W. C. Anderson was born April 6, 1871, at Halmstad, Sweden to Chris and Carolina Christianson.  Mary Ericson Anderson was born on June 28, 1870, at Vesterjorland, Sweden, to Eric and Charlotta Ericson.  Both came to Akron, Iowa, in 1889.

W. C. Anderson came to the home of his uncle H. P. Anderson, who lived at 301 Mills Street.  H. P. was a carpenter and W. C. started working with him.  When his uncle retired in the late 80’s, W. C. was in business for himself.

Later he and his four sons were members of Anderson Construction Co. for a number of years.

Mary Ericson Anderson came to Akron to her bother, John K. Ericson’s home.  He had been working for different farmers and had come to Akron a year before, in 1888.

Mrs. Anderson first worked in the Jim Farnham home, which was a ranch west of Chatsworth, Iowa.  She then came to Akron and worked in a restaurant that was owned by Mr. and Mrs. E. W. Edgington, which was operated later as Irene’s Café.

W. C. and Mary Anderson were married on June 3, 1895, in the upper story of the building last occupied by Ty Ryan as a dry cleaning business on the corner of Third and Reed Streets. 

W. C. and Mary were the parents of seven children:  Claude, Vera (Stevens), Ruth (Sawyer), Holland, Arta (Akers), Sperling, who was killed in World War 2, and Carl.

Source:  Our Life 1882-1982, Akron, Iowa;  page 142