William M. Anderson
Surnames: ANDERSON, McCOWAN, FARMER, BLACKWELL, CLARK, WEATHERS, GARDNER, WAITS, GRISHAM, MARSHALL, JACKSONWilliam M. Anderson, b October 31, 1846 in Kentucky, d July 14, 1919 at Durango, Falls County, Texas and buried in Blevins Cemetery--was a son of John Anderson, b 1820 in Kentucky, d November 15, 1880 in Falls County, and also buried in Blevins Cemetery. In 1869, in Hunt County, Texas, William M. Anderson was married to Jemima Farmer, b March 11, 1851 in Red River County, Texas, d March 12, 1945 at Durango and buried in Blevins Cemetery--a daughter of Thomas and Sarah (McCowan) Farmer, of Alabama.
In 1873, in a covered wagon drawn by three mules and one horse, William and Jemima with two children, came to Durango where her brother Thomas C. Farmer, and the Warren Blackwell family (her sister's family), had settled. Here, they exchanged the mules and horse for 28 acres of timber land along Deer Creek. The Anderson family lived in a tent for ten months, during which time, William cut timber, grubbed stumps, and planted some corn and cotton on the land which was formerly owned by Joseph Jackson. He used brush fences, before barbed wire fences were used.
William finally finished building their home, and in six years, he had saved enough money to buy a sewing machine, and the family were able to have biscuits on Sunday, instead of cornbread every meal everyday.
In 1878, a hail storm in May wiped out the corn, cotton, and oats; and in 1887, there was a drought. William had to move his stock to a branch near Cego, where they camped for two months onthe Charles Clark place.
Jemima spun her wool thread for knitting sock and stockings--dying the thread with copperas or pecan bark. At first, the children attended school in a neighbors house; then the men built a brush arbor adjoining the house, for the warm weather classes. They were eight pupils who used wooden boxes for desks. Later, the children rode five miles in a cart to the Durango school, caring their lunches and food for the horse. In 1899, William served as a Falls County Commissioner.
On May the 30th, 1892, a tornado riped through Durango, killing Jemima's eleven year old niece, Bessie--daughter of Thomas C. and Mary Louise Farmer, and also killing Mr. and Mrs. Tom Weathers an dthere two children.
William M. and Jemima (Farmer) Anderson had eleven children, but only eight of these had been identified;
John Thomas Anderson, b July 6, 1870 in Hunt County, Texas, d August 8, 1897 and buried in Blevins Cemetery--married Maude (maiden name unknown).
Mary Anderson, b October 13, 1873, d June 1, 1947--married Arthur June Gardner, b January 13, 1872, d June 14, 1944 at Durango, and buried in Union Cemetery.
Edgar Anderson, b February 29, 1876 in Durango, d January 5, 1895, and buried in Blevins Cemetery.
Infant daughter Anderson, b May 20, 1885, d May 24, 1885 and buried in Belvins Cemetery.
Harriet L. Anderson (called "Hattie"), b September 30, 1887 d December 14, 1963--married Joe M. J. Waits, b January 4, 1882, d May 6, 1936 in Durango and buried in Union Cemetery.
Gillis C. Anderson, b February 7, 1890, d June 6, 1968 and buried in Clover Hill Cemetery in Lott, Texas--married Lucy E. Grisham, b April 29, 1891, d November 17, 1966 and buried in Clover Hill Cemetery in Lott.
Lois B. Anderson, b ca 1892--married R. S. Marshall of Marlin, Texas.
Captian Charles Anderson, b 1894--was a veteran of World War I, and lived in San Antonio, Texas in 1838.
"Aunt" Jemima Anderson--as she was known in Durango--lived through the hardships and crisis of true pioneer woman, but she never lost her Christian faith and her service in the Methodist Church, where she taught a primary Sunday School Class until she could not see or hear very well. Her long life spanned ninety-seven years.
Some biographies from "Families of Falls County", compiled and edited by the Falls County Historical Commission.
Permission granted to Theresa Carhart by the Falls County Historical Commission, for use on this page.
