THEODORE THOMPSON ANDERSON.

THEODORE THOMPSON ANDERSON, whose residence in Allen County dates from the pioneer settlement of the county and whose personality is among the best known of all her citizens, was born at Ripley, Ohio, August 15, 1844. His father, Levi V. Anderson, died in Brown County, Ohio, in 1849. The latter was a son of John Anderson, an old Scotch school teacher who lived to an advanced age and died in Linn County, Missouri, in 1867. He was a most pronounced Abolitionist and was ordered to leave Missouri by Rebel sympathizers, as a rebuke for his attitude, but he took down his rifle and defied the "Secesh" element. He was married to Mary Van Camp. Their children were: Levi V., our subject's father, who died of smallpox; John, who served in the Civil war with a Missouri regiment, and one other.

Levi V. Anderson married Caroline, a daughter of George T. and Hannah (Middleswart) Reynolds. George Reynolds is a Pennsylvanian and is buried on the hill north of Iola, near the Robinson home. The Anderson children were: Mary J., who married M. F. Warner and is buried at Iola; Theodore T.; Lavina A., wife of John McDonald, of Iola; George T., of Baxter Springs, Kansas. Caroline Anderson removed from Ohio to Livingston County, Illinois, with her family and while there she married our well remembered pioneer, Lyman E. Rhoades. Their only child was Rhoda, deceased, wife of the late Lafe McCarley.

Lyman Rhoades was born in Ohio and died in Iola in 1892 at the age of seventy-five years. He had two children by his first marriage and was a

father to the children orphaned by the death of Levi Anderson. In coming to Kansas he put into execution a desire to locate in the west and he started overland on the journey hither in 1855. He meandered across the State of Missouri and stopped in Barton County where he raised a crop in the year 1856. The next spring he drove over into Kansas on a tour of inspection and decided to locate in Allen County. He brought his family immediately and located on the claim where the Iola mineral well is, in 1857. He was a prominent factor in the preliminary steps leading up to the organization of the town and remained one of its substantial and influential citizens for many years. Rhoades' Addition to Iola was laid out by him, the tract where the Northrup homestead is located was once his property. His last residence was on Sycamore Street just north of the city limits. As a genuine man he was one to be remembered. His nature was in full sympathy for the needy and distressed and the testimony of the worthy poor of Iola would be to the effect that he divided his substance with them and kept them from want. He served Iola as Justice of the Peace and was one of the prominent local Republicans hereabout.

T. T. Anderson got a smattering of an education attending a subscription school in Iola. Joel L. Jones was one of the first teachers to visit Iola, and he kept school in a rude building prepared for that purpose and situated on the Delap farm, northeast of town. Mr. Anderson also attended school in Iola's first school house, on lot 7, block 72. In 1860 he went back to Illinois on a visit and while there the war broke out and he decided to enter the Union army. In 1862 he joined the Third Illinois Cavalry. He joined his regiment at Helena, Arkansas, and took part in the Mississippi campaign. His first fight was at Chickasaw Bluffs and the number of engagements before the surrender of Vicksburg, in which he participated were twenty-two. The Third cavalry was ordered to aid in the reduction of Arkansas Post, after which it went south to New Orleans, taking part in the battle of Port Hudson. A considerable force of Union troops was sent to Texas in 1863 and Mr. Anderson's was one of the regiments to go. After a few exploits in the west the regiment, with others, went into Tennessee and was engaged in the battles of Franklin and Nashville. It remained in that vicinity the residue of Mr. Anderson's term of enlistment. He was discharged at St. Louis, Missouri, after serving two years, ten months and eleven days.

When he left the army Mr. Anderson returned to Illinois, and without much delay came back to Allen County, Kansas. He purchased a farm on Elm Creek which he was deprived of, some time later, through the "security channel." Being much reduced in circumstances he brought his family to Iola and for many years has maintained his residence here.

For years Mr. Anderson held clerkships with some of Iola's leading merchants and his service was always marked for its faithfulness. His connection with the Ancient Order of United Workman in Iola has brought him conspicuously into the public view and if there is a youth in Iola who does not know him it would he a new-comer indeed.

In 1865 Mr. Anderson was married in Livingston County, Illinois, to

Nancy M. DeMoss, a daughter of John and Mary DeMoss. She died in 1867 and in 1871 Mr. Anderson was married in Iola to Cinderella M., a daughter of William and Adah Green, of Huron County, Ohio. Two daughters were the fruits of this union: Carrie Estella and Pearl Adell. Carrie E. died in the eighth year of her age. Miss Pearl, with the Iola Racket, is the only living heir of this union.

Our subject became a Republican when a boy and cast his first vote for the party in 1868. He is proud of the fact that he never voted for but one Democrat in his life. In the fraternal world he is one of the charter members of Iola lodge No. 98, A. O. U. W., of which he has been Financier many years.

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