Biography

James Anderson was the eldest son of John Anderson

John Anderson (Scottish businessman)

John Anderson was a Scottish businessman and entrepreneur.-Overview:Anderson was born into a poor family at Portland near Dumfries, Scotland and moved to Glasgow in 1784. He later settled in Cork City, at that time the major provisioning centre on the Atlantic Coast. During the American wars he...

, the founder of Fermoy

Fermoy

Fermoy is a town in County Cork, Ireland. It is situated on the River Blackwater in the south of Ireland. Its population is some 5,800 inhabitants, environs included ....

, by his second wife, Elizabeth, the only daughter of Mr. James Semple, of Waterford

Waterford

Waterford is a city in the South-East Region of Ireland. It is the oldest city in the country and fifth largest by population. Waterford City Council is the local government authority for the city and its immediate hinterland...

. He was created a baronet

Baronet

A baronet or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess , is the holder of a hereditary baronetcy awarded by the British Crown...

 on 22 March 1813, of Fermoy

Fermoy

Fermoy is a town in County Cork, Ireland. It is situated on the River Blackwater in the south of Ireland. Its population is some 5,800 inhabitants, environs included ....

, County Cork

County Cork

County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...

, for the great public services rendered to Ireland by his father. Sir James was a celebrated experimentalist in steam-coaching, and took out various patents for his inventions. He lodged specifications in 1831 for "improvements in machinery for propelling vessels on water", in 1837 for "improvements in locomotive engines", and in 1846 for "certain improvements in obtaining motive power, and in applying it to propel carriages and vessels, and to the driving of machinery". He died in London 4 April 1861.

Family

By his marriage, in 1815, with Caroline, fourth daughter of Mr. Robert Shaw, of Dublin, he had two sons (both of whom died unmarried) and six daughters. As he left no male issue, the baronetcy became extinct.