Eli Anderson

A newspaper obituary announcing the death of Eli Anderson

Eli Anderson was born on November 27, 1838, in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. His mother, Catharine Woods, was born in Cumberland County, his father, whose name is unknown, was born in Virginia.1 He enlisted in Company I of the 10th U.S.C.T. on January 12, 1865, and was honorably discharged with the rest of his company on January 12, 1866, out of Galveston, Texas, after the end of the Civil War.2 After his service he moved to Carlisle, Pennsylvania, with his wife Catherine, and in 1870, he was working as a laborer and living with his wife and two children, James and Rebecca. There were also three other members of his household at the time named Mary Woods, Sarah J Bell, and Mary J Woods, and their relationship is not stated in the census. He was able to both read and write.3

In 1880, according to the Federal Census, he was living on Locust Avenue in Carlisle’s First Ward, and working as a laborer. He had four children by this point, named James, Rebecca, Nellie, and John.4 In September of 1893 he held a wedding reception in his home in honor of his son James, who then moved out of his home. In February of 1888, he was on the committee for a Grand Bazaar held in the No. 440 Post G.A.R. room, and he was a member of 440 Post for most of his life.5 He was also a member of Bethel A.M.E. Church until his death. In August of 1897, he was accused of keeping a disorderly house and of gambling, but the case against him was dismissed.6 In October of 1898, he was elected treasurer for the First Ward Republican Club.7 On April 23, 1900, Anderson’s wife Catharine died due to paralysis at the age of 63 years old, in their home on Locust Avenue.8 On the 1900 Federal Census, he is listed as a widower. He was working as a rag peddler, and his two sons, James and John, were living with him.9

At some point Anderson spent time in a shanty owned by the Clay Works near Hunter’s Run in Cumberland County, because in 1893, he accidently burned it down due to overheating his stove.10 In February of 1905, he charged a man named Morris Thomas with larceny, for allegedly taking $48 from his pocket, although the result of the case is unknown.11 By the 1910 Federal Census, he was back in Locust Avenue, and a woman named Nancy O’Brien and her son Leroy were both living in his household as boarders.12 In September of 1915, he was one of 25 veterans sent to the 49th G.A.R. encampment in Washington, D.C. On September 11 of 1920 he bought two houses on Fair Ground Avenue in Carlisle’s Fifth Ward from a man named John A. Fagan, where he lived until his death. When the census was taken later that year, his address was listed as 444 Fair Ground Avenue, and his son John was living with him.13

Eli Anderson died on November 15, 1924, due to dementia and other illness, at 86 years old. He was survived by his sons James and John, three nephews, and two nieces, and he is buried in Newville Cemetery, Newville, Pennsylvania, plot B15, lot 25.14

  1. Find A Grave Memorial ID 30068272; Pennsylvania, U.S., Death Certificates, 1906-1967.
  2. 1890 Veterans Schedules of the U.S. Federal Census.
  3. 1870 United States Federal Census for Eli Anderson, 328B.
  4. 1880 United States Federal Census for Eli Anderson, 196B.
  5. “Grand Bazaar”, Carlisle Weekly Herald, 1, Feb 1, 1888.
  6. “A Case Dismissed”, Carlisle Evening Herald, 1, Aug 16, 1897.
  7. “First Ward Republican Club”, Carlisle Evening Herald, 4, Oct 7, 1898.
  8. “Mrs. Eli Anderson”, 1, Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Apr 23, 1900.
  9. 1900 United States Federal Census for Eli Anderson, 5.
  10. “Fire at Clay Works”, The Sentinel, 7, Jan 16, 1904.
  11. “Charged with the larceny of $48.00”, The Sentinel, 2, Feb 28, 1905.
  12. 1910 United States Federal Census for Ell Anderson, 3A.
  13. “Sells Two Houses”, The Sentinel, 4, Sep 11, 1920; 1920 United States Federal Census for Eli Anderson, 2B.
  14. “Anderson”, The Sentinel, 8, Nov 17, 1924; Find a Grave Memorial ID 30068272; Pennsylvania, U.S., Death Certificates, 1906-1967.

Bibliography: 

Eli Anderson, Find A Grave Memorial ID 30068272. Maintained by Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, added Sep 25, 1008. www.findagrave.com/memorial/30068272/eli-anderson

Eli Anderson. 1890 Veterans Schedules of the U.S. Federal Census. Ancestry.com. NARA: Washington, 2005. 1890 Veterans Schedules of the U.S. Federal Census - AncestryLibrary.com

Eli Anderson. Pennsylvania, U.S., Death Certificates, 1906-1967. Ancestry.com. Pennsylvania Historic and Museum Commission, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. 2014. Pennsylvania, U.S., Death Certificates, 1906-1967 - AncestryLibrary.com

1910 United States Federal Census for Ell Anderson. Ancestry.com. 3A. NARA: Washington, 2006. 1910 United States Federal Census - AncestryLibrary.com

1870 United States Federal Census for Eli Anderson. Ancestry.com. 328B. NARA: Washington, 2009. 1870 United States Federal Census - AncestryLibrary.com

1880 United States Federal Census for Eli Anderson. Ancestry.com. 196B. NARA: Washington, 2010. 1880 United States Federal Census - AncestryLibrary.com

1900 United States Federal Census for Eli Anderson. Ancestry.com. 5. NARA: Washington, 2004. 1900 United States Federal Census - AncestryLibrary.com

1920 United States Federal Census for Eli Anderson. Ancestry.com. 2B. NARA: Washington, 2010. 1920 United States Federal Census - AncestryLibrary.com

“Anderson”. The Sentinel. Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Nov 17, 1924. Page 8. https://www.newspapers.com/image/344782847

“Funeral of A. Richard Johnson”. Carlisle Evening Herald. Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Oct 11, 1899. Page 4. https://www.newspapers.com/image/269933042

“Charged with the larceny of $48.00”. The Sentinel. Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Feb 28, 1905. Page 2. https://www.newspapers.com/image/344657316

“Carlisle Veterans go to Washington”. Carlisle Evening Herald. Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Sep 27, 1915. Page 5. https://www.newspapers.com/image/270232279

“Fire at Clay Works”. The Sentinel. Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Jan 16, 1904. Page 7. https://www.newspapers.com/image/344578153

“A Case Dismissed”. Carlisle Evening Herald. Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Aug 16, 1897. Page 1. https://www.newspapers.com/image/270196837

“Sells Two Houses”. The Sentinel. Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Sep 11, 1920. Page 4. https://www.newspapers.com/image/344773149

“First Ward Republican Club”. Carlisle Evening Herald. Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Oct 7, 1898. Page 4. https://www.newspapers.com/image/270467724

“A Reception”. The Sentinel. Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Sep 8, 1893. Page 3. https://www.newspapers.com/image/343900695

“Grand Bazaar”. Carlisle Weekly Herald. Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Feb 1, 1888. Page 1. https://www.newspapers.com/image/270197754

“Mrs. Eli Anderson”. Carlisle Evening Herald. Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Apr 23, 1900. Page 1. https://www.newspapers.com/image/269970573

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Geographic Connection(s) to Cumberland County

Date of Enlistment

01/12/1865

Hometown:

Birthdate

11/27/1838

Date of Death

11/15/1924

Burial Location

Place of Settlement Following War