Samuel Collins Anderson
The late Hon. Samuel Collins Anderson, who was representing this district in the lower house of the Ohio General Assembly at the time of his death in the summer of 1914, was born in the house in which he died on his farm in New Jasper township, and where his widow is still living, and there spent all his life wiht the exception of a period of ten years during which he was engaged in business at Springfield. He was born on May 6, 1859, a son of William and Mary (Collins) Anderson, both members of pioneer families in this county and both born in the state of Pennsylvania, they having come with their respective parents to Greene county, the Andersons and the Collinses becoming influential pioneers, as is noted elsewhere in this volume. Mary Collins was born in York county, Pennsylvania, and was but a child when she came to this county with her parents, Archibald and Ellen Collins, the family settling on a farm on the Jamestown pike, two miles east of Xenia, where she was living at the time of her marriage to William Anderson, who also had grown up in that neighborhood.
William Anderson was one of Greene county's substantial farmers, and for years a ruling elder in the old Caesarscreek Seceder church. In 1849 he bought from David Williamson the farm of three hundred acres on which the latter had settled on coming to this county in 1836 and there spent the remainder of his life. His widow survived him for many years, her death occurring on the old home place on May 7, 1907, she then being eighty-six years of age. Her son, Samuel C, then became owner of two hundred acres of the original tract and the same is now owned by his widow, a granddaughter of David Williamson, the previous owner. And on that place there still flows, as strong and pure as ever, the clear, cool spring from which the Williamsons drank upon taking up their residence there more than eighty years ago. The Rev. Robert Duncan Williamson, uncle of Mrs. Anderson and the biographer of the Williamson family, some years ago wrote regarding the transfer of the old Williamson homestead place in the following thoughtful vein: "While it was a matter of regret to part with a home which was endeared with so many pleasant associations, yet it is a matter for gratitude that it passed into the hands of one who was most exemplary in character and a help to the church, morally and financially. Though he did not live long to enjoy it, yet it is still in the possession of the widow and her two sons, Samuel and William, Mrs. Anderson occupying the old homestead and surroundings, and the two sons owning equal parts of the remainder. It is also a happy thought in this connection that while the farm has passed out of the Williamson name, one who is a descendant of the family and of the same name still lives on it and is a joint possessor of part of it. The wife of Samuel Anderson, one of the sons, is Nettie Williamson, the second daughter of Jonathan D. and Martha Williamson. William Anderson and his wife had twelve children, three sons and nine daughters, eleven of whom grew to maturity and in the old home there were eleven weddings and receptions, or "infares," marking the progress of this fine family of young people into homes of their own. Of those twelve, but three are now living, William P. Anderson, now living retired at Cedarville and a biographical sketch of whom, together with a comprehensive narrative relating to the Anderson family in this county, appears elsewhere in this volume; Mrs. James A. Curry, of Springfield, and Mrs. William Smart, of Santa Ana, California.
Samuel Collins Anderson was reared on the farm on which he was born and his early schooling was received in what was known as the Anderson district school, the school house being situated on his father's farm, this schooling being supplemented by a course in the old Xenia College which then was being conducted on East Church street in the city of Xenia. He was not ten years of age when his father died and, as one of the younger sons, he remained on the farm with his mother after he was grown and after his marriage in the fall of 1885 established his home there. Seven years later he gave up farming and moved to Springfield, where he became engaged in the grocery business, but after ten years of confinement in the store found his health failing. Selling his store to his brother-in-law, William Dean, he returned to the home farm, where his mother was still living, and resumed the manegement of the same. After her death in 1907 he bought the interests of the other heirs in the place and there spent the rest of his life, his death occurring there on August 26, 1914. After taking possession of the old home place Mr. Anderson remodeled the house, put on a slate roof, installed an electric-light plant and made one of the most comfortable country homes in the county. In addition to his general farming he paid considerable attention to the raising of live stock. He also was a member of the board of directors of the Greene County Mutual Insurance Association. Politically, Mr. Anderson was a Republican. In 1912 he was elected to represent this district in the state Legislature and in 1914 was nominated to succeed himself in the House, but his death occurred before the day of election. During his term of service in the House of Representatives Mr. Anderson took an especially active part in the promotion of temperance legislation and was recognized as one of the forceful members of that body. He was a member of the Second United Presbyterian church at Xenia, as is his widow, and for years served as a member of the session of that congregation.
Since the death of her husband Mrs. Anderson has continued to make her home on the old home place, the operations of the farm now being under the direction of her only son, William Wallace Anderson, who completed his studies in Cedarville College in the spring of 1918 and has chosen to continue the work on the farm inaugurated by his father. Besides the son, William Wallace, who was born on August 4, 1897, Mrs. Anderson has two daughters, Martha Maria, born on August 18, 1890, who completed her schooling in Cedarville College and is now serving as supervisor of music in the schools of New Jasper township, and Mary Lucile, who completed her schooling in Muskingum College and is now teaching domestic science in the schools of Seaman, in Adams county, this state. Mrs. Anderson was born, Martha Jeanette Williamson, in this county, December 6, 1859, fourth in order of birth of the eight children born to Jonathan Duncan and Martha Ann (McMillan) Williamson, further reference to whom, together with a comprehensive narrative relating to the Williamson family in this county, is made in a biographical sketch of her elder brother, John C. Williamson, of Xenia, presented elsewhere in this volume. She grew to womanhood on her father's farm and was there married, October 20, 1885, to Samuel Collins Anderson, the officiating clergymen being her pastor, the Rev. J. F. Morton, the Rev. J. G. Carson and her uncle, the Rev. R. D. Williamson. To her family and friends she has ever been known as "Nettie," a diminutive of Jeanette.
From History of Greene County Ohio, Its People, Industries and Institutions, vol. 2. M.A.Broadstone, editor. B.F.Bowen & Co., Indianapolis. 1918