Andersona  
 

Transcribed from "An Illustrated History of The Big Bend Country, embracing Lincoln, Douglas, Adams and Franklin counties, State of Washington",  published by Western Historical Publishing Co., 1904.


     MAJOR ALBERT M. ANDERSON was the United States Indian agent stationed at Fort Spokane, or Miles postoffice.
     Major Anderson was born April 9, 1863, in Vernon county, Wisconsin, the son of Henry and Olive Anderson.  His father was killed in the Civil war, and the mother died during the childhood of our subject.
     The first fourteen years of Major Anderson's life were spent in his native state, and in January of the year 1877, he came to the village of Spokane Falls, where he attended the grammar schools.  He soon after went to Fort Colville and entered the employ of Charles H. Montgomery, who kept a store at the fort.  After being three years thus engaged Major Anderson came to Fort Spokane to take charge of the store at this point for James Monohan, in charge of which business he remained until the spring of 1889, when he was appointed clerk of the Indian agency.  In 1893 he resigned this post to accept a clerkship in the office of Secretary of State J. H. Price at Olympia.  Two years later he was appointed to a position in the recently created Bureau of Statistics, which position he creditably filled for two years.  During August, 1897, Major Anderson was appointed by President McKinley to the position of Indian Agent at Fort Spokane, and succeeded himself in office by appointment of President Roosevelt in March, 1902.
     Major Anderson is equally prominent and active in fraternity circles as in those political.  He holds membership in, and is past master of the Davenport Masonic lodge, of which he was one of the charter members, and is now a Royal Arch Mason.  He also belongs to the Samaritan lodge, No. 52, I. O. O. F., of Spokane; of the Unique Encampment, No. 32, of Spokane; and of Spokane lodge, No. 228, B. P. O. E.
     March 9, 1903, occurred the marriage of Major A. M. Anderson to Ella Reuner, of Spokane, the daughter of Jacob and Fredericka Reuner.  Mr. Reuner was formerly a prominent business man of Ohio, but is now deceased; his wife is still living in Ohio.
     Major Anderson is conceded, even by his political enemies, to be a man of marked executive ability, and of high moral principal.
 


BACK