My Genealogy Hound

WILLIAM ANDERSON, editor, Wilkinsburg was born in Moon township, March 6, 1828’ His ancestors removed about A. D. 1700 from Scotland to County Down, Ireland, where his great-grandfather, William, was born in 1722. William’s son, Andrew, was a manufacturer of and dealer in linen cloth, and owned a small farm, whereon he lived, and died in 1821. He married Elizabeth Glass and became the father of eleven children. The sixth of these, William, born in 1784, married Margaret Hadden, who bore him two children, and died of consumption, the younger child soon following. The other Mary Ann (Cornelius), came with her father from Ballykelly to America in 1816. They were three weeks traveling from Baltimore to Pittsburgh by wagon. William Anderson settled on a farm in Moon township, and married Nancy Arnold, a native of the same locality as himself. They had eight children of whom William Anderson, our subject, is the fourth and only son. In 1839 the family moved to Allegheny City, where the father died in 1858. He was a democrat, and an active worker in the Washingtonian temperance movement, also in the Associate Reformed (now the United Presbyterian) Church. Nancy Anderson died in 1842, aged forty-nine years.

When twelve years old the subject of this sketch was employed as roller-boy in the office of the Conference Journal, and two years later went into the Gazette office, where he remained seven years. He was employed as compositor on the Christian Advocate and other papers, and again on the Gazette. After twelve years at the case he began reporting on the Gazette. He was on the writing staff of the Daily Union and True Press, and returned to the Gazette as reporter, and then became city editor. After reporting a year for the Dispatch he took the position of city editor on the Commercial in 1867, and so continued until its consolidation with the Gazette in 1877. After doing special work for a year he was employed as editor-in-chief, which position he now holds. For several years he was part owner of the Gazette job-office He built a residence in 1866 at Edgewood, and in 1883 erected his present residence in Wilkinsburg. The family is identified with the Presbyterian Church. Mr. Anderson has been twice married, the first time in 1850, the bride being Malazena, daughter of Robert Wallace, Esq., of Lawrenceville, where she was born. She died in 1877, aged forty-three years the mother of eight children, all of whom reside within a mile of the parental home. Their names are William Wallace, Ada (Mrs. R. W. Haven), James B., Edwin C., Anna Cora (wife of B. F. Haven), Joseph Kerr, Jennie Glass and Grace Woods. The last two and Edwin are at home. Mr. Anderson’s second wife is Caroline A., daughter of John Nimon, deceased.