George W. Anderson, the leading business man of Hunter, Greene County, N. Y., dealer in wood and coal and building supplies, and proprietor of the Central House, was born in New Sharon, Monmouth County, N. J., May 12, 1850, his parents being Jacob and Matilda (Brown) Anderson. His grandfather Anderson resided in Perrineville, N. J., in which town Jacob was born in 1814. His grandmother, whose maiden name was Mary Baldwin, was the daughter of Thomas Baldwin. Her father lived to the advanced age of ninety-three. She died at the age of fifty, having been the mother of five children.
Jacob Anderson was a carpenter and builder by trade, and for thirty-five years carried on business in Hightstown, Mercer County, N. J., where he was a prominent citizen. The last years of his life were spent on a farm. In politics he was a Republican. He was an active member of an Odd Fellows organization. His death occurred in 1890, at the age of seventy-six. His wife, Matilda, who was born in Hightstown in 1824, and died in 1896, was the daughter of Captain George W. Brown, who commanded a company of militia stationed at Sandy Hook in the War of 1812. Both Jacob Anderson and his wife were members of the Methodist church. Of their family of five sons and two daughters, only one, a son Jacob, is deceased. The living are: Abijah A., William W., George W., Carrie M., Thomas B., and Lilly B. Carrie married John W. Brown, and Lilly is the wife of Bills Flock.
George W. Anderson lived with his parents and attended the common schools until he was about sixteen years old, when he began life for himself. At first he worked on a farm, and then he learned the carpenter's trade. His brothers, it may be mentioned, are also engaged as carpenters and builders. He worked at his trade in Hightstown, Freehold, New Brunswick, and Newark, N. J., and at College Point, Long Island. Coming to Hunter in 1876, Mr. Anderson worked for four years as a wheelwright, but at the end of that time engaged in the building business. His success has been remarkable. He has seen the town double in size since he came here, and has himself put up the more important of the new buildings. He built the Methodist church and the Kaatsberg Hotel, remodelled the Hunter House, built the church and the chair factory at Edgewood, and many houses in Hunter, Edgewood, and Tannersville. During busy seasons he employed thirty hands, carrying on the largest contracting business anywhere in this section. During a number of years he has supplied large quantities of lumber to other builders, and for some time he was the only lumber dealer in five towns of this section. He is consequently widely known. Mr. Anderson's house, which is one of the finest in the village, was built by him, as was also the building in which his office is now located, and which was from 1880 to 1887 used as a sash and blind shop. Since 1884 Mr. Anderson has done little or no building, but has given his time and attention to the management of his large lumber yard and carriage repository. In connection with this he does a large business in coal, wood, and grain, and carries a line of paints, oils, and hardware supplies, and all kinds of building material used by both carpenters and masons. He is the only coal dealer in Hunter, Windham, Ashland, or Jewett.
Mr. Anderson was married in 1872 to Julia E. Lake, daughter of Hiram and Bathsheba (Lounsberry) Lake. She was born in Freehold, N. Y. Her father, who was a farmer, died at the age of sixty, and her mother died at the age of fifty-three. Of their two children, Hiram and Julia E., Mrs. Anderson is the only one living. Mr. Lake was twice married. By his first wife, formerly Julia Rockwell, of East Durham, N. Y., he had two sons — James M. and Charles E., the latter now deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Anderson have two daughters, namely: Mabel, who is yet in school; and Anna Bell, who is the wife of Elmer E. Goodsell, telegraph operator and agent on the Stony Clove & Catskill Mountain Railroad. (See biography on another page.) There are three grandchildren: Marguerite, Anderson, and Vera.
Mr. Anderson has always shown a vital interest in all public affairs since first he came to Hunter. He has served the town in the office of Assessor for three years, as Commissioner of Streets, as trustee and clerk of the School Board, as one of the Trustees of the village, and is at the present time a member of the Town Committee. His political affiliations are with the Republican party. He and his family are members of the Baptist church, but they attend the Methodist church in Hunter, Mr. Anderson being a trustee of the church and treasurer of the board. He can always be depended upon to work for any good cause in the church as well as outside. He was one of the projectors of the Maplewood Cemetery Association, and for many years has been its president. Fraternally, he is a member and treasurer of Mount Tabor Lodge, No. 807, F. & A. M., and of Mountain Chapter, R. A. M. He was one of the charter members of Catskill Chapter at Catskill.