Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

Mr. Smead did not lay aside his interest
in the boys or the institution, but is keeping
in touch with both by his member-
ship on the Board of Counsel. After his
resignation, Mr. Smead returned to the
home of his birth, Greenfield, Massachusetts,
where he is leading a retired and
useful life.
Mr. Smead married (first) November
12, 1874, in Baltimore, Maryland, Annie
Whitney, born on the Island of Bermuda,
West Indies, died January 25, 1876. He
married (second), October 30, 1878, Rosel-
vina Whitney, a sister of his first wife,
daughters of David Whitney, a native of
Bermuda, and descended from the Whitney
family of Buckingham county, Vir-
ginia. Mrs. Smead died September 5,
191 5. Both were members of the Congre-
gational church.
CHRISTENSEN, Anders,
Gardener.
Modern New England owes much of its
prosperity and industrial development to
European immigrants who have brought
to bear the native industry and thrift
which are a necessity in European life.
Anders Christensen, of Hartford, was
born May 15, 1870, in the extreme north-
ern part of Germany, which was formerly
a part of Denmark, and is of Danish an-
cestry. His early education was supplied
by the schools of his native town where
his father was a farmer. At the early age
of fifteen years he left his native land to
find a home and prosperity in the free
American Nation. An elder brother had
previously settled in Hartford, and here
Anders located on coming to this country.
For a period of two years he was
employed on a dairy farm in the Blue
Hills section of Hartford, and for eight
years thereafter was employed as gar-
dener by Paul Thompson, of West Hart-
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
242
ford, during most of which time he served
in the capacity of farm foreman. In company
with his brother, Nels Christensen,
he engaged in farming for three years
on rented land in the Blue Hills region,
after which the two brothers purchased
from their savings a portion of the farm
which they occupied and which they still
own and operate. They gave their atten-
tion chiefly to the production of garden
products, and by their careful husbandry
and industry brought the land from a
previous depleted condition into a most
productive state. Their farm is now rated
among the best producing in the vicinity
of Hartford, and as they prospered they
gradually purchased additional lands ad-
joining, and also erected larger and better
buildings. In 1909 their holdings were
divided and each has since continued in
independent operations.
Anders Christensen has traveled exten-
sively throughout New England to study
the methods of market gardening in other
places, and by adopting improvements
which he observed, he has developed one
of the best equipped truck farms in the
State of Connecticut. This is supplied
with water works operated by wind-mill
power, and a large amount of produce is
grown under glass, thus enabling Mr.
Christensen to supply the market with
many kinds of early spring vegetables.
During the busy season he employs some
fifteen men and women, and the aid af-
forded by members of his own family is
no inconsiderable factor in the success of
his business. During every day in the
season two large wagon loads of vege-
tables are delivered into the city, and in
this business a large auto truck is em-
ployed. Nearly all the larger stores are
supplied by Mr. Christensen, in addition
to a considerable amount which he fur-
nished to peddlers. His success in busi-
ness is due to his own enterprise and in-