From the 1912 book Past and present of Marshall County, Iowa, Vol 2, page
1074-1076:

HORACE ALONZO ANSON.
It is a pleasure to contemplate the lives of such men as the late Horace Alonzo
Anson, who, having "wrapped the drapery of his couch about him," is sleeping in
peace in the "narrow house," but his in?uence for the general good of
Marshalltown and vicinity continues to grow, the many good deeds he did having
made such an impression on the lives of those who knew him best that his memory
will be kept green by his horde of friends for many years to come. His life was
exemplary in every respect and he set a good example for the younger generation.
He also did much for the physical development of the locality honored by his
residence, whose interests he ever had at heart.

Mr. Anson was born in Rochester, New York, January 8, 1832, the son of Warren
and Eliza (Grove) Anson, both natives of the state of New York. The father was a
cooper by trade, and about 1836 he emigrated to Ohio, being among the pioneers,
and there, by dint of hard toil, made a good home at which he spent the rest of
his life. There were seven children in the family, namely: Alva, Milo, Henry,
Horace, Emily, Almira and Lucy, the last named dying in Ohio. The first of the
family to come to Marshall county, Iowa, was Henry, who platted Marshalltown.
He was followed in 1852 by the single members of the family, HoraceA. (the
subject), two sisters, also the mother, all locating in the new town, in fact
the entire country round about was new. The subject devoted his life to farming,
entering land from the government; he made several exchanges, finally becoming
the owner of one hundred and sixty acres of good land, and after making a number
of changes he owned two hundred acres at the time of his death in Timber Creek
township, eighty acres being just inside the corporate limits of Marshalltown.
He was a general farmer and stock raiser, his efforts meeting with a large
measure of success. He was not a public man, preferring to lead a quiet and
somewhat retired life. Politically, he was a Democrat, but was inclined to vote
independently, especially in regard to the local ticket. For thirty years he
made his home in Marshalltown at his pleasant residence, No. 206 West Church
street, which place he purchased when the town was small. His death occurred
here on September 29, 1910.

Mr. Anson was married on September 17, 1854, to Emiline Smith, a native of Ohio
and the daughter of Patrick Henry and Margaret (Edwards) Smith, both natives of
New York, from which state they moved to Ohio in a very early day and lived
there until January, 1854, when they moved to Marshalltown, Iowa, a few years
later moving to Delaware county, where Mr. Smith's death occurred, after which
his wife returned to Marshalltown, where she spent the rest of her life.

The paternal grandparents of the subject's wife, Calvin and Pattie Smith. also
of the state of New York, were early settlers in Ohio. They were natives of
Massachusetts. The father died in Ohio and the mother's death occurred in
Marshalltown, Iowa, while on a visit. She was eighty years of age.

The maternal grandfather, John Edwards, a native of near Ithica, New York, was a
Welshman. He moved with his family to Ohio.

Eight children, five of whom died in infancy, were born to Horace A. Anson and
wife, the following three reaching maturity: Fred, who now lives in Chicago;
Adella, who married Frank Willard, died in 1899, leaving two children; Anson,
then a baby three months old and is now twelve years old, lives in South Dakota;
Frank, Jr., lives in Kidder county, North Dakota. Ida B. Anson, who married E.
W. Statler, lives in Des Moines, her husband being now deceased; two children
were born to them, Margaret R., born in 1889, and Sarah E., born in 1904.