Edward F. Anderson was born on February 17, 1 851, in Union County, Georgia, being the son of Andy and Adaline (Dicken) Anderson, natives of Tennessee. They removed to Union County, Georgia, thence to Benton County, Arkansas, and in 1862 to Dade County, Missouri. In August, 1863, Mr. Anderson enlisted in Company F, Second Arkansas Cavalry, and continued in service until the close of the war. He fought in many battles and skirmishes. When he left Arkansas he had a fine farm well improved and stocked. Returning at the close of the war, he found all improvements destroyed and all stock stolen. Our subject grew to manhood in Arkansas and there, on April 10, 1871 , he married Miss Emma Bozarth. In 1877 the father with all of his family, three sons and one daughter married, started across the plains with teams. They all, with the exception of our subject, who stopped at Walla Walla, came direct to Latah, Washington.
A year later our subject came to Latah, took land and farmed. He had five children by his first wife: John Oliver, married to Cora Wright: Clarence H. married to Grace L. Denny; Benton A., married to Grace B. Haggett: Minnie, wife of Robert Dunham: Emma L., at home. All the others are near Nezperce. On April 13, 1886, Mrs. Anderson died. In the fall of 1887 Mr. Anderson returned to Arkansas and married Mrs. Keturah Cox, on March 25, 1888. They immediately came to Latah County, and in 1894 removed to Camas prairie and when the reservation opened up Mr. Anderson located his present place, six miles west from Nezperce. He was one of the first settlers and now has a fine place well improved. Good buildings, a thrifty young orchard and other evidences of industry and good management are to be seen. To Mr. and Mrs. Anderson have been born seven children: Francis A., Zoe. Irene, Edna F., Ethel V., Edward L., Thomas A., deceased. Mrs. Anderson has one son by her former marriage, Charles H. Cox. Mrs. Anderson’s parents were Hathaway and Nancy (Hawkins) Masterson, natives of Kentucky, who are mentioned. elsewhere in this work.
Mr. and Mrs. Anderson are devout members of the Christian church. His father died at Tekoa, Washington, in August, 1900, aged seventy-seven and the mother aged the same is living with her children.
The father was a member of the G. A. R., and was buried by that order. He was also an elder in the Christian church for many years. Mrs. Anderson’s mother is a sister of Senator Hawkins, of Alabama, from which family the town of Hawkinsville, Alabama, was named. Mrs. Anderson was born in Benton County, Arkansas, on October 27, 1866, and there remained until her marriage. Mr. and Mrs. Anderson are exemplary citizens and have the esteem and good will of all who know them and have done much for the material and moral up building of the country.
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Source: An Illustrated History of Northern Idaho, Embracing Nez Perce, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone Counties, Western Historical Publishing Company, 1903