Biography of Anthon Anderson: 11th Mayor of Logan
Dates in Office: 1898-1902
Terms in Office: 2
Age when elected: 47
Anthon Anderson was born 2 December 1851 in Stift, Norway. His parents were Gunder Anderson and Kari Anderson. He married Mary Findley Henderson 11 March 1872 in Salt Lake City, Utah and they had twelve children. He died 14 April 1923 in Logan, Utah and is buried in the Logan Cemetery.[1]
Anton Anderson was for many years a prominent figure in the lumber trade of Utah. He made his home in Logan, where he resided from his boyhood days. Born in Norway, he came to America in 1861, when about ten years of age, being brought to the new world by his parents who first settled in Plain City, Utah.The parents remained in Weber County for only a brief period and then removed to Logan, where Anthon was reared, educated, and learned the carpenter's trade. After acquainting himself with carpentering he engaged in business as a contractor and builder for many years and was one of the most capable and successful representatives of the building trade in northern Utah. This gave him the experience, which served as a splendid foundation upon which to build his later success as a lumber dealer.
He became the founder of the present lumber business at Logan that is now conducted under the name of the Anderson & Sons Company. This was established on a small scale in 1890 but from the constant growth and development of their trade until now the company controls one of the largest lumber interests of the state. In 1906 Mr. Anderson was instrumental in incorporating the business, of which he was made president, with A.E. Anderson as vice president and W.W. Anderson as secretary and treasurer. His sons, J.R. and Robert Anderson, also entered the firm as directors, as did M.S. and D.C. Eccles.
For a very extended period he occupied a prominent position in the business circles of Logan, his activities having ever been of a character that have contributed to the development and improvement of the city as well as to the advancement of his individual fortune.[2]
Logan 2nd Ward as a district dates back to 1861, when Logan was divided into four districts. In 1877 said district was organized into a regular bishop's ward with Henry Ballard as bishop. In 1899, Anthon Anderson succeeded him.[3]
[1] Family Group Record (FamilySearch Ancestral File v4.19)
[2] Warrum Noble, ed., Utah Since Statehood: Historical and Biographical (Chicago : S.J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1919) 4:236-239
[3] Encyclopedic History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints(Ancestry Library Edition)
