George Grubb and Anna Flora Anderson

(Settlers and Migrants, Grubb and Anderson branches)

* George Everette GRUBB was born on 23 Sep 1860 in Bellaire, Belmont, OH; died on 6 Jun 1938 in Grand Junction, Greene, IA; buried on 9 Jun 1938 in Junction Cemetery, Grand Junction, Greene, IA.

He married Anna Flora “Annie” ANDERSON on 13 May 1884 in Adel, Dallas, IA. They had the following children: Edward H. GRUBB (b. 2 Dec 1884), George W. GRUBB (b. 26 Aug 1887), ♥ Elsie GRUBB (b. 3 Oct 1889),William M. GRUBB (b. 5 Nov 1896).

He previously married Ella May MCMILLAN; divorced.

BIRTH: George Everett Grubb, son of Edward and Mary Grubb, was born on a farm near Bellaire, in Belmont Co., Ohio, on 23 Sep 1860. {D2}{D8}
[Photo at left: George E. Grubb, 1878, 18 yo]

EDUCATION: On 30 Sep 1881, age 21 years, George Grubb, of Key, OH, paid $45.00 to the Oberlin Telegraph Co. of Oberlin, OH. for “a full and complete course in Practical and Theoretical Telegraphy.” A written agreement with Oberlin Telegraph states; “…We do hereby guarantee to procure for said Grubb a situation on the completion of his studies with us at a salary not less than Forty Dollars per month or refund him the money paid us to learn the business.” {D5} Oberlin, OH is about 20 miles SW of Cleveland, and about 90 NE of Bellaire, OH. Key is about 10 miles south of Bellaire. See Edward Grubb “General Notes”.

TRAVEL: After spending his boyhood in Ohio, George traveled to Iowa securing employment with the Wabash railroad.

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE: George was of “average height”. Had blue eyes as did most of his children. Had red hair in his younger years but was bald in later life. “Always thought he resembled Dwight Eisenhower – Dutch looking…”{D9} Photographic comparisons between George and his father, Edward, make it appear that George stood about 6′ 1” tall. Also, like his father, George had a tendency toward baldness, particularly on the top of his head. Photographs taken during his late teens and again in his sixties show he had and maintained a slender build.{D11}

CHARACTER: “Grandpa was a wonderful gardener…Believe fruits were a specialty of his-many cherry trees-also pears-strawberries-raspberries, etc. George seems to have been of pretty even character, he is remembered as being less religious than Annie and somewhat easy to anger. Otherwise he was honest, trustworthy, organized, didn’t smoke and always appeared to be busy.{D9} George “had a real temper”.{D10}

MARRIAGE:
1. The marriage register in Dallas Co. shows George was married to an, “unnamed” woman prior to wedding Anna Anderson. This other woman was Ella May McMillan. {D3, D8}
2. On 13 May 1884 he was married to Anna Flora Anderson-Marsh, to this union were born three sons and one daughter.

LIVELIHOOD:
1. At the time of his marriage to Anna in 1884, George was the railroad Station Agent at Adell, IA.{D3} He spent about half of his working life employed by the railroad as a station agent and telegrapher.
2. During the 15 years extending from 1893 to 1908 George was the proprietor of a grocery store at Ogden, IA.{D2} On 6 June 1900 George is listed as having the occupation of, “Gen Merchan”. Living in this household are George, 38; Anna F., 37; Edward H., 15; George W., 12; Elsie, 10; and William M., 3.{D6}
3. In 1911 the family moved to Grand Junction where George took employment with the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad. He worked as a station Agent and Telegraph operator in the depot and control tower.
3. In the spring of 1933 while living Grand Junction, IA, he retired from his position and was privileged to spend the remaining years of his life working in his gardens with the living, growing things that he had always loved so much”.{D2}

[Photograph ca 1915, front steps of George and Anna’s house in Grand Junction, IA: Top row L>R: Edward Grubb (30), Elsie (Grubb) Pierce (25), George Everette Grubb (54).
Middle row L>R: Marie (Heggi) Grubb- Edwards wife, her daughter Margaret*(~4), Anna Flora (Anderson) Grubb (52) is holding baby William Glenn Pierce (my uncle Bill), Glenn Kenyon Pierce** husband of Elsie (Grubb) (27). In front: Dorothy Grubb(~6)***
* I met Margaret some 74 years later, in 1989, when she had become an elderly woman.
** Glen Kenyon Pierce and Elsie Grubb were my paternal grandparents.
*** Dorothy grew up, married Mr. Wayne Mount; she was my 5th grade math teacher in Tucson, AZ.

HISTORICAL NOTE: Grand Junction got its name from the intersection of the Cedar Rapids & Missouri Railway and a north-south railroad from Keokuk to Fort Dodge, IA. Just before the turn of the 20th Century, Grand Junction was a bustling commercial town with a population of about 1000, one-third of which depended for support on the railroad. By the late 1980s it was a slowly dying entity; its earlier primary businesses, a brickyard, lumberyard and the railroad yard, no longer providing much employment for the community.{D7}

DEATH: George died at home (in Grand Junction) about 6:20 PM, on 6 June 1938, at age 77 years, 8 months and 14 days.{D2} The primary cause of death was a “Coronary embolism”.{D4}

DOCUMENTS:
1. Daughter, Elsie Grubb birth certificate.
2. Obituary of George E. Grubb, The Grand Junction Globe, Grand Junction, IA., Thursday 9 June 1938, front page.
3. Dallas County Marriage Register I, Dallas County, IA.
4. Copy of George E. Grubb, Death Certificate.
5. Certificate of Agreement with Oberlin Telegraph Company, #153, original document residing with Larry F. Pierce family in 1991.
6. 1900 Federal Census, Ogden, Boone County, IA, also gives the month of birth of each individual. Establishes that their 3rd born child, a female, was Elsie Grubb.
7. Past and Present of Greene County, Iowa 1907 by E.B. Stillman, published by the S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., page 154.
8. Certificate of Death; Grand Junction, Greene County, IA.
9. Recollections of grand-daughter, Doris Grubb Hughes, 1987.
10. Recollections of daughter, Elsie Grubb-Pierce, 1965.
11. Eye witness account by great-grandson, Larry F. Pierce, 1994.
12.The Anderson Story, by Mrs. C. J. Davis, Mrs. Cora May Boots and others, printed in 1968. A 67 page genealogical record of the Anderson family from John & Elizabeth Horney Anderson, ca 1800 to 1968.

* Anna Flora “Annie” ANDERSON was born on 6 Jun 1862 in South Charleston, Clark, OH; died on 30 Dec 1950 in Grand Junction, Greene, IA; buried on 2 Jan 1951 in Junction Cemetery, Grand Junction, Greene, IA.

She previously married Dwight Wellington MARSH on 24 Sep 1878 in Greenbriar Twp, Greene, IA; divorced. They had the following children: Katie May MARSH (b. 16 Jun 1879).

NAME: Anna Flora’s nickname was “Annie”.

[Photo left: Anna F. Anderson, 12 yo, 1874)

TRAVEL: At about 7 years of age Anna and her older siblings move with their parents from Ohio to Greene Co. Iowa. “It was told to me that Grandmother (Anna Flora) while still a young girl traveled in a covered wagon with her parents and brothers and sisters…The Anderson’s settled in Greene County, near Scranton; and Grandmother never moved very far from there…”{D8} The rest of Anna’s 88 year life was spent living in Greene and Boone County, IA.{D9}
During the 1930s Annie and her sister “Lib” (Elizabeth Jane Rundberg) took the train to visit their sister “Lil” (Lillian May Dunham) at her home in California.

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE: She was a very small dainty, soft-spoken woman. {D8} “Grandma was tiny – 4′ 10. Most of her children inclined to be short, rather than tall… She had big beautiful brown eyes and skin…Understand she grayed very early around 30 yr. I think.”{D11}

CHARACTER: “I have heard though, that she (Annie) could be quite ill-tempered with Grandpa (George). One story I heard, tells that Grandma chased Grandpa out of the house for three days. He stayed at a friend’s house, but each day he would return home, take care of the furnace, and leave the necessary groceries in the kitchen.{D8} Annie loved working with her English flower bed and potted plants, raising African Violets and feeding the birds. She was characterized as being easy to talk to and easy to get along with; neat in both habit and dress. Her house was always immaculate and she enjoyed decorating. She was creative and religious. The homes bookcase was filled with books (Arabian Nights, Hans Christian Anderson’s Fairy Tales, etc.} and magazines. One large, built-in book-case in the living room was filled with many games.{D11}
“Bill (youngest son) had polio as a lad. She faithfully traveled with him to Des Moines by train, every week for therapy on the bad leg. Of course with Grandpa, the telegrapher and Station Agent saw they had railroad passes. His leg remained weak and he limped some, but was never crippled and I’d like to think Grandma bent every effort to this result.”{D11}
[Photo above: Anna F. Anderson, ca 1880, 18 yo]

HOME: Arriving in Greene County, IA the Harmon Anderson family bought a farm five miles south of Jefferson, it was here that the Anderson children grew up.

EDUCATION: Annie, her brothers and sisters, in their early years attended school at a rural school-house located about 3/8 mile west of their farm home. In 1989 all that remains of the old school is a steel well pump sticking up from the ground in a corn field.
The William G. Pierce family has a 3 1/2 by 5″ card with a picture of a girl and a boy reading. Below the picture is printed “Awarded To” and written in ink is “Anna F. Anderson”. The name of the teacher at the small school was Susie C. Anderson. Years later, Elsie Grubb, Anna’s daughter wrote on the back of the card, “Grandma was a little girl when she got this.”

MARRIAGE:
1. On 20 Sep 1878, Anna’s father, Harmon Anderson, gave his verbal consent to her marriage application. Anna’s first marriage was to Dwight W. Marsh on 24 Sep 1878.{D1} Dwight lived on a farm with his parents, about 3/4 miles NNW of the Anderson farm, near Scranton, Greene Co., IA. {D2} He was the son of Richard Marlin Marsh and Celestia Mary Phillips. When they were married, Anna was 16 years 4 months of age, Dwight was 21 years 7 months. Their only child, Katie May Marsh was born on 16 June 1879, 7 3/4 months after the couples marriage. The wedding ceremony was performed by Baptist pastor, J. H. Delano in Greenbrier Twp., Greene Co., IA.{D1} On 4 June 1880 Dwight was listed as a “grocer”; Anne is at home “keeping house” with infant daughter, Katie.{D3} When Anna and Dwight were separated, Anna left home alone. Katie stayed in Jefferson with her father. Anna moved to Baynard, Gutherie Co., IA., about 23 miles SE of Jefferson, possibly to live with relatives. A Divorce Decree was not located in Greene Co., but may exist in Guthrie or Dalles Counties.

2. Anna (age 21) and George Grubb (age 22) were married 13 May 1884 by Levi Diddy, Justice of the Peace in Adel, Dallas Co., IA. When married, George Grubb was railroad Station Agent in Adel, IA, Anna was a resident of Baynard, IA.{D10} Nettie Diddy and Mrs. S.C. Anderson were witnesses to the ceremony. It is interesting to note that Mrs. S. C. Anderson may have been “Susie C. Anderson”, Anna’s school teacher from the small country school located just beyond the western edge of the Harmon Anderson farm.{D4}{D8} This was the second marriage for both Anna and George.

HOME:
1. Soon after their marriage the “newly weds” moved to Denison, Crawford Co., IA, where Edward, their first child was soon born. To give Edward and “honorable conception” and then for the remainder of their lives, George and Anna cited the date of their wedding as 1883. This can be seen in Anna’s obituary. {D5}
2. Five years later, in October 1889, when daughter Elsie was born, the family was living upstairs, above the railroad station in Maple River Junction, Carrol Co., IA. George was transferred to Ogden, IA. where for a time, he was Station Agent.
3. From 1893 to 1908 the family owned and operated a grocery store in Ogden, IA.
4. In 1911 the middle-aged couple moved to Grand Junction and built a large two-story house on Rail Road Ave. Grand Junction was a quiet little town with a large railroad yard and was located on the important Lincoln Highway.
5. From accounts given by their grandchildren, George and Anna had a lovely large lawn, many beautiful flower beds and a substantial garden. They owned a two-story white frame house, and raised chickens. They lived in this house until their deaths.{D8}

EVENT: During 1908, Anna spent the school year chaperoning daughter Elsie while she attended college in Des Moines. During this time Anna’s mother, Margaret Horney-Anderson died, in Scranton, IA.{Margaret Horney-Anderson obituary}{D9}

EVENT: Although Anna was a small, dainty, soft spoken woman, it is said that she could be quite ill tempered with George. One story that has come down tells that she chased him out of the house for three days. George stayed at a friends house, but each day returned home to take care of the furnace and leave the necessary groceries in the kitchen.{D8}
RELIGION: Anna joined the Presbyterian Church in 1912 and was a faithful member. She was active for many years in the Women’s Missionary Society and Willing Workers Group, always taking an active part. {D5}

ORGANIZATIONS: She belonged to and enjoyed entertaining a Quilting club. She was an expert needlewoman and made elaborate quilts for most of her adult grandchildren.

EVENT: On 6 Jun 1938, George, her 77-year-old husband died. Anna remained alive and a widow for another 12 years.

WILL: On 25 Jul 1938, about 1 1/2 months after George’s death, Anna (76) makes out her Will, to wit: I give to my daughter Katie May Wood the sum of $5.00; I give to my daughter, Elsie Pierce, 4 shares of AT&T stock and sufficient money to make the sum of $ 800.00; all the remainder of my estate I bequeath in equal shares to my four children – Edward, George, Elsie and William. The preceding was an abbreviated and paraphrased rendition of the Will.{D7}

[Photo right: Anna F. (Anderson) Grubb age 85 yo , 1947)

DEATH: 30 Dec 1950, Anna died at her Grand Junction home at 88 years, 6 months and 24 days of age of “Arteriosclerotic Heart Disease and Hypertension”{D12} Anna was survived by 11 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren.

BURIAL: Anna Flora and husband George are buried side by side in the Junction Cemetery, Highway E53, west out of Grand Junction, IA. Their marker, located on the extreme east side of the cemetery is inscribed: “GRUBB Anna F. 1862 – 1950 George E. 1860 – 1938”.

DOCUMENTS:
1. Application for and Certification of Marriage; Clerk of Circuit Court, Greene County, IA.
2. 1896 Plat Map of Greenbrier Twp, Greene Co., OH. Map shows the Clark Graven farm, a 240 acre parcel that was previously owned by the Harmon Anderson family.
3. 1880 Federal Census for Jefferson, Greene County, IA., photocopied from microfilm.
4. Dallas County Marriage Register 1, Dallas Co., IA. record is on microfilm.
5. Obituary of Anna Flora Grubb; Jefferson Bee, Tuesday 9 Jan 1951, p. 2.
6. See Reference 1, The Anderson Story.
7. Last Will and Testament of Anna F. Grubb, Greene Co., IA., Will Book 8, page 258, Probate #4968.
8. “Memories of my Grandparents” by William Glen Pierce, grandson of Anna and George Grubb.
9. Family recollections.
10. Dalles County Marriage Register 1, page 50.; Dalles County, IA.
11. Recollections of grand daughter, Doris Grubb Hughes, 1987.
12. Certificate of Death, State File Number 37-1-183; Greene County Clerk, Greene County, IA. Establishes the parents of Anna Flora Grubb as Harmon Anderson and Margaret Horney.

Individual source: The Anderson Story, by Mrs. C. J. Davis, Mrs. Cora May Boots and others, printed in 1968. A 67 page genealogical record of the Anderson family from John & Elizabeth Horney Anderson, ca 1800 to 1968.

≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈

MEMORIES OF MY GRANDPARENTS
By William G. Pierce (grandson)

“My maternal grandmother, Anna Flora Anderson Grubb, was born 6 June, 1862 and died 30 December 1950. Her parents were Harmon Anderson and Margaret Hornet Anderson.
My grandfather, George E. Grubb was born 23 September 1860 and died 5 June 1938. His parents were Edward Grubb and Mary Ann Hess Grubb. Grandfather and Grandmother were married in Sept, 1881. George was Anna’s second husband; and as we have recently learned, Anna was George’s second wife. They had four children, of which my mother, Elsie, was second youngest and the only girl.
It was told to me that Grandmother, while still a young girl, traveled in a covered wagon with her parents and brothers and sisters. They must have come from Greene County, Ohio, where she was born to Greene County, Iowa. The Anderson’s settled in Greene County, near Scranton; and Grandmother never moved very far from there, since she and grandfather spent the rest of their lives just a few miles from Grand Junction.
Grand Junction is a quiet little town on what was then the Lincoln Highway. They owned a two-story white frame house with a nice grass lawn. I vaguely remember that they kept chickens. Their youngest son never left Grand Junction, while their other two sons moved to adjacent towns. It was only the daughter, my mother, who married and moved to another state. Grandpa was a telegrapher on the railroad that ran through town.
I have, given to me by my mother, a small 3-1/2 x 5 inch card with a picture of a boy and girl reading, and below the picture is printed “Awarded to” and written in ink “Anna F. Anderson”. The teacher’s name, interestingly, was Susie C. Anderson. On the reverse of the card, also written in ink, are my mother’s words, “(Your) Grandma was a little girl when she got this.”
Grandmother was a member of the Presbyterian Church and was active in the Women’s Missionary Society and Willing Workers group. She was a very small dainty, soft-spoken woman. I have heard, though, that she could be quite ill-tempered with Grandpa. One story I heard tells that Grandma chased Grandpa out of the house for three days. He stayed at a friend’s house, but each day he would return home, take care of the furnace, and leave the necessary groceries in the kitchen. I have no way of knowing whether that story is true or not.
We learned that Grandpa Grubb’s middle name was “Everette” and that he had been married once before-to Ella May McMillan. His parents were Edward Grubb and Mary Ann Hess. They were from Belmont City, Ohio, not from Pennsylvania as we had supposed. Grandpa used to say he was Pennsylvania Dutch (maybe on the maternal line?) Grandfather’s grandparents, Ebenezer Grubb and Lucy Dunaway, moved to Ohio from Virginia.”