William Columbus Anderson was born in Cole County, Missouri on February 7, 1840 to William M. and Jane Scruggs Anderson. William Columbus was the youngest son of his parents' nine children: John Henry, Mary Ann, Francis Marion, David Q., Parsedda, Martha Ann, James Noble, William Columbus and Elizabeth Anderson. William Columbus Anderson is not the same man that became known as Bloody Bill Anderson. Never was, never will be.

In 1844, William Columbus' parents moved to Stone County, Missouri along Crane Creek near Galena. History tells us of the troubling times of this region as William grew to adulthood. His family found themselves torn by the Civil War with brother and sisters on each side of the conflict. John Henry Anderson, William's eldest sibling, and, sister, Martha Ann's husband, Hiram Leath, fought for the Union. His brother David Q. Anderson had sold his own property in Missouri and left Missouri for Brown County, Texas, with his own family by 1858. This family was truly torn apart by the war and aftermath.

It is believed that William also accompanied his brother to Brown County, Texas because he had property that is shown on a 1859 abstract map of the county. Also, his wife testied under oath that they married about 1860 and they met in Brown County, Texas. Yet, he did return to Stone County, Missouri because by July or early August of 1861, William Columbus and brother, James Noble Anderson, had opportunity to meet up with Quantrill at the Confederates' camp on Crane Creek and rode with Quantrill early in the war. On August 28, 1861 William participated in the deaths of neighbors who were members of the Union Home Guard. This action eventually led to his being banished by his family to Texas and never able to return to Missouri.

Dave Caldwell, a historian for the Anderson family, reports that the brothers joined with Quantrill in the fall of 1861 when the guerrilla leader was camped on Crane Creek near the McCullough store and Curran post office where the Andersons got their mail. However, the venture with Quantrill was short because the Anderson's wintered in Texas while Quantrill remained fighting with Shelby. It is reported that William Columbus had a true dislike for the Dutch farmers who settled in Central Missouri and spent time raiding these farms. The stories say he would ambush the farmers on their way to their fields in the morning. But, by 1863, he was settled in Brown County, Texas, heeding his brother John Henry's threat to be hung if he returned to Missouri.

William Columbus Anderson settled in Brown County, Texas where his uncle, Moses G. Anderson was the first county clerk and successful farmer, having moved there from Georgia before the outbreak of the Civil War. Also, William's brother David Q. Anderson had also joined their Uncle Moses' in Brown County, Texas after leaving Missouri by 1858. William Columbus married Moses' daughter, Martha Elizabeth Anderson by 1863. Documents from the State of Texas show that William applied for his first abstract of land from Brown County in April of 1859 and that land became William's home until his death in 1927. He was successful in his endeavors with the land and was well known in his community. He kept a water trough available to travelers who would stop and share the news of the area.

William Columbus Anderson and his wife, Martha Elizabeth Anderson, were blessed from their union with ten children. They are: 1) Francis Marion Anderson b. May 9, 1864 d. May 23, 1945; 2) Moses George "Mode" Anderson b. March 17, 1867 d. April 21, 1939; 3) Mary Jane Anderson b. 1868 d. 1892; 4) John H. Anderson b. July 1869 d. 1892; 5) Harriet Ellen Anderson b. February 14, 1872 d. August 14, 1950; 6) Robert Lee Anderson b. January 1, 1874 d. September 20, 1952; 7) Texanna Eldorado Anderson b. September 20, 1875 d. January 21, 1960; 8) Storm Anderson b. September 13, 1877; d. August 5, 1935; 9) Ruffy Anderson b. 1879 d. 1880; and, 10) Patrick "Pat" Henry Anderson b. November 7, 1880 d. December 29, 1972.

Often, William's story is diminished by those who mistakenly believe he was Bloody Bill, the Civil War guerilla raider. William T. Anderson, another Missourian who was close in age to William Columbus Anderson, is the man who came to be known after death as Bloody Bill. A comparison of the two men's lives definitely shows that they both existed simultaneously, independently and each with their own history. A simple explanation for the confusion was given by one of William Columbus Anderson's great nieces, Peggy Anderson Caldwell, "There simply were two of them." One lies in a grave in Missouri and will be remembered always as Bloody Bill Anderson who died near Orick, Missouri in October of 1864. And, the other, our popular William Columbus "Uncle Bill" Anderson who lies in a grave in Brown County, Texas at Staley Cemetery between his wife and first cousin, Martha Elizabeth Anderson, and his beloved grandson, Robert Marion Bailey.

https://two-bills.000webhostapp.com

2017 postscript-a descendant of William Columbus Anderson had done DNA testing for his genealogy res0arch. In 2017, without broadcasting to the world she was doing so, a descendant of one of William's sisters did a DNA test for the same reason. They matched. So, by blood, we know that William is who he really was, the son of William M. and Jane Scruggs Anderson, and, once again, not Bloody Bill.

There is now a Facebook family page for all DNA matching folks: Anderson Family Group: for descendants of Noble Anderson, Sr.