Henry L. Anderson

HENRY L. ANDERSON, a lawyer at LaCrosse, is a veteran of his profession and an old resident of Rush County, where he arrived in June, 1886. He has seen and participated in much of the making of history in this part of the state, in material affairs as well as in politics.

Mr. Anderson spent his early life and gained his education in Eastern Ohio. He was born near Bellaire, Belmont County, Ohio, March 18, 1853. His father, John D. Anderson, was born in County Antrim, Ireland, in 1811, and came to the United States before he was of age, locating in Belmont County, Ohio. He worked at his trade as carpenter and farmed in that vicinity until his death in March, 1858. In Belmont County he married Lucinda Brown. Her father was Andrew Brown, of Greene County, Pennsylvania, who married a Miss Roseberry, a lineal descendant of the titled Roseberry family of England. Mrs. Lucinda Anderson died in October, 1892. Henry L. was the youngest of her children. The others were: James F., who resides at Bellaire and is a veteran soldier of the Civil war; Andrew B., who, was also a Union soldier and died in the war; Amanda F., who died in childhood; Malvina L., now a resident of LaCrosse, Kansas; Jane S., who married George A. McAdama, came to Kansas in 1869, and subsequently moved to Allen County in this state, where she died near Bayard, leaving a family of nine children; and John N., an educator living at Bellaire, Ohio.

Henry L. Anderson spent his boyhood days in Eastern Ohio. His work in the common schools was so thorough as to prepare him for teaching, and later for three years he attended college at Hopedale, Ohio. He paid his way through college by teaching in the public schools. Eventually he determined to become a lawyer, and for two years read law with his brother James F. Anderson and also with Lorenzo Danford, an ex-congressman.

Mr. Anderson arrived in Kansas February 13, 1886, and until June was a resident of Hamilton County. There he bought an interest in a real estate firm at Kendall, which had been made the county seat. While there he participated in one of the hardest county seat fights known to Kansas. He saw the future of Kendall vanish as a result of the settlement of that dispute, and after selling his business he abandoned the locality and in June, 1886, arrived in LaCrosse. Since then for over thirty years he has been engaged in the law and an active factor in municipal affairs. At LaCrosse he resumed the real estate business and read law under Sam Jones. Mr. Anderson was admitted to the bar in November, 1887, in open court before Judge J. S. Osborn. The examining committee consisted of G. Polk Cline, Sam Jones and David Rathbone. Immediately after his admission he began practice, and in 1888 formed a partnership with Judge J. E. Andrews. Their associations continued until 1893.

Mr. Anderson was for eight years county attorney of Rush County. He first took the duties of that office in 1893, was re-elected two years later, and in 1896 was defeated. In 1898 he was again elected and served his fourth term, beginning in 1904. In all these terms he used his office as a means to insure law and order and the enforcement of law, and was especially prominent in securing a rigid enforcement of the prohibitory law when that became the emphatic policy of the state in the administration of Governor Stubbs. Since retiring from office Mr. Anderson has resumed private practice, and has also given much attention to farming and grain raising.

He has the distinction of having been elected the second mayor of LaCrosse. During his term the question of a city hall was violently agitated as a means of prolonging the boom life of the city. The effort failed. In politics Mr. Anderson has always been a republican. In former days he frequented party conventions, being in many state conventions and helping nominate Governor L. U. Humphrey, Governor E. N. Morrill, and "Farmer" Smith. He was in the noted Dodge City convention which nominated Jim Hallowell. He has been chairman of the Rush County Central Committee, and by virtue of that office has served on the State Central Committee.

Mr. Anderson came to Kansas alone, and in 1893 was joined here by a sister, Miss Malvina L. Anderson. They established a home and Miss Anderson continues a resident of LaCrosse, and has given much of her time and effort in behalf of church and Sabbath school work with the United Presbyterian denomination.

In Hodgeman County November 28, 1902, Mr. Anderson married Miss Clara M. Prestage, of Jetmore, Kansas, daughter of B. H. and Susan A. (Seigler) Prestage. Her father was born in New York State, lived in Wisconsin for several years, and on coming to Kansas in 1885 located in Hodgeman County, where he was a farmer and merchant. Mrs. Anderson has a sister, Mrs. W. J. Caster, of Garden City.