Anderson, Sam, building contractor – Portland – born in Villstad parish, Småland on Jan. 27, 1848. After his church confirmation he stayed a couple of years in various places in the province of Halland, from which he immigrated to America in 1868. Initially he stayed in Wilcox, Pennsylvania, working in the leather tanning industry. Then he went to Omaha, Nebraska, working as a carpenter, a trade he had learned in Sweden. After a while he left Nebraska for Wyoming where he worked with, among other things, mining, gold digging, logging until 1876.
Following time spent in Portland, Oregon, Seattle and Renton, Washington, he continued to the Black Hills, having recently become a magnet due to the discovery of gold. Mr. Anderson earned his living from gold digging and carpentry among others, even had inroads with American Indians, traveled to Wyoming and Kansas and visited Sweden 1884. He left the Black Hills in 1888 and relocated to Portland, Oregon. In 1896 he traveled to Cripple Creek, Colorado, and then back to the Black Hills, also including a trip to Mexico.
In 1906 he visited Sweden for the second time, and 1910 he also visited California. Mrs. Anderson mostly joined him during his travels, and she traveled alone to Sweden in 1904. Mr. Anderson built and sold several houses in Portland. Among the several houses he owns, the no. 114E. 34 St, is his permanent residence. He is a member of the Congregationalist Church. Married since 1881 to Johanna Brühl from Lilla Uppåkra, Skåne.