Nilson Anderson
Born: November 10th, 1848
Died: November 26th, 1934
Obituary
Word has been received by relatives here of the death of Nils Anderson, former well known resident of Burlington, who passed away last night at the home of his daughter. Mrs. Horace Coughlin at Chillicother, Illinois. Mr. Anderson was born in Kristianstad Sweden, Nov. 10. 1848, the son of Sven and Lucy Tusveson Anderson. His parents died when he was a lad, but being very ambitious and by hard work he gained as education in the common school and later in the elementary schools of his native land.
It was in 1870 that he came to the United States and located in Burlington. In 1878 he entered the employ of the Burlington railroad as a clerk in the land department, remaining in that work for nine years. In politics he was a Democrat and in January, 1887 he was elected county recorder, serving five successive terms. He was elected county treasurer in 1897, serving one term and returning to private life he engaged in the real estate business. Many of the old fine homes in the city were erected through his efforts, and it was Mr. Anderson who bought the old Grimes estate and subdivided it.
For many years Mr. Anderson was secretry and treasurer of the Lutheran Mutual Fire Insurance association and secretary of the local Swedish Mutual Insurance from the time of its organization until 1923. He was a member of Messiah Lutheran church and served many years as trustee.
Mr. Anderson was married in 1875 to Miss Mathilda Thornquist, who with a daughter, Lucy, died two years later. In 1883 he married Miss Augusta Thornquist, sister of his first wife, and three children were born to this union, Carl, Mathilda and Roscoe. Carl died four years ago, and Mrs. Anderson passed away three years ago. Since then Mr. Anderson has lived in Chillicothe.
Surviving are his daughter, Mrs. Horace Coughlin; a son, Roscoe, who is in the U.S. Navy, stationed at Honalulu; a grandson, Robert Anderson, of Davenport; two nieces, Mrs. Ellen Frederickson of Aarora and Mrs. Mollie Nystren of Chicago, and a number of realtives in Burlington.
Mr. Anderson's remains will be brought to Burlington for burial in Aspen Grove Cemetery. The body will arrive about 1 p.m. Wednesday and be taken directly to Messiah Lutheran church where services will be held at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday.