A growing family

In October 1905, Haramont Nathaniel Anderson and Margaret Holmes were married in Scranton, Iowa. Margaret had moved to Scranton with her mother, Margaret Haacke Holmes Newton, a few years earlier. Margaret was a graduate of the Toulon Academy in Toulon, Illinois.

The couple settled in Scranton where Dr. Anderson began his practice of medicine. Soon after their marriage Mary Holmes Anderson was born 29 July 1906. The family next moved to Woodbine Iowa where Dr. Anderson opened a practice that he would continue until the late 1950s. He finally retired from practice when his hearing got bad enough that he was afraid he would miss something when conducting a physical exam.

Dr. Anderson and Margaret had three children: Mary Holmes, John Harmon and Haramont Nathaniel, jr. All grew up in Woodbine. Only Mary Holmes Anderson McKinney remained in Woodbine after marrying. John moved to Seattle, Washington, Harry (H. N. jr) moved to Oregon.

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The Young Couple

Margaret Holmes and H.N. Anderson were married 15 October 1905 in Scranton, Iowa. Margaret had moved to Scranton with her mother, Margaret Haacke and stepfather, Benjamin Newton after 1900. Margaret was an unusual young woman for her time — she was a graduate of Toulon Academy in Toulon, Illinois, a rare accomplishment for that day.

The couple settled in Scranton where H.N had opened a practice of medicine. Their first child and only daughter, Mary Holmes was born in Scranton in 1906. The family moved from Scranton to Woodbine, Iowa before the summer of 1908. Their second child and first son, John Harmon was born in Woodbine, Iowa in 1908 H.N.’s mother, Margaret Horney Anderson died later that year.

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Mary Holmes Anderson, their first-born

Mary Holmes Anderson was born in Scranton, Iowa 29 July 1906. This portrait was taken when Mary was probably about a year old.

Mary grew up in Woodbine, Iowa and graduated from high school there. As a young woman, Mary visited her Aunt Mary Elizabeth Holmes Galbraith in Ft. Collins, Iowa. She attended Iowa State College and Colorado State College in Ft Collins.

She and Newton Lawrence McKinney were married in 1931 and had five children: John, David, Richard, Margaret and Mary Anne.

Mary lived most of her life in Woodbine where she helped her husband manage their hybrid seed corn business. Newt died in 1966 and Mary continued in the business for several more years. In her later life she went back to school at Iowa State and spent some time in Africa as Peace Corps member.

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Haramont Nathaniel Anderson, Jr.

H.N. Anderson, jr., was born 11 March 1915 in Woodbine, Iowa. He was seven years younger than his next closest sibling, John Harmon.

Harry grew up in Woodbine and graduated from high school there. He also attended Normal School for two years, following graduation he taught in school for a year or so. He married Frances Turner in 1935. They had three children: Richard Holmes, Mary Lou, and William Arthur.

Harry moved the family to Oregon in 1940 where he lived out the rest of his life. He died in Oregon in 1995.

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Margaret Holmes Anderson and Children, about 1920

Here is the Anderson family in about 1921. Mary would have been in her early teens, John about 12 or 13 and Harry probably 5 or 6 years old.

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