Who is my granddaddy?

Dear Kinfolk,

The following chart will give you and idea of the life events of Henry M. and Sarah Collier Anderson:

1809     Henry M. Anderson was born on July 15, 1809, in the Louisiana Territory (Mississippi).  His parents were James Anderson and Bettie Harlan Mitchell.

1828     Henry married Sarah Collier on August 16, 1828 in Cartline, Texas.  Another research show them married in Montgomery County, Arkansas.

1850    Census shows the family in Milam & Williamson County, Texas.

1860    Census shows the family living in For Belknap, Young County, Texas.  Henry traded horses and mules to the Army.

186?    Records show Henry M. Anderson in the 6th Texas Infantry, Private, Confederate Army.  Can not verify that this is our Henry, we do know that his boys were either Texas Rangers or in the Confederate Army during the Civil War period, 1860-64.

1865   Family had gathered after the Civil War in Stephens County, Texas.  They “forted-up” at Fort Davis shortly after the Elm Creek Indian raid.

1870  Census shows Henry and Sarah living in Stephens County, Texas.

1877   Moved to Hemphill County, Texas.  Settled on Gageby Creek.

1890  Sarah Collier Anderson died on 21 August 1890 (91?)  in Zyback, Texas.

1891-2   Henry married the widow Mrs. Louisa A. Russell Calhoun.

1897   Henry M. Anderson died on February 11, 1897 in Zyback, Texas.  He was buried next to Sarah on the George Ranch.

There is a book ( which I can not find a copy,) written by Millie Jones Porter, called  Put up or Shut up.  The book tells of life in the Texas Panhandle during the period when Henry and Sarah lived on Gageby Creek in Hemphill County, Texas.  excerpts from the book were sent to me some years ago and I will share them with you.

“Henry Anderson moved from Fort Griffin and settled on Gageby (Creek).  His children were grown and married.  He and his wife (Sarah) lived in an ole-fashion log house.  Two rooms set apart and connected by a picket hall.  The old couple lived in one end of the house and an old negro servant they had raised and her two grandchildren, a girl and a boy, lived on the other end.”

“One of the Anderson sons, John (Henry) lived three miles below his father (Henry).  W.W. (William Walter) lived on Spring Creek near Mobeetie, another Al (Albert J.)  lived in La Junta, Colorado.  He came to the Panhandle about 1893, but stayed a only a short time and moved to Oklahoma (Red Moon, O.T.)  An Anderson daughter, Elizabeth, Mrs. J.J. Smith, lived on the Washita River which was not far from her father (Henry M.).”

“Grandpa (Henry M.) wanted W.W. (son William Walter) to come to take charge of things.  His negroes had left him and he needed someone.  He was 81 or 82. He was a stock man and ran horses and cattle, too.  You know, then, we never fed anything, just rode the bogs, branded the calves and tailed ’em up when they got too poor to get up by themselves.”

“Grandpa Anderson (Henry M.) died in 1895 (1897).  Mother (Louisa Calhoun) inherited the old home.  He did not own a foot of land.”

That’s it for today, got to get ready for Christmas.

Jim Lee

Dear Kinfolk,

In 1809 Thomas Jefferson was retiring and moving to his home Monticello, Virginia.  He had served two terms as President of the United States, 1801-1809.   While President he was responsible for the purchase of the vast Louisiana Territory from France.

Our great, g — grandfather Henry M. Anderson was born July 15, 1809 in the Louisiana Territory.  Research has shown both Louisiana and Mississippi as the state he was born.  They both could be correct in that parts of Mississippi were in the Louisiana Territory.  His parents were James Anderson and Sarah “Sally” Collier.

Records from the Guion/Miller Indian rolls and an affidavit from Henry’s grandson, William Henry Anderson, state …”that his grandfather, Henry Anderson,, a quarter breed Cherokee Indian who was born in 1809 in the state of Mississippi, as appears from the records taken from the family bible, and who moved from Mississippi to Montgomery County, Arkansas with his said father whom was a small boy”.  The Guion/Miller affidavits  indicate the Indian blood came from Henry’s grandmother, Bettie Harlan Mitchell.

Henry M. Anderson married Sarah Collier on August 16, 1828.  she was the daughter of Martin Collier and Mary Bell Anderson.  Their eleven children were as follows;           

James Washington Anderson, born 1829 in Arkansas.

Twins…………Mary and Prudence Anderson, born January 4, 1831, in Arkansas’

Elizabeth Anderson, born November 21, 1832 in Arkansas.

Lucinda “Cindi” Anderson, born January 11, 1834 in Arkansas.

Albert Jackson Anderson, born February 15 1836, in Arkansas.

Mitchell Harrison Anderson, born August 22 1837 in Jacksboro Texas.

John Henry Anderson, born February 15, 1839, in Jacksboro, Texas.

DeLaney Anderson, born April 11, 1841 in Jacksboro, Texas.

William Walter Anderson, born June 10, 1844, in Arkansas.

Phillip Jefferson Anderson, born January 11, 1852 in Old Zyback, Texas.

There is a family debate on what was Henry M. Anderson’s middle name.  Most family trees indicate his name was Henry Madison Anderson.   Henry and Sarah did use several Presidents names for their children (James Washington,  Albert Jackson, Mitchell Harrison, and Phillip Jefferson).  The other name choice is Henry Mitchell Anderson.  His grandmother was Bettie Harlan Mitchell, his great-grandfather was James Mitchell and Henry and Sarah named their 7th child, Mitchell Anderson.  We may not solve this puzzle until someone finds his birth certificate or other significant records with his true middle name.

I have several interesting stories about Henry that I will pass on in a future blog.  Hey cousins, if I have errors in this blog, please feel free to e-mail me and I will make changes.   To my children,  if you are trying to figure out how you are related to Henry and Sarah, here is the lineage.

Daughters Debra, Sally, Patricia……Jim L. Anderson……Orren A. Anderson……William Henry Anderson…….Albert J. Anderson…….Henry M. Anderson.

Hope everyone has a nice weekend, its cold in Oklahoma.

Jim Lee