Robert Moore Anderson (1839 - 1917)

Born 4 Aug 1839 in Oxford, Lafayette, Mississippi, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Sarah Elizabeth (Slaughter) Anderson — married 1859 (to 7 Mar 1862) in Panola, Mississippi, United States

Husband of Amanda (Slaughter) Anderson — married 1863 in Panola, Mississippi, United States

Died 17 Apr 1917 at age 77 in Mena, Polk, Arkansas, United States

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Biography

Robert was born in 1839, probably in Lafayette County MS shortly after the Chickasaw land was taken for white settlement. He was named after his father's first cousin, Robert Moore, who died about 1839 in the same county and is buried in Oxford. Robert served in the Mississippi cavalry in the war, with the rank of sergeant, including under Bedford Forrest for the last year. He was among the last of the Confederates to surrender and return home. He was a farmer and substantial citizen in Franklin County, AR, where his family moved shortly after the war. He moved in mid-life to Polk County, AR, where he served as county judge. He passed away in 1917.

The following quotation is taken from the first history published on the counties of N.W. Ark, as reproduced in Elmer Anderson's The Anderson Family (1960) (edited for clarity; note there are errors in this text):

"Robert M. Anderson, farmer and stock raiser, was born in Lafayette County, Miss., August 4, 1939. His father, William Anderson was born and reared in Tennessee. When a young man William Anderson went to Mississippi, and there married Nancy C. Smith, a native of Mississippi, who died in that State in 1854. In 1867 William Anderson left his farm in Mississippi, and corning to Arkansas located in Boston Township, Franklin County, where he lived until his death in 1874. William Anderson enlisted in the first company of cavalry which left Mississippi during the war and served until the end of the war. To himself and wife three sons and three daughters were born, all save one daughter, now deceased, being residents of Franklin Co. Robert M. Anderson passed his youth in Mississippi, and in 1861 enlisted in the First Mississippi Cavalry, in which he served until the close of the war, when the regiment was disbanded at Gainesville, Ala., May 12, 1865. He fought in a number of skirmishes, but the only battle of importance in which he participated was that of Corinth. In 1859 he was married in Mississippi to Sarah E. Slaughter, a native of Georgia, who died in 1862.

After the war Mr. Robert M. Anderson farmed in Mississippi. and in 1863 married his first wife's sister, Amanda, a native of Alabama, and daughter of Butler Slaughter. Mr. Anderson now has a family of ten children: Newton F., married; Laura, wife of William Spicer; W. Eddie; Hulett, married; Wm. Green, married; Robert Ira; Alex H.; Emma Dale; Lillie May and Idus Claud. In 1867, in company with his father's family, Mr. Anderson immigrated to Franklin County, Ark., and two years later. moved upon the farm he now owns, which he proceeded to cleear and improve. He has 160 acres, ninety being under cultivation, and his house and out-buildings are commodious and comfortable." His orchard contains 700 peach and 100 apple trees. Mr. Anderson is a prominent man in the politics of his township. In 1873 he was elected county supervisor, and the following year made justice of peace, to which position he has since been elected at different times. He has often served several terms in succession, and is now completing a second term. He has been a member of the school board a number of years, and was appointed by the Governor to represent his County in t he board of equalization. In politics he is a Democrat. He is an active member of the Free-Will Baptist church, of which his wife is also a member."

Also reproduced from The Anderson Family:

"The following is an item published in the Mena Evening Star under date of Tuesday April 17, 1917:

'Judge R. M. Anderson, one of Polk County's oldest and most honored citizens, died Monday night at 11:45 o'clock after an illness of a little less than two weeks. He was almost 78 years of age . Funeral services, conducted by the Rev. W. L. Smith, were held at the residence on Third St. at 4: 30 o'clock this afternoon, interment following at Odd Fellows Cemetery. The six sons of the deceased acted as pallbearers. R. M. Anderson was born in Lafayette Co. Miss. on August 4, 1839. He was first married in 1859 and. again iri 1863. He moved to Franklin Co., Ark. in 1867 and to Polk Co. in 1889. Mr. Anderson had ten children, the seven surviving children were all at the funeral. The surviving children are N. F. Anderson, Ada, Okla., W.E. Anderson, Mena, Ark, M.H. Anderson, Ozark , Ark., R. I. Anderson, Mena, Ark; A.H. Anderson, Mrs. T. A. Harwell, and I.C. Anderson Ringling, Qkla. The deceased served for many years as a justice of the peace in Polk County, and in 1900 was chosen as county judge, serving two terms. Since that time he has retired from public life and mostly from business activities, though always keeping in touch with the affairs of his county and country. About four months ago Judge Anderson married Mrs. Mary Frye, who survived him, and since then has made his permanent home in Mena."

Sources

• Anderson Family, by Elmer "Andy" Anderson (unpublished family genealogy) at pp. 90-104.

• Goodspeed's Franklin County, Arkansas Biographical and Historical Memoirs, Robert M. Anderson, p. 122 [1]

• Ancestry William Eugene Anderson tree, Robert Moore Anderson at[2]