Robert Ball Anderson facts for kids

Robert Ball Anderson (born March 1, 1843 – died November 30, 1930) was an amazing African-American pioneer in Nebraska. He was born into slavery but later fought in the Union Army during the Civil War. After the war, he became one of the biggest African-American landowners in Nebraska.

Early Life and Challenges

Robert Ball Anderson was born in Green County, Kentucky, on a large farm called a plantation. He was born into slavery. His mother was enslaved on the same farm, and his father was enslaved on a nearby farm. Even though his owner seemed to like him, the owner's wife was not kind. She had his mother sold away when Robert was just a child. Later, she made Robert, who used to work inside the house, go work hard in the fields. She treated him very badly.

Joining the Army

When Robert heard that the Union Army was looking for soldiers, he decided to leave the plantation. It's not completely clear if he ran away or if his owner let him go. In his own story, Robert said he talked to his owner, who told him he had to decide for himself. Robert felt his owner understood that slavery was ending. They talked and parted as friends. However, his army papers say he joined "without consent," which means he might have run away. Robert officially joined the United States Army on April 22, 1865. He was part of the 125th Colored Infantry. His unit was stationed near Louisville, Kentucky, but the Civil War ended before they saw any battles. Later, his unit moved to Fort Leavenworth and had some small fights with Native Americans. Then they went to New Mexico, to places like Fort Union, Fort Craig, and Fort Bliss. When his time in the army was over, Robert was discharged in Louisville.

Becoming a Landowner

After leaving the army, Robert (who, along with his siblings, had taken the last name Anderson instead of Ball) went back to the plantation where he grew up. But things were difficult there. He lived in Iowa for a while, then decided to move to Nebraska. He wanted to own his own land. He bought a team of oxen and earned money by hauling goods into Nebraska. He got land in Butler County through the Homestead Acts. He worked hard to become a successful farmer. But he faced many problems. The Panic of 1873 caused farm prices to drop very low. There was also a drought and several years of grasshopper invasions that destroyed crops. Robert held on longer than most of his neighbors, but by 1881, he had to give up his land. He moved to Kansas, where he finally got some formal education. He saved his money, hoping for another chance to own land.

His second chance came in 1884. He was able to get more homestead land in western Nebraska, in what became Box Butte County. He was one of the first settlers there. At first, he lived in a dugout shelter and ate mostly wild game. Even with some early setbacks, he built a successful farm. He bought more land from neighbors who moved away. By 1902, he owned over 1,400 acres. By 1910, he was the largest African-American landowner in Nebraska. Eventually, he owned more than 2,000 acres of land before he stopped farming in 1920.

Later Life and Legacy

Robert Anderson married Daisy Graham on March 19, 1922. He was 79, and she was 21. He traveled a lot, visiting places like Mexico and Cuba. He even went back to the plantation where he was born as a tourist, 50 years after escaping slavery there. He passed away in a car accident in 1930 and is buried at Hemingford Cemetery.

Robert Anderson wrote his life story in 1927. It was called From Slavery to Affluence. His wife republished it in 1967, adding a section for white Americans about racial inequality that still existed. She was one of the last three widows of Civil War veterans. She might have been the last widow of an American slave. Nebraska governor Pete Ricketts mentioned Robert Anderson in his 2015 speech. He used Robert as an example of the settlers who came to Nebraska looking for a better life.