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WILLIAM H. ANYAN, for many years a faithful and trusted employe (sic) of the Union Pacific Railroad Company, was well known and highly respected in Grand Island. He was born at Racine, Wisconsin, February 25, 1857, and died as the result of an accident, in the line of duty, November 6, 1918. His parents were William and Marion (Sharp) Anyan.
The name of Anyan became well known in Hall County over forty years ago, when the father of the late William H. Anyan, came here as manager of the government land office, in which he served for nine years, first under appointment of President Rutherford B. Hayes, and second under President Chester A. Arthur, in 1882. William Anyan was born at Hull, England, and in that industrial city learned the building trade. In 1852, being then twenty-six years old, he came to the united States and settled in Wisconsin and from that state enlisted for service in the Union army at the outbreak of the Civil War. He was a member of Company B, First Wisconsin heavy artillery, serving four years he was honorably discharged from military service in 1865. Following his release from the army he worked as a carpenter and builder at East Troy, Wisconsin, and Chicago, Illinois. In 1873 he removed to Gage county, Nebraska, to take up a homestead near Beatrice, coming from there to Hall County under presidential appointment in 1878. Mrs. Anyan has her husband's commissions signed by the presidents named above,entitling him to receive public money and conduct the business of the land office. He was a man of high character and was a member of the Episcopal church. He had but two children, William H. and George, both of whom are deceased.
William H. Anyan had common school advantages and in his earlier years worked on the home farm and at the carpenter trade. He entered the service of the Union Pacific Railroad Company, July 5, 1880, being employed at first as fireman and working his way up until he became engineer of a switch engine. In 1912 he received the injury that put an end to his life on the railroad and eventually caused his death. He was a kind, generous man and had a wide circle of friends.
On June 21, 1882, William H. Anyan married Miss Mary Cook, who was born in Hanover, Germany. Her parents were Henry and Catherine (Sandbury) Cook. Her father met with an accidental death when Mr. Anyan was two years old, following which her mother brought her to the United sates and Mr. Anyan was reared in the family of an uncle, at Havana, Illinois. She had but little school training but became skilled in domestic industries and has reared her four daughters in such a way that they reflect great credit on their home training. They are: Marion, the wife of Rufus Geer; Grace, the wife of Clarence R. Helber, agent at Pine Bluffs, Wyoming, for the Union Pacific Railroad; Margaret, an assistant in the office of Dr. Farnsworth, Grand Island, and Irma, who lives at home. The family attends the congregational church, to which Mr. Anyan was a liberal contributor. He was a Republican in his political views. He belonged to the fraternal order of United Workmen. Mrs. Anyan occupies a comfortable residence at No. 304 Fourth street, Grand Island.
History of Hall County
by Buechler, Barr, & Stough (Published 1920)
Transcribed by Kaylynn Loveland
