1856 William C. Anderson was married to Eliza, daughter of John Simpson, of Wheeling, W. Va., and they had the following children: Dr. John B., Sara (Mrs. William H. Lester), Mary, Dr. Thomas (a physician in Mansfield Penn. ), Robert and William. Of these children, Mrs. Lester was a missionary in Santiago, Chili, S. A., but died after a few years' work in the service of her Master, beloved by all both for her beauty of character and person. Her only son, Harold arrived in this county in January, 1893, making his third trip to and from his Southern home, at the age of eight and one half years. His language is Spanish, which he speaks and writes fluently with the language of his father and mother. He will remain to continue his education in the United States. Soon after his marriage, Mr. Anderson engaged in general merchandise in West Alexander, Donegal township, and ten years later came to Claysville, where he bought out Schrontz, Martin & Brokman, and is still conducting the business. His success is due to his own efforts, and he is one of the leading men of Claysville. Politically he is an active member of the Democratic party. He and his family are among the leading members of the Presbyterian Church.
Text taken from page 952 of:
Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893).Transcribed January 1997 by Dawn Marie Madsen of Boise, ID as part of the Beers Project.
Published January 1997 on the Washington County, PA pages at http://www.chartiers.com/ .[ [Back to Beers Table of Contents] [Back to Beers Project Page]