William B. Anderson

Who was William B. Anderson?

William Black Anderson was a member of the United States House of Representatives from Illinois.

Anderson was born April 2, 1830 in Mount Vernon, Illinois. He attended McKendree College and studied law. Despite being admitted to the bar, he never practiced law, instead pursuing agricultural work as a farmer and surveyor. He was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives in 1856 and 1858.

During the American Civil War, Anderson entered the Union Army as a private, eventually rising to the rank of colonel of the 60th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment. Anderson resigned from the army on December 26, 1864. On January 13, 1866, President Andrew Johnson nominated Anderson for appointment to the grade of brevet brigadier general of volunteers to rank from March 13, 1865, and the United States Senate confirmed the appointment on March 12, 1866.

In 1869, Anderson was a member of the Illinois Constitutional Convention. In 1871, Anderson was elected to the Illinois Senate In 1875, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives as an Independent.