1999 Heart and History

Anderson Family

Daniel Anderson was one of the four people I found listed in the Federal Census of 1850 in Holmes County who named Scotland as his place of birth. According to the information I found, Daniel came to America and his father, Angus Anderson, when he was only three years old. At the time the Census was taken, Daniel was 55 years old. That would place his date of birth around 1795. Daniel married Mary Elizabeth McLane and moved to Florida while the region was still a territory. The reared a family of eight, five boys and three girls. The Census of 1850 listed only six children in the family. Evidently, the two oldest sons were already on their own. The eight children were: Norman, Roderick L, Flora, Angus L, Maudy, Nancy, Archibald and Daniel.

Norman, the oldest son, first married Sarah McCallum. There were two children: a daughter, Annie Belle, who married Jim Booth and a son, Thomas, who was killed by a horse.

Roderick L, the second son, married Margaret Elizabeth Ervin. There were five children: Daniel, Archibald, Amanda Josephine, Catherine Camilla and Angus Lane.

Angus L, the third son, married Sarah C Broxson. There were 10 children: Daniel, Laura, Ann, George Thomas, Angus Lane, Mary, John Roderick, William Robert, Sarah Elizabeth, Ruth Jane, and Laura J.

Archibald, the fourth son, married Mary Morgan. They were the parents of four: Roderick Morgan, Johnnie Ernest, Effie Valerie, and Cary Iris.

Flora, the oldest daughter, married William McRae. There were three children: Lizzie, who died in infancy, Mary Ann and John, who were both deaf mutes.

Maudy, the second daughter, was never married.

Nancy, the third daughter, married Daniel Neel. There were no children.

The name "Daniel" was very popular in the Anderson family. I heard a preacher tell a joke about calling on Daniel Anderson to lead in prayer at an association. About a dozen started to pray. Then he specified the older Daniel Anderson. Still, several began praying.

Of course, not all the descendants of pioneer Daniel Anderson settled in Holmes County, but some of them did. I will list only two of the third generation’s families to show the impact that one pioneer can have on the population and life of an unpopulated area.

A grandson known as Preacher Dan Anderson married Mary Elizabeth Pittman, the daughter of Washington (Wash) Pittman, who settled in the Hurricane Creek Community. This union produced 11 children: George Washington, Sarah Susanne, Mary Elizabeth (Mollie), Angus Lafayette (Fate), Daniel Oscar, Laura Ledonia (Dona), Thomas Jefferson (Tommy), Flora Catherine (Kate), Agnes Myrtle, Lillie Mae and Gladys Etna.

George Washington married Palestine Monk. There were seven children.

Sarah Susanne married John W Hobbs, and there were seven children born to them.

Mary Elizabeth (Mollie) married Charles F Ray and they had only one child.

Angus Lafayette (Fate) never married.

Daniel Oscar, the next son, married Esther Gill. There were three children.

Laura Ledonia (Dona) married Henry Redden Hobbs. This fine family settled in the Leonia Community. There were three children. I had the pleasure of teaching all three of them.

Thomas Jefferson (Tommy) married Claudia Elizabeth Davis. Tommy and Claudia parented four children. Tommy was a teacher. I once had him for an instructor. He and his wife spent their latter years in Pensacola. Tommy is given credit for collecting the information on the Beginnings of the Anderson family in America. Thomas J was born Jan 20, 1898, and died on Mar 19, 1971. His wife, Claudia, was born Feb 28 102, and died on Oct 27, 1976. They were buried in Pensacola.

Flora C (Kate), the eighth child, married H G Monk. One child was born to this union.

Agnes Myrtle, the ninth child, married Louie Gill. There were two children born to this couple.

Lillie Mae, the 10th child, married Homer Grant. Their marriage produced three children.

Gladys Etna was the 11th child. No information was given on Gladys E other than that she was deceased at the time the Anderson family history was written in 1977.

Mary Anderson, a granddaughter of pioneer Daniel Anderson and a sister to Preacher Dan Anderson, married George Padgett, a brother to my father. Seven children were born of this marriage: Sarah Alice, George Lee, Mary Abbie, Angus Walker, Laura M, Charity May, and Marcus M. Only three of the seven children produced any offspring, but in 1977, there were 65 descendants of George and Mary Anderson Padgett listed.

From the grandson of pioneer Daniel Anderson and his wife, Preacher Dan and his wife Mary, there were 162 descendants. From the two grandchildren, Mary and her brother Dan, there was a total of 327 descendants.

When we consider that these statistics were gathered in 1973, and that there were many grandchildren of pioneer Dan and his wife, Mary, the total number of their descendants in America today would be mind boggling. The great-great-great-great-grandchildren of pioneer Daniel and Mary would be eighth generation Americans.

I am using the Anderson family as an example. I will not give as much genealogical information about other pioneer families for two very good reasons. I don’t have family histories for all pioneer families and there is not enough space.

The Anderson family contributed much to the growth of Holmes County in the early days.

I am assuming that Anderson’s Mills Post Office was named for this pioneer and that he was the owner of a mill or mills. Mills were scarce in the early days.

Anderson’s Mill, the fourth post office established in Holmes County, was opened on June 6, 1854, and closed in 1858. The first postmaster was Angus L Anderson, the third son of Daniel Anderson.

Excerpts used with permission of publisher, Sue Cronkite, from Heart and History of Holmes County, by Anna Paget Wells. This 347-page book is full of info, stories, and pictures. It can be ordered from the Holmes County Advertiser, 112 E Virginia Avenue, Bonifay, FL 32425; phone 850-547-2270.