Bios: MOSES C. ALEXANDER: Lawrence County, Pennsylvania

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  Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Lawrence Co transcribers.
  Coordinated by Ed McClelland

  Copyright 2004.  All rights reserved.
  http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
  
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  Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens
  Lawrence County Pennsylvania
  Biographical Publishing Company, Buffalo, N.Y., 1897
  
  An html version with search engine may be found at 
  
  http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/lawrence/1897/
  
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    ALEXANDER ANDERSON.
    
    [p. 349] The elderly gentleman just named is one of Pulaski's prominent
  citizens, and leading farmers; he is in affluent circumstances, a result he
  secured by hard work and excellent foresight. He was born Sept. 21, 1822, and
  was a son of William and Jane (Dunbar) Anderson, who were both born in County
  Down, Ireland, coming to this country with their respective parents in youth.
    
    John Anderson, the grandfather of our honored subject, "crossed the pond"
  about 1789, and after living a number of years in Westmoreland County, came
  to Pulaski township, Lawrence County, in 1799, and purchased the farm, a part
  of which is now the property of his grandson. The land, a tract of three
  hundred acres, was in its primeval state of wilderness, and he cleared about
  a third of it. He was a weaver by trade, and worked at that occupation a
  number of years after coming to this country. The family consisted of these
  members: William; John; James; Thomas; Mary (Walker); Eleanor (Ward); and
  Isabella. They were reared to reverence and adhere to the doctrines of the
  Presbvterian Church.
    
    William Anderson, the eldest son, attended the district school, and on the
  parental farm engaged in farming, an occupation he never relinquished. As a
  voter he was loyal to the Whigs until the slavery question had precipitated
  the Abolitionist party, when he joined the ranks of the latter organization,
  and thereafter did what he could to bring to a head the agitation on the
  subject. However, he was, not permitted to see Columbia free from the taint
  of slavery, for he died at the age of sixty-six, some nine years before Ft.
  Sumter was fired upon. He married and became the father of ten children, six
  of whom lived to rear families. Elizabeth married F. J. Morrison of Pulaski
  township, and their children were: Hannah, William F., Albert, and David E.
  Isabella became the wife of James McGaughey of Pulaski township, and bore her
  husband five children: Rebecca, Maria J., Harriet A., William D., and Frank.
  Mary A. wedded John Sample of Lawrence Co., Pa., and now lives in Aledo,
  Ill., and their family comprised: Alvin, William, and Jane. Ellen married
  James Sherriff, and both are now deceased. Alexander, the subject of this
  sketch, was the fifth child. Nancy was the sixth child, and she became the
  life companion and wife of Isaac Book of Mahoning township, bearing him two
  children, Hannah and Alver, deceased. Newell, deceased, was the seventh of
  the family, and the remaining four died in infancy. The truths of the Gospel,
  as presented by the Presbyterian Church, were inculcated into their education,
  and became parts of their daily life. In 1865, Mrs. Anderson, our subject's
  mother, passed away, having completed four score years.
    
    Alexander Anderson went to school, and having received a good common school
  training, in which he had labored as well as he knew how, taught school
  himself for a matter of four terms. He then applied himself to agricultural
  pursuits, and he has always lived on the parental estate, where he has
  succeeded fairly well in his mode of life. Politically, he is a Republican,
  and being high in the regard and confidence of his fellow-townsmen has held
  not a few of the township offices. He has been twice married, the first union
  in 1852 being with Lavina McBride, daughter of James M. McBride of Pulaski
  township; she bore him four children: Laura, deceased; Addie; Charles, who
  married Lillie B. Leslie of New Castle, and has in his familyRobert A.,
  Helen, Raymond, and Christine; Melva, the youngest child, married Alexander
  A. Anderson of Mercer Co., Pa., and they have two sons, Clarence and Newell.
  The second matrimonial aliance was with Nancy Geddes of Pulaski township, and
  by this union there is one child living, Margaret Elizabeth, and two that died
  in infancy. In church preferences the family still adheres to the United
  Presbyterian Church. Mr. Anderson has profited by the years he has devoted to
  the pursuits of agriculture, and he has developed into a man of broad ideas,
  who is thoroughly informed on all points touching or relating in the remotest
  fashion to his business. He has a good standing in the community as a man who
  has never failed to pay his honest debts, and his private and public life
  elicits the full admiration of those with whom he comes in contact. His
  advanced years do not prevent him from mingling with younger men in the
  active fields of business, nor from taking an intelligent interest in matters
  of moment to the township, county, state or the country at large. He is
  certainly such a citizen of whom any country would be proud, and Lawrence
  County is fortunate in being able to include him among her number of
  representative and leading men.