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ANDERSON, GEORGE W., a retired engineer living at Springfield, Ill., is a veteran of the Civil War and a well-known and highly respected citizen of the city. He was born near Salem, Marion County, Ill., November 7, 1835, son of Crittenden and Elizabeth (Breeze) Anderson, the father born in Scotland and the mother in Hanover, Germany. Crittenden Anderson was a cabinet maker and followed this Anderson was a cabinet maker and followed this trade most of his life. He came to America as a young man and settled at Bowling Green, Ky., where he lived many years, then moved to Salem, Ill., where his remaining years were spent. His wife also died at Salem.

The paternal grandfather of Crittenden Anderson came to America from Scotland before the Revolution, served as a soldier in the Continental Army, and at the close of the struggle returned to Scotland for his family. He lived to be one hundred ten years of age and the father of Crittenden Anderson lived to the age of eighty-five years.

George W. Anderson received a meager education in a little log school house near his birthplace, which he attended about three months altogether, and as both his parents died when he was small he had his own way to make early in life. He went to Vermont as a boy and found employment in a large mill there, where he learned to be a stationary engineer, and was working at that occupation when but fifteen years old. After remaining in Vermont about four years Mr. Anderson moved to Chicago, Ill., where he became employed as engineer on a construction train for the Illinois Central Railroad Company. He remained with this company until the war, when he enlisted for one hundred days in Company C, Eleventh Illinois Volunteer Infantry. At the expiration of his term of service he re-enlisted in the same company, which was later consolidated with Company C, Eleventh Missouri regiment. He served three years and three months and was mustered out at Jefferson City, Mo. He participated in many important battles, among them: Chickamauga, Corinth, Fort Donelson, Jackson (Miss.), Atlanta, and many others. He served under General Lew Wallace and Colonel Ransom. He won a good record and is an influential member of Wallace Post G.A.R., of Centralia, Ill.

Mr. Anderson moved to Centralia at the close of the war and re-entered the employ of the Illinois Central Railroad Company as engineer, working in this capacity until 1879, when he located in Springfield. He did no work for about a year after coming to the city, but later took a position with the Barker Mine Car & Foundry Company, as engineer, and worked for them fifteen years, after which he run a dummy engine for the old Springfield Street Car Company. For the past few years Mr. Anderson has retired from more active life, but is now employed as janitor for the Kumler Methodist Church and one of its most valued workers. Fraternally he belongs to Egyptian Lodge No. 102, A.F. & A.M., of Centralia, and Metropolitan Lodge No. 108, I.O.O.F. of Centralia. He has made many friends in Springfield and has been able to accumulate some property. He resides at 435 North Fourth Street.

Mr. Anderson was married (first) in Marion County, Ill., in May, 1857, to Miss Mary Hughey, a native of Dublin, Ireland, who accompanied her parents to America and with them located at Boston, Mass., where she became a teacher in the higher grades of the public schools. She was a woman of high education and rare culture and very successful as an educator. Three sons and three daughters were born of this union, of whom bu two survive: Otto, an electrician of Springfield, and Margaret, wife of James Lowe, a brick mason and contractor of St. Louis. The mother of these children died in Centralia, in 1875, and Mr. Anderson married (second), in Centralia, Miss Emma J. Keane, a native of Indiana, who died in 1895. Mr. Anderson married (third), in Springfield, Margaret Fowkes, a connection of the Ridley family, and early settlers in Sangamon County, Ill., where she was born, August 11, 1845, near the village of Sherman. Her grandfather served in the War of 1812 and her father was a soldier in the Civil War, enlisting at Winterset, Iowa, in Company F, Fourth Iowa Volunteer Infantry. The latter was wounded and discharged before the end of the war. Mrs. Anderson also had an uncle who served in the war. Her father was one of the old settlers of Sangamon County and a prominent citizen. Five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren have been born to Mr. Anderson