John Anderson

If there were a program known as Bedford County Search and you typed "Entrepreneur" in the query field, among certain present-day indviduals would no doubt appear the name John Anderson.

John Anderson was a native of Bedford County, being born in the town of Bedford a year before the county was created (i.e. 1770). His parents, Thomas and Mary Anderson immigrated into America in the year 1766, arriving in the frontier region the same year as the town of Bedford was laid out by John Lukens (i.e. 1766).

When he became old enough to think about a profession, John chose medicine. He studied under a doctor in Carlisle and then came to Bedford to practice around the year 1796.

John Anderson married Mary Espy, the daughter of David Espy and granddaughter of George Woods, two prominent Bedford gentlemen. They constructed a house on Lot #180, which currently is occupied by the Golden Eagle Tavern. The couple gave birth to four children: George Woods, Espy Lyon, Elizabeth and Mary.

John Anderson made a number of real estate purchases, one of which was the Bedford Springs Spa. In 1806 John built a hotel for visitors who came to "take the waters" of the mineral springs. He also opened a doctors office in the miller's house adjacent to the grist mill that Frederick Nawgel built on the property.

The Allegheny Bank of Pennsylvania, the first bank in Bedford County, was opened by Dr. John Anderson on 02 April 1815. It was located in Dr. Anderson's residence on Lot #180 on the north side of Pitt Street. The Allegheny Bank of Pennsylvania was considered to be a "bank of issue" meaning that it was authorized by law to issue banknotes (i.e. promissory notes issued by a bank payable to bearer on demand without interest and acceptable as money). It was one of the most reliable such banks in the state of Pennsylvania. Its reliability made it very prosperous.

John Anderson died in 1839.