Anderson, John-[2022]

  General Notes:

JOHN ANDERSON

Funeral services were held at 2 PM Saturday, September 28 from the Sunne Lutheran Church for John Anderson, 88, Regan pioneer resident, who died in a Bismarck hospital the Tuesday before. The Rev. Alfred J. Lewensten officiated.

The Rev. Ernest Schafer of Mr. Anderson's home community also spoke. Music was by the Erickson family. Burial was made in the Regan Cemetery.

Pallbearers were Carl Lein, Dan Reinhart, John Halvorson, Glen Oder, William Steinert, and Delbert Olson. Honorary pallbearers were William Uhde, Bert Danielson, Andrew Fisher, Matt Rasmussen, Elmer Prince, and Julius Olson.

Mr. Anderson had been in the hospital five weeks. He was born at Fort Abercrombie, Dakota Territory, on January 17, 1875, a son of Mr. and Mrs. Ole Anderson. He received his education at Fort Abercrombie and came to Wilton in 1901, working as a carpenter and coal miner prior to filing on a homestead.

After his marriage to Myrtle Raygor on May 23, 1903, in Wilton, he and his wife farmed in the Wilton area and in 1904 moved to Steiber Township where they have lived since. In 1906, Mr. Anderson established the Alta Post Office of which he was postmaster until it was discontinued.

He was a member of the Lutheran Church and Modern Woodsmen of America, was active on township and school boards, and spent his entire life in Burleigh and Richland counties.

Besides his widow, he leaves four daughters, Mr. Clarence (Ethel) Saurey, Colombia Falls, Montana, Mrs. Florence Brown, Billings, Montana, Mrs. Russell (Bessie) Nelson, Great Falls, Montana, and Mrs. Royle (June) Joley, Medford, Oregon, and three sons, Albert, Menoken, Ralph and John L., both of Regan.

He also leaves one brother Edward, Santa Cruz, California; one sister, Mrs. Annie Timreck, Ogden, Utah; five half-sisters, Mrs. Jess Skinner, Yakima, Mrs. Lillie Aune, Bismarck; Mrs. Mabel Baker, Spokane, Washington; Mrs. Alice Nelson, Washington, and Mrs. Jeanette Eigell, Spokane, Washington; two half-brothers, Walter O. Anderson, St. Paul, Minnesota, and Charles Anderson, Wahkon, Minnesota; 18 grandchildren, and 17 great-grandchildren.

The Anderson's celebrated the 60th wedding anniversary in June with all their sons and daughters being present.

Mr. Anderson was preceded in death by one brother, one sister, and three half sisters.

STEIBER PIONEERS RECALL HARDSHIPS from the Bismarck Capitol September 1, 1950

Quite often these days, Mr. and Mrs. John Anderson relax in the living room of their farm home in Steiber Township and reminisce about experiences they have had as pioneer residents of Burleigh county.

"We've had some mighty tough times, and I never thought it would turn out as good as it has for us," said Anderson as he settled back in his rocking chair and talked to a Bismarck Capital reporter. Mrs. Anderson laughingly agreed with him recalling "the time we had little but June berry pie and Juneberry sauce."

Anderson was born January 17, 1875, in a log house located five miles north of Fort Abercrombie in what was then Dakota Territory. In 1901, he came to Wilton where he found employment as a carpenter and coal miner. The next year he filed on a homestead.

In the spring of 1903, the native North Dakotan took as his bride, Myrtle Raygor. Born in Pennsylvania, she spent her girlhood in Iowa coming to Wilton in 1902. The Anderson's moved to the homestead in 1904.

Early in 1906, Anderson petitioned for and established Alta Post Office where he also operated a general store and carried mail for 12 years. He sold out to J.R. Jones in 1919.

Anderson was responsible for organizing Steiber Township having circulated the petition for its establishment. The township was named after after W.C. Steiber, one of the first ranchers in that area. Anderson was the first clerk later serving as chairman of the board for many years. Some of the first supervisors he recalls include A.N. Blexrud, J.C. Olson, Herman Wolbern, Robert Patzner, Clarence Hallum, and J.R. Jones.
In 1928, Anderson bought 80 acres, started raising cattle and dairying and later purchased the section adjoining his land. Today, he and two of his sons, Ralph and J.L. Anderson have 2,253 acres, most of which is pasture, and 125 cattle.

The Anderson's have three sons, four daughters, sixteen grandchildren, and one great grandchild.

This summer the Anderson's spent a well-earned vacation at Fairmont, Minn., where they attended a reunion of Mrs. Anderson's family. They also visited Mr. Anderson's relative in the Twin Cities, drove to Duluth, and along the North Shore drive to Little Marais. They continued on to International Falls and Winnipeg. Before returning home, they revisited Mr. Anderson's birthplace at Abercrombie.

John married Myrtle Raygor-[2023] [MRIN:648], daughter of Unknown and Unknown, on 23 May 1903 in Wilton, Mclean Co., ND. (Myrtle Raygor-[2023] was born on 3 Oct 1883 in Pennsylvania, died on 14 May 1970 in Bismarck, Burleigh Co., ND and was buried in May 1970 in Regan Cemetery, Regan, ND.)

John also married Myrtle Raygor-[2023] [MRIN:649], daughter of Unknown and Unknown. (Myrtle Raygor-[2023] was born on 3 Oct 1883 in Pennsylvania, died on 14 May 1970 in Bismarck, Burleigh Co., ND and was buried in May 1970 in Regan Cemetery, Regan, ND.)