The Passage West Begins
Alexander Anderson – 1801 to 1863
Alexander Anderson was born in Kilsyth, Scotland around 1801. He and his wife Jane immigrated to the United States in 1830 settling in New York City by 1832. From New York they moved on to Lake County, Illinois in the area of present day Waukegan, Illinois just north of Chicago. Around 1847 Alexander and his family moved to a farm homestead in Cottonville, Iowa (now a ghost town) southwest of Bellevue, Iowa near the Mississippi River.
In 1862 Pvt Alexander Anderson, two of his sons Lt Robert Anderson and Pvt James Anderson and his brother Pvt James Anderson joined the Union Army. Alexander, with his son Robert and his brother James along with the Iowa 31st Regiment and preceeded down the Mississippi ultimately to the Battle of Vicksburg. Alexander’s son James joined the 5th Iowa in 1861 ultimately joining his father, brother and uncle at the Seige of Vicksburge in 1863. Both Alexander Anderson and his son Robert Anderson died from wounds and illness as a result of the Battle of Vicksburg. His son James was disabled later in the war and returned to Cottonville. This website documents the Anderson family story in America during the 1800’s.