His entire adult life was spent in the ministry with the exception of a short period (1843-1844) when he was professor of rhetoric and belles-lettres at Hanover College, Hanover, Indiana, and later when he was president of Miami University at Oxford, Ohio, from 1849 to 1854.

In 1869 Anderson moved to Kansas and settled in Junction City, where he occasionally preached in the Presbyterian church.

Sermons were also delivered in Abilene, Kansas, when that town was at the height of its cattle shipping activities.

Anderson died on August 28, 1870, and was buried at Highland Cemetery in Junction City.

Congressman, president of Kansas State University and ambassador to Egypt during the administration of Benjamin Harrison who had been a college roommate of Anderson's at Miami University during the time William C. Anderson was president.