Peterson Anderson Page 503-04 Peter Anderson, the well known blacksmith of Kent City, Mich., has been identified with the town since 1886, and has earned for himself the reputation of being a most excellent mechanic as well as a model citizen. He was born in Columbus, Batholomew county, Ind., April 19, 1851, and is the third in a family of two sons and two daughters, born to William H. and Mary E, (Geesee) Anderson, of which children only he and his sister, Harriet E. (wife of R. C. Palmer, of Maple Grove, Barry county), are still living. William H. Anderson, father of Peter, was born in the Netherlands, but died in Indiana when the latter was still in his infancy. The mother remarried, and, her second husband being a blacksmith, the subject of this sketch was early inducted into the business, or, as he remarks, "He went to work in the shop as soon as he was tall enough to stand in front of an anvil." When he had attained his majority he left his step-father and began the battle of life on his own account, but did not have $5 in his possession, although he had become a perfect master of his trade. Since then his life has been spent in Michigan. March 16, 1876, Mr. Anderson married Miss Sibyl L. Palmer, a native of Barry county, Mich., and to this union have been born two sons and three daughters, of whom the following named four still survive: Maudie Belle, wife of Harry S. Powers, general agent for the Osborne Reaper company at Kent City; Fannie E., who completed the seventh grade in school and received instruction in music, and in May, 1899, was married to Ray Dunning, a farmer of Tyrone township, but now city dairyman of Sparta, and son of C. R. Dunning, whose sketch appears on another page; Lester O., who also passed through the seventh grade, and is now assisting his father, and Tina, at home. Mrs. Sibyl L. Anderson was born June 19, 2858, and received a sound common-school education. When Peter Anderson settled in Kent City he began business in a rented shop, as he had had the misfortune of losing, while a resident of McBrtide’s, Montcalm county, his shop, tools and stock, involving a loss of $1,200, by a conflagration. Besides this, he had been too kind to his friends by going security, paying losses to the amount of $400. But he was not discouraged, and began again at the foot of the hill to climb to his present enviable position. On starting in Kent City he had a few tools and about $30 worth of stock, and after purchasing some provisions and other requisites for his family had $.50 left in cash. He has been energetic and thrifty, however, and today owns one of the best equipped and neatest blacksmith shops in the county of Kent. The workshop is 36x24 feet in dimensions and contains two excellent brick forges, and his residence is his own, and not a dollar of indebtedness stands against his dwelling, his shop, or his stock and tools. Mr. Anderson is a republican in politics and cast his first presidential vote for U. S. Grant. He is an ardent friend of the free schools and has served as a member of the Kent City school board seven years, and still serving as such. As an Odd Fellow he has passed all the chairs and is now a member of lodge No. 380, at Kent City. Socially he is respected and honored, a distinction which every self-made man assuredly deserves.

Contributor: Barb Jones
Created: 16 February 2007