John W. Anderson
John W. Anderson, retired farmer and building contractor living at Xenia, was born on a farm three miles south of Xenia on May 27, 1852, a son of Thomas Maxey and Mary Jane (Stansfield) Anderson, both of whom also were born in this county. Thomas Maxey Anderson was a son of Daniel Anderson and wife, the latter of whom was a Dinsmore, who came to Greene county from Virginia and settled in Xenia township, where they spent the remainder of their lives. Reared on the farm on which he was born, in Xenia township, south of town, Thomas M. Anderson after his marriage continued to make his home on the home place, caring for his parents in their declining years. He was a Republican and for some time director of his local school district. He and his wife were members of the Methodist Episcopal church. He lived to the age of seventy-two years and his wife died at the age of sixty-eight. They were the parents of nine children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the third in order of birth, the others being Charles, deceased; Clara, deceased; Florence, who is living in Delaware county, Indiana, and who has been twice married, her first husband having been Henry Jones and her second, John Childers; Sarah Catherine, wife of James R. Stafford, also of Delaware county, Indiana; Amos Edgar, who is living on and farming a part of the old home place south of Xenia; Ida, wife of Byron Adams, a farmer of the Spring Valley neighborhood; Horace, who is living on and farming a part of the old home place, and Harvey, who is engaged in the oil business at Cedarville.
Reared on the home farm south of Xenia, John W. Anderson received his schooling in the district school of that neighborhood and early learned the carpenter trade, in time becoming a building contractor, a vocation he followed for twenty years. He remained at home until he was thirty years of age, when he bought a farm of his own and for five years was engaged in farming, but later rented the farm, giving his attention to his building operations. Some years ago he sold his farm and moved to Xenia, where he has since lived practically retired, though still occasionally accepting a contract for building.
Mr. Anderson has been thrice married. His first wife was Anna Buchanan, of Clermont county, this state, who died without issue. Mr. Anderson later married Mary R. Sanders, who was born in this county, daughter of Jesse Sanders and wife, the latter of whom was an Allen, and to that union was born one child, who, as well as the mother is now dead, the latter having died on January 21, 1917. On January 22, 1918, at Norwood, Ohio, Mr. Anderson married Mrs. Valura (Schooley) English, a widow, who was born in Clermont county, Ohio, a daughter of Eli and Susan Jane Schooley, both now deceased. Mr. Anderson is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.
From History of Greene County Ohio, Its People, Industries and Institutions, vol. 2. M.A.Broadstone, editor. B.F.Bowen & Co., Indianapolis. 1918