John E. Anderson
Obituaries
Eagle County Blade - April 30, 1908
John E. Anderson
Death of Another Pioneer Miner of the Battle Mountain District
The funeral of the late John E. Anderson, whose death occurred in Leadville, the previous Wednesday, was held at the Presbyterian church of Leadville on last Sunday. Mr. Anderson was well known in this county, being one of its pioneer miners and for many years resided at Bell's Camp. A special from Leadville to the Denver Republican contains the following interesting incidents connected with the deceased's life:
Anderson came here in 1879 and previous to that time had had a strange and romantic career, the facts of which have just been disclosed in the examination of his effects. He was born in Sweden and when a young man went to South Africa, where for several years he successfully engaged in diamond mining.
In the early '70s with a large fortune of precious gems in his possession he started to return to his old home. On arriving in London,England, he was lured into a side street and there robbed of over $400,000 worth of diamonds but about $50,000 in cash which he had sewed in the lining of his coat was untouched by the thieves. A few years later, with his cash surplus in his pocket, he started for America, and on the ocean liner on which he sailed to this country he met a young Swedish woman whom he married a few months later.
Soon after his arrival in New York in the spring of 1878, Anderson deposited nearly all his money in a New York bank and during the panic of that year the institution failed, sweeping all but a small portion of his fortune. Together with his wife he came to Leadville during the excitement of 1879 in the hope of recouping his losses. He was only partially successful. His aged widow survives him.
