Andrew Anderson 1871-1947

Andrew Anderson was my grandpa LeGrand Anderson's father. Andrew was born to Jens Christian and Caroline Jensen Anderson 23 April 1871 in Spring City, Utah. Andrew's parents were both immigrants from Denmark who were asked to settle in Sanpete County, Utah. His father, Jens, was a polygamist having two wives and families.

The families moved to what was called "Grass Valley" in Sevier County, Utah. The two family homes were located on either ends of Koosharem. Tradition has it that most of the Anderson children played at Caroline's home.

Andrew married Emma Martinsen also of Koosharem in the Manti LDS Temple 3 May 1899. In 1901, Andrew was called on a mission to Colorado. He labored as a traveling Elder, served as president of the Denver branch and later was president of the South Dakota conference.

Andrew and Emma had six children born to them: Leila 1901, Rodney 1904, Albert LaRell 1906, LeGrand 1910, Robert Donal 1912 and lastly, Emma Vione in 1914.

Andrew served as bishop of the Koosharem ward from 1907 to 1911. He was ordained a bishop by Orson F. Whitney.

From the book The History of Grass Valley we read, "Andrew Anderson learned the skills of growing crops and animals. He had a keen mind and carefully studied growing conditions for plants and animals. He was industrious with his knowledge of cattle. He became a buyer and seller of cattle. He bought herds from as far south as Arizona and trailed them into Grass Valley and other locations in Utah."


Andrew's daughter Vione said of her father, "My dad had started raising cattle by beginning with little 'dogey calves' when he was just a kid." She also stated that her father was extremely hardworking, ambitious, likeable and friendly.

Andrew's son R.D. remembered his father related to him of a time when he served on a jury in Richfield, Utah. After the jurors had deliberated, they went to a hotel for dinner. On the way to the hotel, the group came upon some people who said, "Hello, Andrew, how are you?" Andrew then stopped, talked and kidded with the people. The other jurors joked with Andrew about this and said to him when they saw four sqaws coming up the street, "Betcha' there's someone he don't know." As soon as they met, Andrew stopped and called them all by name and talked with them.

Andrew and Emma owned and operated a boarding house in Koosharem, Utah. Many dignitaries stayed with them as they passed through the area. David O. McKay was one who stayed with them about the time of their son LeGrand's birth. They were so impressed with Elder McKay that they gave their son the middle name of McKay. This name has been passed down in our family at least three more generations.

Andrew's life was full of many ups and downs. He and Emma lost their first son Rodney as an infant. Their first daughter, Leila died when she was just 15 years old. Financial insecurities seemed to plague them as well as Emma's physical and emotional health.

The Great Depression played some role in their problems, but Andrew built a beautiful ranch and brick home in Grass Valley during those hard years. Part of the ranch layed in Sevier county and the other in Piute county.

Emma passed away in 1938 due to complications of high blood pressure. Andrew remarried Reba Blackburn Okerlund Stewart of Loa, Utah 28, April 1939 in the Manti LDS Temple.

Reba noted, "A few years after our marriage, a Homecoming Celebration was held in Loa, and Andrew attend the rodeo held that afternoon. He found himself a seat on top of a fence at the rodeo grounds and during the performance, a bucking horse got out of control and lunged into the fence where Andrew was sitting, knocking him to the ground and trampling on him." Andrew was rushed by ambulance to the Salina hospital, but passed away enroute in Sigurd, Utah of a fractured skull and compound crushed chest.

His family remember him as a kind, loving father and grandfather who was hard-working and industrious. Most who knew Andrew recognized him as a man of great faith with a strong testimony of Jesus Christ.Those of us who claim him as an ancestor are very blessed.