The Early Years

            I Edward L. Anderson. Date of Birth Jan 14, 1900 to William O. Anderson and Anna Banghart Anderson.

            I am the Second Son.  Frank D Anderson Being the oldest and also the favored Son[.] his Date of Birth July 24-1898.  Harvey D Anderson Dat of Birth Dec 29 1907 the third Son. They also had two Daughtaers twins[.] one pass away at Birth[.]  The other at this time is still alive. her Name is Mable Lillian Anderson, Nelson, Date of Birth oct 20. 1909. her twin Sister passed away Oct 20 1909 at Birth And is Buried at Cedar Rapids Nebr.

        I was Born Beteen Howells Nebr and Dodge Nebr[.]  The folks moved from there to Leigh Nebr[.] of course The first couple of year's I didn't Remember to much that went on and the folks Said I was frail and Small[.]

Down to our place and they would Start Coughing and would have take hold of a fence post to Keep from falling over[.]  I Suppose I wasnt up to parr when I started to School. 

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…the winter that I was Seven years old [1907].  Then Dad Bought a place at Cedar Rapids Nebr[.] But Befor we moved to Cedar Rapids we had the measels mumps chicken pox and pink eye.

 

This map of a portion of eastern Nebraska shows the three counties in red where Bud lived as he was
growing up.  Dodge is in the northwest corner of Dodge County and Howells is 6 miles straight west
in Colfax County along present-day Highway 91.  Leigh is 12 miles west of Howells, still on Highway
91 in Colfax County.  Cedar Rapids is about 57 miles southwest of Leigh in southwest Boone County. 
Primrose and Albion are also in Boone County.   North Bend is on the south edge of Dodge County
near the Platte River which forms the south boundary of the county. 

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During the Summer or Fall of 1908 I went after the cows[,] they across the Creek In the pasture[,] and found a small Calf with a Broken Leg[.] I had heard people talking about Broken Legs and arms Being Splinted & Set to make the bone heal and Grow to geather So I Brought the Calf home Set and splinted the Leg the Best I could.

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as I Stated we lived on the Bank's of the Cedar River Which Started at Ericson Nebr at above Ericson on Swan Lake and is above the end of the Branch line of the union pacific Rail Road to Spalding Nebr and not far from Chambers and Amelia Nebr And has quite a fall or Down grade which made the River flow fast[.] at some places we Could wade the River and it wasnt over our Knee's[.]  We had a Big New foundland Dog Also with the Family horse.  We Called the Dog tip[.] he had a white spot at the tip of his nose and also a white spot on the tip of his Right hind toe[.] the dog would cross the River first and if he thought the River was to Deep for us Boys he would shove us Back and choose one of us and take that one across first with him, and come Back and take the other.  Some of the Smaller ones he would take across on his Back But it was alway more fun to hold of his collor or mane and Swim with him[.] he was a wonderful Swimer he never failed us Boys.

In the spring or Late Winter of 1909 Father sold that place and moved to a larger one that he had bought farther North of Cedar Rapids Between Prim Rose and Albion Nebr[.]  There was where my Sisters were Born],] Where I went to a country School until 1911[.]

It was about this time that I had Scarlet fever[.]  Dad and Mr Bartlet alway Neighbored and helped one another with the haying[.] I had Been Driving the Stacker team all day and we had come In that evening and I didnt have much to Say or want to do much and mr Bartlet Called Dad off to one side and told him he had Better get a Doctor for me that I was Sick[.] So they put me to Bed and Called Dr Dewie From primrose Nebr and I spent some time In Bed Sick.  to which I didnt Know much about my Sickness as I was to Sick to Care.  They said I had Diptheria[.]  

Along about this time Bufflows Bill Wildwest Show was In Cedar Rapids[.]  of Course Buffow Bill or William Cody, came Driveing a fine Black team of Horses hitched to real Nice Shineing Buggy.  he was handing out show Bill and also throwing them out So the public could get them.  all of the older Boy's were following his Buggy and mother and dad gave my older Brother and I enough money to go to the Show.  Of course my Brother Being older was following Bufflow Bills Buggy and I Being younger tried to Keep up with the older Boys.  And when I would get near the Buggy the older Boys would Shove me Back or hit and Shove me down In the Dusty Road[.] Bufflow Bill or William Cody had Been watching them do theose things Several time[.] he stopped his team and ask me to get In the Buggy with him[.]  He would not let the others hang on to the Buggy as Some of them had Done Befor[.] I Rode with and helped him hand out his hand Bills.  he had Nice personality and Visted with me Said he didnt Like to [see]the older one Shoveing me Back all the time.  and from that time to this I have Always Been an admierer of William Cody or Bufflow Bill as he was called.  An that is my Memory of William Cody.

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But During 1911 or 12 Father Sold that farm and we movied to North Bend Nebr.

one winter I hearded cattle In corn field stalks and froze my feet[.] But I also Learned how to hunt while hearding the cattle[.]

My older Brother and I would go out and help haul Bundel to the threashing Mechine when we were about 12 to 13 year's old[.]  we started the two of us to one Bundel Rack and Sometimes we would have to haul Water to the Mechine[.] And Either one of us Could Run the Steam engine at the age of 14 year's[.]  One time when we were about 12 and 14 years old we had Been threashing Stacked Grain and had finished[,] the man that Run the Mechine had gone to town[.] as the weather was Nice he that he'd Leave the water In the Engine[.]  But Being late In the fall the last october or the fore part of November we got a Suddent Cold Spell and freez up[.]  my Brother And I Knew how to Drain the Engine As we had helped wash Boiler Several times.  So We went out and Drained the Boiler.  And the man couldnt get out from town to Look after the Draining of the Engine or Boiler.  he come out later that day on horse Back and through Deep freezing Snow. to find that We had Drained the Engine.  It would have Been frozen up By the time he got out there.  he said he sure was glad that we had Drained the Boiler.