John Burton “JB” Anderson was born in 1811 in Allen, Kentucky. First, John married Sarah “Sallie” Jackson. She died after the Civil War. They had six children. They were Thomas Jefferson, William G, George, Andrew Jackson, Sara and Arthur David. Next, John married Mary E. They had one daughter, Addie.
John Anderson was born about the time of the 1811 earthquake that formed Reelfoot Lake in northwest Tennessee and just before the War of 1812. Also about the time of his birth the first steamboats began to ply the Mississippi River. West Tennessee was owned by the Chickasaw Indians at the time of his birth and they continued to own the territory until 1818. John was born in a western frontier state which both Kentucky and West Tennessee were at the time.
US Federal Census Information
In the 1840 US Census, John Anderson and his family were recorded as living in Lawrence, Tennessee. He was engaged in agriculture. There was a total of 8 people living in the home. Apparently, John married Sallie in the late 1830s somewhere in Tennessee. I have not been able to find this marriage certificate.
By the 1850s, John and Sallie were living in District 6 of Fayette County, Tennessee. The 1850 Census shows them living with Nancy Chaney who was 55 years old and probably her son William A Chaney who was 17 years old. The Anderson family consisted of John (40), Sarah (33), Thomas (11), William (8), George (6), Andrew (4) and Sarah (1). The census shows that Sarah was born in South Carolina and all of the children were born in Tennessee. John was shown as a farmer with a real estate value of $290.
The Andersons were still living in District 6 of Fayette County, Tennessee in the 1860 US Census. All of the family members were still living. A Nancy Anderson (58) is also listed as living with the family. Nancy, wife of Andrew Anderson III, was John’s sister-in-law.
Some time around the end of the War of the States, Sallie died. In 1868, John moved to the 6th Civil District of Tipton County, Tennessee. He bought two farms and married a Mary E. Mary and John had one daughter, Addie.
According to some researchers, John named his son, Andrew, after his father and Sarah’s brother. George and Thomas were named after his brothers and William was named after Sarah’s father.
Selected Federal Census Non-Population Schedules, 1850-1880 
US IRS Tax Assessment List
Will of John Burton Anderson
John B. Anderson Will
State of Tennessee
Tipton County
I, John B. Anderson, being of sound mind and disposing memory knowing the uncertainty of this present life in the fear of God do make and publish this my last will and testament thereby revoking all others made by me.
Item the first, It is my will and desire after my burial expenses and all my just debts are paid that my estate be disposed of as follows:
To my beloved wife Mary Anderson I give and bequeath a child’s part of my personal property to do with as she pleases after one years provision is laid out of it by commissioners selected by my wife and my executors hereinafter named.
Item Second, I herein give and bequeath to my wife Mary Anderson one third of my real estate including my residence during her natural life or widowhood and at her death or marriage to go to my children share and share alike.
Item the third, I hereby give and bequeath unto my children all the residue of my estate real and personal and mixed of all description share and share alike, and if any of the children die before I do leaving child or children they shall take their parents share so deceased it being my purpose to make all my children equal in the division of my estate in this my last will and testament.
Item forth. It is my will and desire that my son Arthur D. Anderson be guardian of younger child or children by my present wife.
Item fifth. I hereby nominate and appoint my sons Andrew J. Anderson and Arthur D. Anderson executors of this my last will and testament and it is my desire and I so order my executors to divide or sell for division the real estate herein bequeathed to my children as in their judgment they may see fit, and they were hereby empowered to execute deeds to purchasers or in the division to lay off to the minor children their portion without the intervention of the Court as the expenses will take a large part of what I have to given the children.
It is further my will and desire that my said executors not be required to give any bond or security having all confidence in them and in their integrity in the management of the estate.
In witness whereof I hereto set my hand and seal. This the 25th day of November 1880.
Witnesses:
J.M. Forbes
J.A. Chapman
(Recorded in Book B, Page 331)
Will Page 1 
Will Page 2
John B. must have had misgivings about his will, and felt his desires needed clarification, because less than a year later he actually caused the 100 acre home place to be divided by a deed registered November 15, 1881
(Book 29, Page 542).
In this deed he made a gift of 65 acres of the tract to his three sons, Thomas J., William G., and Andrew J., reserving 35 acres including the dwelling house in which he lived as a “homestead and dowry for my wife and youngest child or children…” In the deed he pointed out that he had before given son, Arthur D., “what I thought was equal or more than I have given to the above mentioned children…”
John B. died in 1882. Some descendants said that he was buried in the Braden area but a search of cemeteries was unfruitful. It is strongly suspected he lies in an unmarked grave in Tipton County, near where he lived at least the last 14 years of his life.
After his death, his wife, Mary E, married a J. B. Byrnes on 22 May 1882.
The executors were unable to settle the estate within the family as John B. had hoped. A law suit, “A. J. Anderson vs. A. B. Anderson and others…” was tried in County Court. From a deed registered 28 Jan 1886 it is known that the court ordered the property divided into parcels, with Mary E. and husband J.B. Byrnes selling their interest to and Andrew J. Anderson, who in turn sold a 79 acre tract to James E. Blaydes for $500. apparently closing the books on the home place.
Feelings must have been hurt because the second Mrs. Anderson and Addie thereafter were never close to the boys.
The last of John’s Tipton County property, the 42 acres deeded to son Arthur David, also was sold on 29 Oct 1886, to Hester Ann Davidson for $450.
A large amount of this information was attained from Harry Woodbury’s book, The John Benton Anderson Family 1850-1980