Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

Fraternal Order of Eagles, and the Italian
Society, Sons of Italy.
Mr. Adorno married, In 1901, on
Thanksgiving Day, Maria Pinto, daugh-
ter of Andrea and Cesaria Pinto, all na-
tives of Italy. The children are : Michael,
Andrew, Joseph, William, Salvatore,
Jr., and Concettina. Two daughters died
in infancy. The family are attendants of
St. John's Roman Catholic Church of Mid-
dletown, and Mr. Adorno generously aids
in the support of its charities.
NILSON, A. H.,
Mannfactnrer and Inventor.
From Washington at intervals public
documents compiled by departments and
bureaus of the government are sent out
on manifold subjects supposed to interest
the citizen. Many of these documents
relate to the development of the country,
and are of interest to the student of its
growth, and to those concerned in its wel-
fare. There is, however, a subject of
great general interest that no public document
adequately covers. How great is
the measure in which the foreign-born
citizen contributes to the expansion and
welfare of the United States? Many an
immigrant, finding no opportunity in his
own land for development, comes to this
country with no capital beyond a deter-
mination to succeed, and with an impulse
to industry, or with a dormant ingenuity
which here awakens and is effective, he
becomes an essential element in his community,
winning note and fortune while
assisting in the enriching of the land of
his adoption.
Such a man is A. H. Nilson, the story of
whose life reads like romance. Mr. Nil-
son is a manufacturer, inventor and designer
of special machinery, and is prominently
identified with the business and
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
financial interests of Bridgeport, Connecticut.
Mr. Nilson started from the bottom
of the ladder and worked himself from
the condition of a poor boy to his present
enviable standing. He was born in Got-
tenburg, Sweden, April 2, 1849, the son of
Nil and Helena (Stele) Nilson, both na-
tives of Sweden. He was educated in the
excellent common schools of his native
land, and after his schooling he learned
the trade of a machinist. That he did not
have mechanical opportunity there is ap-
parent from the fact that he served as a
sailor for six years. Then he was a fireman
and engineer in a saw-mill, a dual
position which in wages must have been
inadequate. In 1880 he came to the
United States, set upon bettering his condition.
He had no friends here, and was
ignorant of the language. Landing in
New York, he looked about and finally
settled in Bridgeport, even then a manufacturing
town of consequence. Here he
found employment with the Bridgeport
Organ Company on Water Street, as a
cabinet maker at one dollar a day, and later
as operator of a wood-turning lathe. After
the expiration of two years he was sent
as an engineer to the Cornwall and Pat-
terson Manufacturing Company's plant in
Saugatuck, Connecticut. In 1883 he returned
to Bridgeport with this company,
and here for four years he operated all the
automatic machines in the factory. He
was then placed in charge of the machine
department, which position he held for six
years. In 1892 he established the A. H.
Nilson & Sons Machine Company, conducting
a machine shop in the Hamilton
Brass Foundry building. Golden Hill and
Middle Streets. Soon after the beginning
of this venture came the great business
depression of 1893, and Mr. Nilson dis-
posed of this business to Knapp & Cowles,
although he still remained in charge of