Museum / Archive

Elgin County Archives

Part Of

Anderson family fonds

Creator

J.H. Hopkins

Description Level

Item

Accession Number

2014-06

Storage Room

Archives 4th Floor Storage Room

Storage Location

M5 S3 Sh1 B2 F22 2

GMD

graphic material

Date Range

ca. 1915

Publication

December 2, 2021: Published on Facebook

Series

Anderson family fonds - Photographs series

Physical Description

2 photographs : b&w ; 15.5 x 21.5 cm

History / Biographical

Robert Marshall Anderson (1860-1940) came to St. Thomas in 1896 as the junior partner in a dry goods business and manager of the department store known as Northway and Anderson. In 1906 Anderson purchased his partner John Northway’s share in the company and established the family business known as the Anderson Department Store that dominated St. Thomas commercial life for much of the 20th century. Building on his success as a businessman, R.M. Anderson soon gained prominence in the city's social and philanthropic circles. He served as President of the Elgin Patriotic Society from the time of its founding in 1914 until its disbandment in 1919. He was active in several civic building campaigns in St. Thomas, including those supporting the construction of Memorial Hospital, new buildings for the Y.M.C.A. and Y.W.C.A., and extensions for Alma College. Mr. Anderson was also a devoted member of Knox Presbyterian Church in St. Thomas and served for many years on its board of managers. He was an avid amateur golfer and curler and was instrumental in establishing several golf clubs/courses in the St. Thomas area. He was a founding member and director of the Elgin Country Club in 1899 (later renamed Pinafore Park Golf Club), one of the few clubs formed in Ontario prior to 1900 still in existence. Also in 1899 R.M. Anderson married Katherine (Kate) Wegg, a lifelong resident of St. Thomas whose ancestors included some of the area's first settlers, the Duncombe and Wegg families. Their son Donald Hume Anderson was born on April 14, 1910, and he carried on the family business until the Anderson Department Store closed in 1988.

Scope and Content

A photograph showing 24 Rosebery Place in St. Thomas, Ontario, which was built by Robert Marshall Anderson.

Name Access

Anderson, Robert Marshall

Website / Street View Notes

First URL directs to a more contemporary view provided by Google Maps Street View, accessed on December 2, 2021.

Second URL directs to a social media post featuring the images, published on December 2, 2021.

Less detail