Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

April 30, 1865, in East Haddam, and lived
upon the paternal farm in that town until
twelve years of age. There he attended
the public schools and afterward those of
Hartford, being a student in the Northeast
and Arsenal schools of that city. At
sixteen years of age, he turned his atten-
tion to business and, though he turned his
back upon school books, he has continued
by reading and observation to inform
himself in the affairs of the world. After
leaving school, he was employed as a
bookkeeper by George Hibbard & Com-
pany, carmen of Hartford, and when his
time was not occupied upon the books he
was wont to assist in other labors of the
establishment. Later he entered the service
of the local Railway Company, where
he continued three years as billing clerk,
and after that became associated with his
father in the tobacco business, which he
has continued to the present time, still
retaining the name of H. R. Way & Company.
In 1910 he purchased a warehouse
in Wethersfield, where he has continued
a successful business as a packer of
tobacco. For some years Mr. Way lived
on Windsor avenue, Hartford, and after
the death of his father he removed his
family to the paternal residence on Sherman
street. He is essentially a business
man and gives little attention to other
affairs. He entertains liberal views on
religious subjects, and is independent of
partisan consideration in political mat-
ters, though his sympathies are largely
with the principles and policies of the Re-
publican party.
Mr. Way married, April 24, 1901, Sarah
Ella Lane, born December 13, 1874, in
Hartford, daughter of Frank Adolphus
and Sarah Jane (Mather) Lane. The
former was a well-known real estate
dealer and owner of extensive tobacco
plantations at Fort Myers, Florida. He
was also the owner of orange and grape-
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
3ii
fruit plantations, and the proprietor of a
hotel on Captiva Island in the Gulf of
Mexico. He died at Fort Myers, Novem-
ber 25, 1917. Mr. and Mrs. Way are the
parents of three children :
Henry Mather
Lane, born March 3, 1902 ; Marion Sarah,
August 24, 1904; Ernest Newton, Feb-
ruary 20, 1908.
PIERSON, Andrew Nels,
Florist, Gardener.
Throughout the State of Connecticut
and the regions beyond, the name of A.
N. Pierson is well-known among those
who deal in flowers, or who are interested
in horticulture and gardening. For many
years the extensive business conducted
by Mr. Pierson at Cromwell, Connecticut,
has been operated under the name of A.
N. Pierson, Incorporated.
Mr. Pierson is a native of Sweden, born
September 1, 1850, in Scona, a son of Nels
and Hannah Pierson. In 1869 Nels Pier-
son came with his family to America,
arriving in New York City. Very shortly
after his arrival he went to work for
Johnson & Company at Plainville, Con-
necticut, as a cabinetmaker, and he con-
tinued there over thirty years. In early
life in his native land he had been a school
teacher.
Andrew N. Pierson came to America
with his father, and within a short time
after his arrival went to work for a
farmer named Munn, at Plainville, where
he continued two years. In 1871 he went
to Cromwell, where he became private
gardener for Mr. Barbour. The next year
he purchased a tract of about eight acres
of land which had been used as a cow
pasture. The enterprise and faith of Mr.
Pierson is shown in this transaction by
the hard terms under which he acted.
The money for this purchase was borrowed
at seven per cent, interest with