Joseph Franklin Anderson
Joseph Franklin Anderson, proprietor of a farm in Spring Valley township, now living retired at Xenia, was born in Spring Valley township, November 23, 1856, son of Joseph and Matilda (Stanfield) Anderson, both of whom were born in that same township, members of pioneer families, and who spent all their lives there.
Joseph Anderson was a son of James Anderson and wife, who were among the numerous North Carolinians who came over into this part of Ohio in pioneer days and settled in Greene county, they making their home in Spring Valley township. On the pioneer farm which his father developed, Joseph Anderson grew to manhood and after his marriage to Matilda Stanfield continued to make his home there, he and his wife spending the rest of their lives there. He was a Republican and he and his wife were members of the Maple Corner Reformed church on Caesars creek. They were the parents of twelve children, of whom ten grew to maturity, namely: James, a veteran of the Civil War, who moved to Indiana and then to Oklahoma, in which latter state his last days were spent; Abijah, who was a farmer in Spring Valley township and who died in 1907; Felix, who is a farmer in Delaware county, Indiana; Milo, a retired farmer, now living in Xenia: Anna, who is unmarried and who also lives in Xenia; Joseph F., the subject of this biographical sketch; Mary Jane, who is unmarried and who is living in Xenia: Lewis and David, twins, the latter of whom is deceased and the former of whom is a retired farmer, living in Xenia, and Ruth Catherine, wife of George Heglar, of Spring Valley township.
Joseph F. Anderson received his schooling in the schools of the neighborhood of the home farm in Spring Valley township and remained at home until his marriage at the age of twenty-seven years, when he began farming on his own account and for two years was thus engaged in Caesarscreek township. He then moved down into Clinton county and was engaged in farming there for four years, at the end of which time he returned to this county and for six years thereafter was engaged in farming on a rented farm in Spring Valley township. He then bought one hundred acres, a part of his grandfather's old farm, established his home there and continued farming there until his retirement from the farm in February. 1911, when he and his wife moved to Xenia, where they have since resided, located at 680 South Detroit street. Mr. Anderson is a Republican in his political views. For years, in addition to his farming operations, he gave considerable attention to carpentering and numerous houses in and about the neighborhood of his old home were erected by him.
In 1883, Joseph F. Anderson was united in marriage to Amanda C. Peterson, who was born in Clinton county, daughter of Archibald and Mary C. (McNair) Peterson, both of whom also were born in this state, the former in Clinton county and the latter in Greene county, and whose last days were spent in Clinton county. Archibald Peterson was a son of Jacob and Hannah Peterson, who had come over into this part of Ohio from Virginia and settled at Anderson Forks, in Clinton county, where they got land and established a home. Jacob Peterson and his wife were the parents of ten children, of whom nine grew to maturity, namely: Abel, who for some years farmed in Clinton county and then became a resident of Greene county; Aaron, who lived in Indiana and in Iowa, spending his last days in the latter state; Jesse, who became a resident of Greene county; Archibald, father of Mrs. Anderson; Jacob, who made his home in Clinton county; Abraham, who also made his home in Clinton county; Betsy Ann, who married John Nash and became a resident of Logan county, this state; Amy, , who married J. Bush and became a resident of Highland county, this state, and Hannah, who married George H. Moore and went to Iowa, where her last days were spent. To Archibald Peterson and wife were born ten children, of whom Mrs. Anderson was the second in order of birth, the others being the following: William A., who died in Alabama; Edwin, a carpenter, who died at Wilmington, this state; Ida, who married Frank Ellis and moved to California; Lizzie, who died at the age of fourteen years; Horace, who died in infancy; Florence, wife of Frank Tristoe, of Xenia, a railway mail clerk ; Darius, who was a glassblower and who died in Indiana; Delia, wife of Calvin Hansel, a blacksmith, of Lumberton, this state; and Myrtle, wife of John Routsong, of Xenia.
To Joseph F. and Amanda C. (Peterson) .Anderson have been born two daughters, Bessie and Cora, who completed their schooling in the Xenia high school, from which the latter was graduated in 1905. Bessie Anderson married Joseph Hoyt, now living in Greene county, Iowa, and has one child, a son, Raymond. Cora Anderson married George Boots, a farmer, of Jasper township, this county, and has three children, Leonard A., Franklin H. and Charlotte M. Mrs. Anderson is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and Mr. Anderson is a member of the Reformed church.
From History of Greene County Ohio, Its People, Industries and Institutions, vol. 2. M.A.Broadstone, editor. B.F.Bowen & Co., Indianapolis. 1918