Continuing the biographical sketches of my ancestors who served in or were greatly affected by the American Civil War, this story is about William Joseph Anderson who was the father of Caroline Jane Anderson, my maternal grandmother. In the late 1700s and early 1800s all my known ancestors were born in the southern colonies (later states) and those which were adjacent to the Ohio River; none were from New England or the "Deep South". Almost all of my ancestors were supporters of the Union, but Wm. J. Anderson, a Virginian, fought for the Confederacy.
The records in the 1600s are not perfect, but it is likely that Lawrence Anderson left Scotland in about 1671 at the age of 20 and landed in Maryland, as a servant to Captain William Bomman. Lawrence was probably indentured to pay for his transportation, and by 1702 he is on the tax list. It is probable that by 1680 he was married (wife Mary) and they had at least one child, Lawrence Anderson II. This Lawrence Anderson II married and had at least one child - Lawrence Anderson III who was born about 1700 and moved to Virginia by 1738. From here on the records are more complete: Lawrence Anderson III married May Kirkpatrick and they had 8 children some of whom stayed in Virginia and one moved to South Carolina and some to Kentucky. Their oldest son James Anderson was born in 1726 in Virginia and lived there all his life. He became a successful farmer and married Margaret Fogg; they had 15 children which was a large family even in those days. Some of his land holdings included 400 acres on either side of Soke Arse Creek (now called Bonbrook Creek). One of James and Margaret's sons was George Anderson who also lived his entire life (1750 - 1816) in Virginia. George was a successful farmer and also owned a tavern. In 1778 he was cited for serving liquor without a license and was called before a grand jury and was then dismissed. No reason was cited but it is likely that some of the jurors were his customers. In 1783 to increase his land holdings he bought 100 acres more along Soke Arse Creek. He married Jenny Bradley and they had 7 children. One of their children was Chesley Anderson who became the father of William Joseph Anderson.
Chesley Anderson was the youngest son of George and Jenny, born about 1790. His older brothers were off on their own and Chesley stayed at home, and when his father died in 1816 he became the manager of the family plantation. In 1820 he married Nancy Dowdy and tragically she died in 1823 in the birth of their first child (Mary Anne Virginia Anderson). In 1825 Chesley's mother died and in 1826 he married Jane Wyatt Jenkins. He and Jane had 7 children, and their 2 youngest were their sons William Joseph Anderson (born in 1837) and John Burleigh Anderson (1839).
In about 1840 Chesley moved his family from the plantation in Cumberland County, where he had lived since his birth, to Manchester in Chesterfield County, Virginia. Manchester is now within the city limits of Richmond. There were probably good reasons for moving to the more urban location; by selling the plantation he could afford to retire at age 50, and still support his family, and his health was probably failing because he died in 1844. The census data from 1850 and 1860 is revealing. In 1850 in Manchester there are 2 dwellings side by side; in dwelling 242 are James Donnelly (head of household, no occupation listed but real estate worth $700), Jane age 40, James age 4, and Mary age 2 months. In dwelling 243 are George Anderson age 16, Lewis Anderson age 14, Joseph Anderson age 12, and Burley Anderson age 11. In the 1860 census the two dwellings have been merged. James Donnelly age 50 (head of household, trader, illiterate, real estate worth $5000 and personal estate $500), J.W. (female age 50), W.J. (male age 22, gentleman), Burley (male age 21, gentleman), J.K. Donnelly (male age 14), and M. (female age 10).
It is clear that Chesley Anderson died in 1844, and his widow Jane Wyatt Anderson married James Donnelly in 1845, and had a son James born in 1846 and a daughter born in 1850. James Donnelly is an interesting character, probably born in Ireland and made a living as a trader and although he was illiterate he evidently bought and sold profitably. Did he marry a wealthy widow for the money? In the 1850 census he is not wealthy, but by 1860 his wealth has increased greatly. He took care of Jane's younger children, and by 1860 William Joseph and John Burleigh are young adults. He is supporting them as they are listed as "gentlemen" meaning they are not employed, and the Civil War is about to break out. (End of part 1).
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