James was the son of Wingate Anderson and Martha (Patsy) Belcher.

James married (firstly) on January 22, 1838, in Clark County, Kentucky, to Lucretia Treadway (born December 10, 1818?), the daughter of Moses Treadway and Catharine Dewitt. James married (secondly) circa 1840, to Ann Hamilton Tate.

James is listed in the 1850 Federal Census for Kentucky as living in Clark County, District #1, next to his parents and being a farmer. In 1851 James moved his family overland to south central Iowa. The trip took 30 days and was accomplished by using six yoke of oxen. He also brought along four horses. He settled for a short time, in 1852, in Appanoose County, Iowa. He is listed in the 1856 State, and 1860, 1870 and 1880 Federal Censuses for Iowa as living in Davis County, Marion Township, being a farmer and owning 360 acres of land. Most of his daughters were married at his home. One day in May in the 1870's a very heavy rain occurred causing Old Soap Creek to flood the bottom lands washing away all the rail fencing separating the bordering farms. The rails floated down stream settling on another neighbor's farm. The owner wouldn't allow James to recover his rails until he had rebuilt his own fencing. James took the issue to court, where it was adjudged that James could have only the rails he could identify as being his. He could positively identify only five rails. A feud developed. The following year the creek over-flowed and flooded the area once again. This time James followed his rails downstream until they came to rest at the same location as did those of the previous year. When the water levels lowered he brought a team and hauled them out, stating that his neighbor could go to court and identify his rails. The neighbor declined. James and his sons came to the rescue of this same neighbor at a later date when he was being beaten by a group of rowdies. The Anderson men were known to come to the rescue of people in need; always championing the cause of the underdog. James moved to Kansas around 1883, settling on a 50-acre farm, located in Madison Township, Greenwood County. It was just a short distance from his daughter Sarah Ann Van Cleave, who lived in Center Township, Lyon County, Kansas. Ann is listed in the 1885 Kansas State Census as living in Greenwood County, Madison Township.

The Emporia Weekly News, Thursday, June 19, 1884:

James Anderson, a farmer residing five and one half miles west of Madison, in Greenwood county, died Monday at his residence, of chronic rheumatism. Mr. Anderson, who came from Iowa last spring and settled at the place at which he died, was 78 years of age, and leaves a large family, all of whom are grown.

The Line-Pleasant View (Verdigris) Cemetery is located near the Greenwood-Lyon counties line, just southwest of Olpe, in Center Township.

James had two additional children whose dates of death and burial locations are unknown at this time:

Amanda Jane Anderson: born August 13, 1847, in Clark County, Kentucky, died pre-June 1850, in Clark County, Kentucky.

Drusilla Anderson: born February 12, 1862, in Marion Township, Davis County, Iowa, died circa 1946. She was married (firstly) on September 17, 1884, at Emporia, Lyon County, Kansas, to William Clark Peters (born 1863, in Wood County, Oihio, died April 8, 1900, in Pike Township, Lyon County, Kansas), the son of William and Sarah Jane Peters.
She was married (secondly) on February 12, 1907, at Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa, to Orron J. Randall (born January 1870, in Missouri), the son of William W. Randall and Ruth Ellen Landon. Drusilla and Orron were divorced.
She was married (thirdly) on February 7, 1912, at Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa, to James W. Clarridge (born May 12, 1849, at Libertyville, Jefferson County, Iowa, died July 25, 1924, at Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa), the son of Mace Clarridge and Liddie Slimer/Parker.