Thomas F. Anderson ²

  General Notes:

Thomas lived at Union Twp, Doniphan Co. Learned wood turning and cabinet making but lost all. He moved to Boone in 1840 and started anew.
Thomas F. Anderson was reared under circumstances that made the acquirement of an education impossible for him.
He could not read when married, but realizing the need of knowledge he obtained an old spelling book and with this he learned to read, and with the aid of other volumes pursued his studies without assistance. He served an apprenticeship at fancy wood turning, and later at cabinet making, and carried on both lines of business successfully for a time; but, having given security for a party, he was overtaken by the misfortune of having his property sold to pay the debt. He was then forced to begin life anew, and in 1840 moved to Boone county, Indiana, where he worked at his trade.
On the first day of November, 1838, he married Miss Jane Peacock, a daughter of William Peacock, who was of English lineage. Her death occurred August 2, 1848, and the following children were left to mourn her loss: Joseph W., who resides in Cheyenne county, Kansas; Eliza J., who became the wife of William Gibson and died at Huron, Kansas, September 23, 1891, and Hiram G., of Xenia, Ohio. Mr. Anderson was married the second time August 31, 1851 to Clarissa R. Elliott, a daughter of Robert and Elizabeth Elliott, who was born April 30, 1824, in Nicholas county, Kentucky.
Her father, born December 25, 1769, came from Ireland at the age of sixteen, and her mother, nee Elizabeth Ingels, born July 23, 1780, was of Pennsylvania Dutch stock. She was a close relative of Daniel Boone. In 1850 she with her parents moved to Boone county, Indiana, where they bought a farm. Clarissa R. Anderson was above the average woman in intelligence, being well versed in medicine and an excellent financier, besides being well up in all the events of the time. She was a most devoted mother, but her life's work was ended April 20, 1893, in her sixty-ninth year.
To this union were born: Edy Alice, November 17, 1855, who married Samuel Winn and died September 1, 1878; Robert Orville, born August 24, 1857 and died September 24, 1870; Luretta Ann, born March 25, 1859, married John W. Donaldson, of Horton, Kansas; Oliver Morton was the next; Isaac Grant was born April 12, 1864 and died March 4, 1868. There were two children who died in infancy.
Soon after his second marriage T. F. Anderson and his energetic wife, who started life anew, purchased the old homestead and began its cultivation. He devoted his energies to agricultural pursuits and prospered in his undertakings, but in 1870 he became imbued with the desire to seek a home in the west, and accordingly made his way to Kansas.
On the 30th of June in that year he reached Doniphan county, and at once took possession of the quarter-section of land upon which he now resides. It was then a wild prairie upon which not a furrow was turned or an improvement made, but with his characteristic energy he began its development and transformed it into a good farm. He held to the political belief of the Andersons, and gave his support to the Democratic party, until 1856, when he voted for General John C. Fremont, since which time he has been a stalwart Republican. ¹

  Noted events in his life were:

• Census, 1820, Vernon, Clinton, Ohio. ⁵
Hiram Anderson Males: 2 under 10, 1 - 16 to 18, 1 - 26 to 45. Females: 2 under 10, 1 - 26 to 45. Agriculture

• Census, 1830, Marion, Clinton, Ohio. ⁶
Hiram Anderson. Males: 1 under 5. 2 - 5 to 10, 1 - 15 to 20, 1 - 40 to 50. Females: 2 under 5, 2 - 5 to 10, 2 - 10 to 15, 1 - 30 to 40.

• Census, 1850, Jefferson, Clinton, Ohio. ⁷
Thomas F. Anderson, 32, carpenter, born in Ohio. Living in Jacob and Elizabeth Pobst home.

• Census, 1860, Clinton, Boone, Indiana. ⁸
Tho. F. Anderson 42, farmer, real estate $1600, property $700, born in Ohio. Clarissa Anderson, 36, born in Kentucky. Eda A. Anderson, 4, born in Indiana. Robert O. Anderson, 2, born in Indiana. Luretta A. Anderson, 1, born in Indiana.

• Census, 1870, Wolf River Township, Doniphan, Kansas. ⁹
Thomas F. Anderson, 52, farmer, real estate $3000, born in Ohio. Clarissa R. Anderson, 46, born in Kentucky. Eda A. Anderson, 14, born in Indiana. Robert A. Anderson, 12, born in Indiana. Retta A. Anderson 11, born in Indiana. Oliver M. Anderson, 8, born in Indiana.

• Census, 1880, Union, Doniphan, Kansas.
Thomas Anderson, 62, farming, born in Ohio. Carissa Anderson, 56, born in Kentucky. Lyentta A. Anderson, 21, born in Indiana. Oliver M. Anderson, 18, farmer, born in Indiana. Annie Flick, 10, not related, born in Missouri. John Anderson, nephew, 6, born in Kansas.

• Move: to Doniphan County, Kansas arriving on 30 Jun 1870. ¹

Thomas married Jane Peacock on 1 Nov 1838 in , Boone, Indiana. (Jane Peacock was born about 1820 in Of, , , Ohio and died on 2 Aug 1848.)

Thomas next married Clarissa R. Elliott on 31 Aug 1851 in , Boone, Indiana.¹ (Clarissa R. Elliott was born on 30 Apr 1824 in , Nicholas, Kentucky,^{1 10} died on 20 Apr 1893 in , Doniphan, Kansas ^{1 10} and was buried in , Doniphan, Kansas ¹¹.)