Springfield-Greene
County LibraryEarly and Recent History and Genealogical Records
of Many of the Representative Citizens
JAMES ANTHONY. The career of James Anthony, formerly engaged in the tobacco business for many years in Springfield, and now employed as a clerk in the local post office, illustrates most happily for the purpose of this work the fact that if a young man possesses the proper attributes of mind and heart, he can, unaided, attain to a position of unmistakable precedence, and gain for himself an honored position among the men who are factors in shaping the destinies of the community in which he lives. His life proves that the only true success in this world is that which is accomplished by personal c art and consecutive industry, by honesty and a straightforward, unassuming attitude toward those with whom he comes into contact.
Mr. Anthony was born in Adams, Massachusetts, May 12, 1843. He is a son Of Abraham and Eunice (Eddy) Anthony, the former born in that vicinity also, but the mother was a native of the state of New York. Abraham Anthony grew up in his native community and there spent his life, engaged in general farming and lumbering, owning considerable timbered land and operating a number of saw mills. He was a Republican and an influential man in his community and was a pronounced enemy of intemperance. He lived to be nearly eighty-seven years of age. His family consisted of ten children, two of whom are deceased; those living are: Charles L., George W., whose sketch appears elsewhere in these pages; Ed win A., James, of this review; Hannah M., Amelia A., Susan, and Albert.
James Anthony grew to manhood in his native community and there he assisted his father with his work when a boy, attending the public schools during the winter, later studying two years in a boarding school at Lanesborough, Massachusetts. Believing the West held greater opportunities than the old Bay state, he came to Liberty, Clay county, Missouri, in March, 1866, and began in the tobacco business. Later he made a trip by mule team to Junction City, Kansas, also returned overland to Missouri, where he remained a year in the tobacco business also handling cattle, then made the overland journey to Springfield in 1867 and this has been his residence ever since. During this long period, he has seen a village grow into an important city. Here he and his two brothers engaged in the tobacco business, in partnership with George McCann, and enjoyed an extensive and thriving trade, the partnership continuing until 1873, when it was dissolved, but our subject remained in this field of endeavor until 1887, when he operated a cigar store for two or three years, after which he traveled on the road many years, representing different wholesale houses, giving satisfactory service to each. Later he went into the real estate business which his industry and tact made a success. In 1890 he was appointed mail clerk in the Springfield post office, and this position he has retained to the present time. His period of faithful service covering nearly a quarter of a century, is certainly evidence of his fidelity and honesty as well as ability, giving satisfaction all the while to the post office department of our government which is somewhat exacting in these matters. Very few men living in Springfield have remained in one position so long, and few there are anywhere who have been so long in government service. A noteworthy fact is that he has worked here fifteen years without a vacation.
Mr. Anthony was married October 1, 1870, to Hannah E. Lisenby, who was born in Jonesboro, Tennessee, February, 18, 1850. She is a daughter .of Charles and Susan (Carr) Lisenby, the father, a native of Tennessee and the mother a native of North Carolina.
Six children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Anthony, three of whom are living, namely: Dell, born November 22, 1871, married Dr. P. O. Hanford; Harry, born January 2, 1874, died April 21, of that year; Robert L., born September 18, 1876, participated in the Spanish-American war, and died July 21, 1900; Helen F., born July 31, 1883, is the wife of Earl Seaman, of Springfield; James P., born June 28, 1885, is single and makes his home in Colorado Springs; Eunice S., born January 23, 1891, died August 11, 1893.
Politically, Mr. Anthony is a Republican, but while loyal to his party and interested in public matters, he has never been an active politician. He has a pleasant home on South Jefferson street.
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