![]() Nephi Anderson in 1902 | |
Born | Christiania, Norway | January 22, 1865
Died | January 6, 1923 Salt Lake City, Utah, United States | (aged 57)
Occupation | |
Nationality | Norwegian American |
Period | 1889–1923 |
Literary movement | LDS fiction, Home Literature |
Notable works | Added Upon, Dorian |
Christian Nephi Anderson (January 22, 1865 – January 6, 1923) was a prominent Utah novelist and member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). A prolific writer of the " Home Literature" period of LDS fiction, Anderson published ten novels including the bestselling Added Upon (1898), as well as short stories, poetry, essays, and a history of the Church for young people.
Anderson was born in Christiania (modern Oslo), Norway on 22 January 1865. His parents, Christian and Petronella Nielson, had joined the LDS Church only a few years before his birth and in 1871 they emigrated to Utah Territory, United States. They settled first in Coalsville and later in Ogden.
In 1886, Anderson married Asenath Tillotson and began a teaching career in Ogden and Brigham City. From 1891 to 1893, he served a mission for the LDS Church in his birth country of Norway and resumed teaching upon returning. He served as Superintendent of Schools in Box Elder County, Utah, from 1900 to 1903. Asenath died in January 1904, having borne six children with Nephi (three of which survived to adulthood).
Just two months after his wife's death, Anderson left on his second mission for the church, this time to Great Britain, where under the direction of Heber J. Grant he became assistant editor of the LDS periodical Millennial Star. Returning to Utah in 1906, Anderson moved his family to Salt Lake City and secured a position as instructor of English and Missionary Studies at Latter-day Saints High School. In 1908, he married Maud Rebecca Symons, with whom he would have six more children.
After a short mission which involved his whole family moving to Independence, Missouri, and an assignment there as editor of another LDS periodical, The Liahona, Anderson was asked to come back to Utah and begin working as an editor and librarian with the Genealogical Society of Utah, replacing Joseph Fielding Smith, who had been called to the church's general leadership. In January, 1923, Anderson developed appendicitis and died on January 6 after an operation for the malady when he developed peritonitis. Speakers at his funeral included Heber J. Grant ( LDS Church president, with whom Anderson had always remained close [1]), George Albert Smith, Joseph Fielding Smith, John A. Widtsoe, Anthony W. Ivins, Rodger Clawson, and several other prominent LDS leaders of the period. [2]
In a piece in The Improvement Era entitled "A Plea for Fiction" (1898), Anderson wrote of the Mormon experience—"What a field is here for the pen of the novelist." Although he is well known for his particular style of early LDS fiction, his first published book was the non-fiction title, A Young Folks' History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (1889). [1] [2] In the early 1890s, Anderson began submitting short works to The Contributor.
He published his most recognized work, the novel Added Upon, in 1898, to wide acclaim and popularity. At his death, a local newspaper exclaimed that Added Upon had "been read by almost every person in [Utah]." [3] [4] During the last three decades of his life, Anderson would write ten novels and numerous short stories, all involving LDS characters and storyline.
![]() Nephi Anderson in 1902 | |
Born | Christiania, Norway | January 22, 1865
Died | January 6, 1923 Salt Lake City, Utah, United States | (aged 57)
Occupation | |
Nationality | Norwegian American |
Period | 1889–1923 |
Literary movement | LDS fiction, Home Literature |
Notable works | Added Upon, Dorian |
Christian Nephi Anderson (January 22, 1865 – January 6, 1923) was a prominent Utah novelist and member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). A prolific writer of the " Home Literature" period of LDS fiction, Anderson published ten novels including the bestselling Added Upon (1898), as well as short stories, poetry, essays, and a history of the Church for young people.
Anderson was born in Christiania (modern Oslo), Norway on 22 January 1865. His parents, Christian and Petronella Nielson, had joined the LDS Church only a few years before his birth and in 1871 they emigrated to Utah Territory, United States. They settled first in Coalsville and later in Ogden.
In 1886, Anderson married Asenath Tillotson and began a teaching career in Ogden and Brigham City. From 1891 to 1893, he served a mission for the LDS Church in his birth country of Norway and resumed teaching upon returning. He served as Superintendent of Schools in Box Elder County, Utah, from 1900 to 1903. Asenath died in January 1904, having borne six children with Nephi (three of which survived to adulthood).
Just two months after his wife's death, Anderson left on his second mission for the church, this time to Great Britain, where under the direction of Heber J. Grant he became assistant editor of the LDS periodical Millennial Star. Returning to Utah in 1906, Anderson moved his family to Salt Lake City and secured a position as instructor of English and Missionary Studies at Latter-day Saints High School. In 1908, he married Maud Rebecca Symons, with whom he would have six more children.
After a short mission which involved his whole family moving to Independence, Missouri, and an assignment there as editor of another LDS periodical, The Liahona, Anderson was asked to come back to Utah and begin working as an editor and librarian with the Genealogical Society of Utah, replacing Joseph Fielding Smith, who had been called to the church's general leadership. In January, 1923, Anderson developed appendicitis and died on January 6 after an operation for the malady when he developed peritonitis. Speakers at his funeral included Heber J. Grant ( LDS Church president, with whom Anderson had always remained close [1]), George Albert Smith, Joseph Fielding Smith, John A. Widtsoe, Anthony W. Ivins, Rodger Clawson, and several other prominent LDS leaders of the period. [2]
In a piece in The Improvement Era entitled "A Plea for Fiction" (1898), Anderson wrote of the Mormon experience—"What a field is here for the pen of the novelist." Although he is well known for his particular style of early LDS fiction, his first published book was the non-fiction title, A Young Folks' History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (1889). [1] [2] In the early 1890s, Anderson began submitting short works to The Contributor.
He published his most recognized work, the novel Added Upon, in 1898, to wide acclaim and popularity. At his death, a local newspaper exclaimed that Added Upon had "been read by almost every person in [Utah]." [3] [4] During the last three decades of his life, Anderson would write ten novels and numerous short stories, all involving LDS characters and storyline.