Mrs John Anderson was born in Germany on April81868. She came to the United States with her parents, Mr August and Mrs Mary Bruns, in1876 . They first settled in St. Louis. Mr Bruns enlisted in the army as a member of the band at old Ft Lincoln, Mandan in 1876. They came on a trainto Bismarck and then on the transfer ferry train across the Missouri river. The ferry broke down in the middle of the river and they had to stay ther all night. In the Morning a skiff loaded them and took them to the Mandan side .They left for Ft. Lincoln at once. Her husband repaired shoes and played in the band at the fort. Mrs Anderson was alittle girl but remembers the big picnic given for Custer , his soldiers and their families before they left for the Little Big Horn Battle. They had greased pig and greased pole games and all had a grand time. Mrs Anderson's brother Charlie took care of Calhouns seven hounds. Her sister ,Mrs Boley ran errands for Mrs Custer. Mr Bruns built a home for his family near the fort buildings but on the Missouri bank near the boat-landing. Mrs Bruns boarded some of the officers. Mrs Anderson says that the crying was dreadful when the messenger came to read the list of the dead after Custer Massacre. He went along what was known as "laundry row" and read the names.
She was playing at the boat landing when the boat carrying the dead reached Fort Lincoln. The soldiers were buried on a hill back of the fort. Some were shipped elsewhere, as was Custer. In 1881 the Bruns family moved to a farm 5 miles north of Mandan. Two teams of oxen and a horse and wagon were used to move the family and household goods. Mrs Bruns remained on the farm while her husband was sent to the Black Hills to keep the Indians from going on the warpath. he was there 8 years and after his 5 years of Gov't service was given his honorable discharge. The Bruns family then moved to Mandan where Mr Bruns opened a shoe shop and Mrs Bruns did practical nursing, bringing
2600 babies into the world, nearly all without a doctor. In 1889 Mrs Anderson met and married Mr Anderson at Mandan. Her husband has been in Gov't. service almost continually for 38 years and is now in line for a pension. They live at Rockhaven Boat-landing near Mandan, when Mr Anderson is watchman and oversees the rip-rapping work along the Missouri river. A daughter Mary was born April 10, 1890 and a son Charlie was born Oct. 17, 1893. He passed away March 28,1916.

From The Dakota Homesteader Historical Newsletter, quarterly newsletter of the Bismarck-Mandan Historical and Genealogical Society, September 2012, page 8.