Joseph Anderson
Privacy Level: Open (White)

Joseph Reid Anderson (1813 - 1892)

Gen Joseph Reid Anderson
Born in Botetourt, Virginia, United Statesmap
Ancestors ancestors
Son of and
Brother of , , and
Husband of — married 3 May 1837 (to 13 Aug 1881) in Virginia, United Statesmap
Husband of — married after 1881 in Virginia, United Statesmap
Descendants descendants
Father of and
Died at age 79 in Rockingham, New Hampshire, United Statesmap
Problems/Questions
Profile last modified | Created 16 Dec 2015
This page has been accessed 1,211 times.


Brig. Gen Joseph Anderson served in the United States Civil War.
Enlisted: Jun 19, 1862
Mustered out: Jul 19, 1862
Side: CSA
Regiment(s): Field & Staff

Contents

Biography

Joseph Reed Anderson was born 16 February 1813, Botetourt, Virginia. He was the son of Col. William Anderson and Anne Thomas.

In 1832, Joseph was appointed to the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, and graduated 4th in his class in 1836. He was assigned to the 3rd Artillery in the Army as a 2nd Lieutenant.

During his time in the Army, he served as assistant engineer in 1836 at the Engineer Bureau in Washington, D. C., where his primary duty was constructing Fort Pulaski, to guard the Port of Savannah, Georgia, 1836-'37. He was transferred to the United States Army Corps of Engineers on July 1, 1837, but resigned from the U.S. army Sept. 30, 1837, to become assistant civil engineer of the state of Virginia, working with his former professor from West Point, Claudius Crozet, who was the Virginia State Engineer.

He worked his way to Assistant State Engineer with the Virginia Board of Public Works[1] where he served as chief engineer of the Valley Turnpike Company[2]which was the Indian trail and roadway which extended between Staunton and Winchester, Virginia in the Shenandoah Valley from 1838 until 1841 (the precursor to current day U.S. Route 11)[3].

On 3 May 1837, he married to Sarah "Sally" Archer, the daughter of Dr. Robert Archer. They had 16 children.

In 1841, he joined the Tredegar Iron Company in Richmond, Virginia. In 1846, he would begin leasing the works. In 1848, he purchased the foundry, and was soon doing work for the United States government. He began introducing slave labor to cut production costs. By the beginning of the Civil War in 1861, half of the 900 workers were slaves, including many in skilled positions. By 1860, Anderson's father-in-law Dr. Robert Archer had joined the business and Tredegar became a leading iron producer in the country.

Prior to the Civil War, industry expanded at the Tredegar site under Anderson's direction to include a new flour mill and a stove works on land leased to various individuals. One of these individuals established a woolen mill on the adjoining land which became the principal supplier of materials for the Confederate Army uniforms. A May 16, 1863, fire damaged that mill and it was never rebuilt. Tredegar (Anderson) purchased the land in 1863.

He was a strong supporter of southern secession due to his difficulties in competing with Northern industries due to his high labor and material costs.

With the outbreak of the Civil War, he offered his services to the Confederacy. He was a civil engineer when he enlisted at the age of 48 as a Major in the Confederate Army on 15 August 1861 and was promoted to Brigadier General on September 3, 1861. He was commissioned into CS Gen & Staff. He commanded Confederate forces at Wilmington, North Carolina and was in command of the 3rd Brigade in A.P. Hill's newly formed Light Infantry Division in the Peninsula Campaign. In actions at Mechanicville, Gaines' Mill, and at Frayser's Farm White Oak Swamp, he was seriously wounded on June 30, 1862. He resigned his commission in July 1862[4]. He was given a Presidental Pardon on 22 Sep 1865[5].

After he resigned, he went back to managing the Tredegar iron works, which supplied the Confederate Army with most of their cannons and munitions. The Union took over the plant towards the end of war, but it was returned to him in 1867. Some items of note are[6]:

Wartime production included the iron plating for the first Confederate ironclad warship, the CSS Virginia which fought in the historic Battle of Hampton Roads in March 1862;
Approximately 1,100 artillery pieces during the war, about half of the South's total domestic production of artillery during the war years of 1861–1865;
Development and production of Brooke rifles, an answer to the rifled, armor piercing, Dahlgren Guns favored by the Union;
By 1864, Tredegar was producing nine different types of projectiles for the Confederacy.
June 1864, Hunter's cavalry destroyed the company's best gun iron furnaces, drastically reducing production;
Feb 1865, had to borrow money for payroll;
April 2-3, 1865, during evacuation of Richmond, the works was mostly protected
1865, after pardon from President Andrew Jackson, he secured assets oversees and brought it back to a thriving business
Panic of 1873 resulted in not transitioning to steel.

In 1873, he was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates to represent Richmond. He failed to win re-elected two years later but had a final term from 1877 to 1879.

His wife Sarah died in 1881. He married again to Mary Evans Pegram.

He died 7 September 1892, on a vacation in New Hampshire. He is buried in the Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond, Virginia.


He remained active in the Tredegar Iron Works, his son Archer took over the operations after Joseph's death in 1892[7]. The building remains to this day and a National Historic Landmark which also includes the main visitor center for the Richmond National Battlefield Park which opened in 2000 and the American Civil War Museum which opened in 2013 from a merging of the Museum of the Confederacy and the Civil War Center[8].

Children

  1. Archer Anderson b. 1838 - d. 1918, m. Mary Anne Mason
  2. Rathburn Anderson b. 1840 - d. aft. 1850 census, probably young
  3. Kathleen Anderson b. 1840 - d. 1863, age 23, m. David Shelton Watson
  4. Anna Thomas Anderson b. 1842 - d. 1852, age 10
  5. William Graham Anderson b. 1844 - d. 1845, age 1
  6. Fannie Archer Anderson b. 1846 - d. 1939, m. Edwin Lafayette Hobson
  7. Edward Anderson b. 1849 - d. aft. 1870 census
  8. Ellen Graham Anderson b. 1849 - d. 1872, m. William Alexander Anderson (1st cousins as their fathers were brothers)
  9. Joseph Reid Anderson Jr. b. 1851 - d. 1930, m. Ann Watson Barbour Morris
  10. Sallie Archer Anderson b. 1852 - d. 1854, age 2
  11. Mary Bruce Anderson b. 1855 VA - d. 1936 MD, m. Thomas Seddon Bruce Sr.
  12. Jane Anderson b. abt. 1858 - d. aft. 1870 census
  13. John Francis Thomas Anderson b. 1858 - d. 1931, m1/wid. Elizabeth Campbell Cullen, m2. Irene Estella Werner
  14. Lily Reid Anderson b. 1861 - d. 1865, age 4
  15. George Anderson b. 1862 - d. aft. 1870 census, probably young
  16. Robert Edward Lee Anderson b. 7 Aug 1863 - d. 15 Aug 1863, 8 days old

Slaves at Tredegar

2024 Note: this may get moved to a newly created space/page for Tredegar, leaving just those associated with John Anderson upon completion of various research.

  • After purchasing the Tredegar Iron Company in Richmond, Virginia, in 1848, he introduced slave labor to cut production costs[9]. By the beginning of the Civil War in 1861, half of the 900 workers were slaves, including many in skilled positions[10].
  • Bond, 1864, of the Tredegar Company, Richmond, Va., to J.M. Burton for the hire of an African-American slave, Joe. Issued :1864-01-01: Virginia Historical Society, call number Mss4 T7138 a 1[11]. Part of transcription reads "On or before the first day of January next we promise to pay to J M Burton - the sum of Three hundred dollars for the hire of a Negro slave named Joe for the present year, to be employed at our Works, payable at Richmond Quarterly in Confederate money on presentation of this Bond Said slaves to be well fed and clothed during the year, and held subject to the master's order at the end thereof"


It is believed the records for these slaves are tied to the Iron Works and not listed under Joseph's name. And, there is a note associated with the records kept at the Library of Virginia which states "For researchers interested in the use of slave labor, there are some noteworthy records. A volume titled, Copies of letters, etc., contains information on the use of slave labor (Series I); A volume entitled, Notes and bills payable and receivable, 1856-1859, contains lists of slaves who worked at Tredegars blast furnaces (Series II); Payroll ledgers, note the race of workers, free or slave (Series III); Contract books contain contracts with slave owners and list slaves hired (Series V); and also included are bills of sale for slaves purchased (Series VIII, Subseries 1). Researchers should also study the minute books and correspondence series for additional information."[1]. The collection is across 1343 boxes and is also on microfilm). [12]

  • Book by Kathleen Bruce, names the following slaves at Tredegar[13]:
  1. Emmanuel Quivers, wife Frances. Emmanuel became a free man, recorded with the Hustings Court of the City of Richmond, on 31 Dec 1853 (page 241). Son Joseph Reid Quivers. They moved to California. Emmanuel's original owner was a Henry Harrison Berkeley (see footnote 36) (research note: any relation to John Berkely in the Index, page 468, listed as the "first American iron master. See Southampton Adventures and Falling Creek Iron Works")
  2. In footnote pages 239-240, Henry (about 28-30 years old), Charles (about 28-30 years old), Charles (about 11 years old), William Hill
  3. Tony (in letter referenced on page 242)
  4. Owen (top of page 243)
  5. Page 245 includes names towards the top of the page, need to confirm which are names of people and which are names of places
  6. Bev, hired from E. H. Clarke in 1853 (page 245)
  7. "Servant Davy Cobbs, Puddler", purchased in 1847 from the Etowhah rolling mill in Georgia (page 249)
  8. Henry, wife Polly and five children (in quote on page 250, see also footnote 79 on page)
  9. Sam, Jane and youngest child (page 250, see also footnote 80)
  10. Philip and William (page 251, see also footnote 82)
  11. Booker, George and Alex (page 251, see also footnote 83)
  12. Peter Baker (page 252 within footnote 89)
  13. William Fitzgibbon and Jeff Archer (page 253 within footnote 90)
  14. Madison (page 253 within footnote 92)
  15. Solomon (page 254)
  16. Matthew (page 255 within footnote 101)
  17. In this same book, page 247, she says "During the war period, it is possible to be a bit more definite. In an unclassified book, about three hundred negroes, listed by name, were supplied with clothing in 1863-1864." A trip to the Library of Virginia would be needed to view this on microfilm.


Slaves Owned by J R Anderson

*[2]1850 U.S. Federal Census - Slave Schedules: The National Archive in Washington Dc; Washington, DC; NARA Microform Publication: M432; Title: Seventh Census of the United States, 1850; Record Group: Records of the Bureau of the Census; Record Group Number: 29

Name Joseph R Anderson
Residence Date 1850
Residence Place Richmond, Henrico, Virginia, USA
Number of Enslaved People 75
Role Slave Owner
  • [3]1860 U.S. Federal Census - Slave Schedules: The National Archives in Washington, DC; Washington, DC, USA; Eighth Census of the United States 1860; Series Number: M653; Record Group: Records of the Bureau of the Census; Record Group Number: 29
Name Jos R Anderson
Residence Date 1860
Residence Place Richmond Ward 3, Henrico, Virginia, USA
Number of Enslaved People 60
Role Slave Owner
  • Virginia, U.S., Birth Registers, 1853-1911: Library of Virginia; Richmond, VA, USA; Virginia, Birth Registers, 1853-1911
Year 1858, Richmond, Virginia[4]
  1. Mary Ann, born Feb 9, 1858, owner Joseph R Anderson, mother Celia
  • Virginia, U.S., Death Registers, 1853-1911: Library of Virginia; Richmond, Virginia; Virginia Deaths and Burials, 1853-1912
Year 1853, Richmond, Virginia[5][6]
  1. William, died Feb 10, 1853, Jos R Anderson owner, cause consumption, age 45, no parents listed (b. abt. 1808)
  2. No name given, died May 24, 1853, Jos R Anderson owner, cause cholera infestation, age 1 year 6 months, no parents listed


Sources

  1. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_Board_of_Public_Works
  2. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valley_Pike
  3. ↑ https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Biographical_Dictionary_of_America/Anderson,_Joseph_Reid
  4. ↑ https://www.fold3.com/image/65627370
  5. ↑ https://www.fold3.com/image/22624569/anderson-joseph-r-page-9-us-confederate-amnesty-papers-1865-1867
  6. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20120927041627/http://www.dhr.virginia.gov/registers/Cities/Richmond/127-0186_TredegarIronWorks_1976_Nomination_NHL.pdf
  7. ↑ American Civil War Research Database: Has military information and additional Biography https://civilwardata.com/active/hdsquery.dll?SoldierHistory?C&735855
  8. ↑ https://richmond.com/news/local/civil-war-center-confederacy-museum-join-forces/article_0295cb9f-fd5a-5177-98e8-0e1f5f46a6c2.html
  9. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tredegar_Iron_Works
  10. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20080908111324/http://srnels.people.wm.edu/antrichf95/bumgard.html
  11. ↑ http://rosetta.virginiamemory.com:1801/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?dps_pid=IE2929364
  12. ↑ Tredegar Iron Works Records, 1801-1957. Accession 23881, 24808. Business records collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.
  13. ↑ https://archive.org/details/virginiaironmanu0000unse/page/238/mode/2up?view=theater
  • Wikipedia:Joseph_R._Anderson
  • [7] The Cabells and Their Kin: A Memorial Volume of History, Biography, and Genealogy Alexander Brown January 1, 1895 Houghton, Mifflin & Company: Parent, Marriage, Wife, Child, Birth pages 336
  • "United States Census, 1850", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M8DQ-YTG : Mon Jul 17 22:03:34 UTC 2023), Entry for Joseph R Anderson and Sarah C Anderson, 1850. Location: Richmond, Virginia. Occupation: Iron Manufacturer
  • "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M41Z-GS4 : Mon Jul 17 23:24:15 UTC 2023), Entry for Jos R Anderson and Sarah Anderson, 1860. Location: Henrico, Virginia. Occupation: Iron Manufacturer
  • "United States Census, 1880", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MC5C-1G8 : Wed Oct 04 10:47:49 UTC 2023), Entry for Joseph R. Anderson and Sarah E. Anderson, 1880. Location: Richmond, Henrico, Virginia. Occupation: Tredegar Iron Works
  • Daughter Ellen's marriage record. "Virginia, Library of Virginia State Archive, Births, Marriages, and Deaths 1853-1900", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:68VF-CQ14 : Sat Feb 03 16:04:52 UTC 2024), Entry for William A. Andersen and Mary A. Andersen, 19 Jul 1871.
  • Daughter Mary's marriage record. "Virginia, Bureau of Vital Statistics, County Marriage Registers, 1853-1935", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:8CGM-N3W2 : Fri Oct 06 15:40:12 UTC 2023), Entry for T Seddon Bruce and Charles Bruce, 7 Apr 1875.
  • Son John's marriage record, 1st spouse. "Virginia, Bureau of Vital Statistics, County Marriage Registers, 1853-1935", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:8CCC-26T2 : Fri Oct 06 23:15:28 UTC 2023), Entry for John F T Anderson and Joseph R Anderson, 7 Dec 1880.
  • Son Archer's death certificate. "Virginia, Death Certificates, 1912-1987," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVR7-SLNN : 16 August 2019), Jos R Anderson in entry for Archer Anderson, 04 Jan 1918; from "Virginia, Marriage Records, 1700-1850," database and images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : 2012); citing Richmond, Henrico, Virginia, United States, entry #, Virginia Department of Health, Richmond.
  • Son Joseph's death certificate. "Virginia, Death Certificates, 1912-1987," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVRW-K5NL : 16 August 2019), Joseph R Anderson in entry for Joseph R Anderson, 30 Jan 1930; from "Virginia, Marriage Records, 1700-1850," database and images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : 2012); citing State Farm, Goochland, Virginia, United States, entry #, Virginia Department of Health, Richmond.
  • Son John's death certificate. "Virginia, Death Certificates, 1912-1987," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVRW-YWZZ : 16 August 2019), Joseph R Anderson in entry for John Francis Thomas Anderson, 27 Sep 1931; from "Virginia, Marriage Records, 1700-1850," database and images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : 2012); citing Charlottesville, Albemarle, Virginia, United States, entry #, Virginia Department of Health, Richmond.
  • Daughter Mary's death record. "United States, GenealogyBank Historical Newspaper Obituaries, 1815-2011", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q5QM-CMBC : Fri Oct 20 21:44:17 UTC 2023), Entry for Mrs Mary Anderson Bruce and Mrs Mary Bruce, 14 May 1936.
  • Daughter Fannie's death certificate. "Virginia, Death Certificates, 1912-1987," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVR4-RG4G : 16 August 2019), Joseph Reid Anderson in entry for Fannie Anderson Hobson, 15 Jan 1939; from "Virginia, Marriage Records, 1700-1850," database and images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : 2012); citing Richmond, , Virginia, United States, entry #, Virginia Department of Health, Richmond.
  • Daughter Sally's obit. "United States, GenealogyBank Historical Newspaper Obituaries, 1815-2011", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QP1S-1BKH : Fri Oct 20 23:35:13 UTC 2023), Entry for Miss Sally Archer Anderson and General Joseph R Anderson, 21 Oct 1954.

See also, regarding Tredegar Iron Works:

  • Dew, Charles. Ironmaker to the Confederacy: Joseph R. Anderson and the Tredegar Iron Works (Yale University Press, 1966). Pp. xiv, 345.




Is Joseph your ancestor? Please don't go away!
 star icon Login to collaborate or comment, or
 star icon ask our community of genealogists a question.
Sponsored Search by Ancestry.com

DNA Connections
It may be possible to confirm family relationships with Joseph by comparing test results with other carriers of his Y-chromosome or his mother's mitochondrial DNA. However, there are no known yDNA or mtDNA test-takers in his direct paternal or maternal line. It is likely that these autosomal DNA test-takers will share some percentage of DNA with Joseph:

Have you taken a DNA test? If so, login to add it. If not, see our friends at Ancestry DNA.

Images: 1
Joseph Anderson Image 1
Joseph Anderson Image 1


Comments

Leave a message for others who see this profile.
There are no comments yet.
Login to post a comment.

Rejected matches › Joseph T Anderson (1813-1893)

Featured National Park champion connections: Joseph is 12 degrees from Theodore Roosevelt, 21 degrees from Stephanus Johannes Paulus Kruger, 16 degrees from George Catlin, 12 degrees from Marjory Douglas, 21 degrees from Sueko Embrey, 15 degrees from George Grinnell, 24 degrees from Anton Kröller, 16 degrees from Stephen Mather, 22 degrees from Kara McKean, 15 degrees from John Muir, 13 degrees from Victoria Hanover and 24 degrees from Charles Young on our single family tree. Login to find your connection.

A  >  Anderson  >  Joseph Reid Anderson

Categories: USBH Heritage Exchange, Needs Slave Profiles | USBH Heritage Exchange, Needs Slaves Identified | Richmond, Virginia, Slave Owners | Battle of Glendale | Peninsula Campaign | Battle of Gaine's Mill | Seven Days' Battles | United States Military Academy | Confederate Army, United States Civil War | Confederate States Army Generals, United States Civil War | United States Army Corps of Engineers | 3rd Regiment of Artillery, United States Army | Wounded in Action, Confederate States of America, United States Civil War | Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond, Virginia