Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1900-08-29
srKrCu 81 JAuEs g ANDERSON.

sKEFCu oF JAMEs q. ANDERSON.
written for the SENTINEL. AND RE-
There is nothing more interesting
than local history, II it be reliable And
the most fascinating form Of local his
tory is the biographical-that in which
are recorded the deeds and traits Of men
and women we have known, with some
Of scenes that are familiar
to us-a picture Of the personality and
q review Of the lifework Of friends, with
some account Of their ancestry and de-
These reflections were induced while
was preparing the sketch Of the late
Mrs. DR.. John P. Sterrett which ap-
peared in last weeks issue Of the Sen
TINEL AND REPUBLICAN,. There II q
healthy awakening on the part Of men
and women who have ''done things" to
a realization that the record Of their lives
belong not to themselves, but to their
fellowmen. This scense Of moral re-
eponsibllity cannot fail to be valuable
aid in "character-building," alike to
those who are forging q career and to
those who are to come after them.
Until very recently men and women
have been content to neglect prepara-
ton of reliable material for their biog-
raphies, trusting to some gifted analyst
and historian of the future to sect them
right" before the world. But why
should man who jealously guards his
character throughout life be so careless
of his after-death reputation? Reliza-
ton of this inconsistency, and appre-
hension Of appearing in false light,
together with the conviction that every
man who has achieved distictiOn owes
something to pOsterity. are working q
great reform in this respect. As con-
sequence, it is becoming quite the thing
for relatives Of a man lately deceased
to print and circulate privately amongst
his friends a Memorial, which is us
ually biography, and frequently an
autobiography, of the person whose
deeds and traits it is Ought to cherish.
A step in advance of this is the inno-
vation of having such record of a man
handsomely printed and bound while
the subject is yet living. As library
table adornment it is novel and incom-
parable, and there is manifest no more
personal vanity in placing such souve-
mir convenient to the hand Of the wait
ing guest than there is in hanging a
painted portrait against the wall.
Why should good words ne'er be said
OF a man-till he is dead?
1t is in this spirit that 1 venture to
re-introduce to the people Of Juniata
county q man who was well known
throughout Tuscarora Valley forty years
ago; whose ancestry was illustrious,
and whose pedigree is traceable back to
a King Of England; whose individual
career has been notable, and whose life
from boyhood has been that of an en-
ergetic, useful, consistent Christian.
James G. Anderson, now a resident
Of Williamsburg, q superb Of Pittsburgh,
was born in East Waterford, September
81, 1892 The kitchen of the house in
which he was born is now used as o
station building by the Tuscarora VAL
ley Railroad Company Mt East Water
ford. His father, Enoch L. Anderson,
lived in that WALLACE for many years.
His grandfather and his great-grand-
father also bore the name EnOch L.
and his genealogical tree
reaches back to Andreas Anderson, who
married daughter Of King James i, Of
England. Mr.. Anderson has q large
number of autograph letters and much
evidence bearing on this
point, and if he ever revisits Juniata
county he should be induced to deliver
a lecture based on the authenticated
historical information at his command.
Mr.. Anderson is an hereditary men,
ber Of the Society of the Cincinnati,
probably the most exclusive order in
the United States, The Society now
is comparatively large, but Of all it's
living members there are but 30 in
Pennsy lvania who were admitted under
the principles Of its inception, that of
heritage, and Of these Mr. Anderson is
one. This distinguished privilege was
derived from his grandfather, Col.
Enoch l. Anderson, Of the Revolution
ary army, who was born May l., 1854,
and died at the age Of 20. With him
in the army were three brothers, of
whom one, Joseph Anderson, afterward
became the first Treasurer of the United
States. In all, Colonel Anderson took
part in IL battles, including those of the
Brandywine, Wilmington, Long Isla'd
Staten Island, White Plains, German
town, and q battle on the Delaware In
which he was in command. have seen
a number of these letters, which are care
fully preserved by Mr.. Anderson. The
handwriting is scrupulously neat and
legible, the construction and language
are scholarly, and with charming mod
esty Colonel Anderson tells Of his soldier
life from the age Of 10 until the close of
the war, when he found himself q
cripple.
Although James G. Anderson, the
subject Of this sketch, had an eventful
career through the oil country in the
early days, he is best known to and
remembered by thousands as a working
Christian. For 81 years he has been an
Elder in the Presbyterian church. Fol
nine years he was thus hOnored by the
congregation Of the Second Presbyterian
church, corner Of Penn Avenue and
Seventh street, Pittsburgh. Last April
he removed to Williamsburg, where he
connected himself with the First Pres
byterian church. On the eve of his de-
ro r., h. old ~-;,x,<l. ou<l