Photo provided by Clayton Junkins.
Photo provided by Clayton Junkins.
Photo provided by Clayton Junkins.
Photo provided by Clayton Junkins.
Photo provided by Clayton Junkins.
Photo provided by Clayton Junkins.
Photo provided by Clayton Junkins.
Photo provided by Clayton Junkins.
The Gilded Age: A Tale of Yesterday
Saint Augustine, Florida in the age of gold.
Photo provided by Clayton Junkins.
A Man of Many Talents.
Dr. Andrew Anderson II was born on 13 March 1839 and is a native of the city of St. Augustine, FL. His father, Andre Anderson Sr. hailed from New York and worked as a physician, serving as a key figure in the community; Anderson Sr. served on many local boards and donated his time and money to philanthropic efforts, a tradition the younger Anderson would carry on after his father's passing.
The Anderson's lived within Markland (Left), a plantation style house that sat among miles of orange groves. It was Anderson who sold a parcel of land to Henry Flagler in the 1880s to build the Ponce de Leon Hotel. Having hailed from NY in the 1820s, the Andersons had amassed much of the land in present day downtown St. Augustine, as more businessmen appeared, Anderson made a profit off his land sales. Somewhat of a controversial figure at the time, Anderson is believed to have fathered a child with an African American woman, who he then continued to support financially following his marriage in 1895, which he also invited several African Americans to attend the wedding ceremony.
Henry Flagler was not the only Gilded Age figure to help revitalize the city; Andrew Anderson contributed just as much time and money to bringing new life to his hometown. Many of the sculptures Anderson donated to the city still stand today, such as the flagpole near the waterfront that tells the history of St. Augustine on each panel, and the statue of Juan Ponce de Leon adjacent to the Plaza and old Market. Anderson also served as a physician an Chairman of the board at Alicia Hospital and donated money as a trustee following his retirement.
Andrew Anderson II died on 22 December 1924 in St. Augustine, he is buried beside his wife, Mary who died in 1912, in Evergreen Cemetery.