Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

ENCYCLI >PEM \ ( >F
chased a pair of horses. With these he
started in business for himself, doing
drayage work for the Weed Sewing Ma-
chine Company. Mr. Balf worked inde-
fatigably for the success of this venture,
and beside the business which lie con-
ducted in the daytime, he did work for
other companies at night. His business
grew gradually, assuming a prosperous
and successful working basis. Mr. Half
was careful to meet all obligations, and
became known for his justice and fairness
of dealing. He gradually worked
into the paving business, and about five
irs ago incorporated all his different,
though related, lines of business into one
company. The Edward Balf Company.
This firm does paving of all kinds and
specializes on asphalt paving. Twelve
years ago Mr. Balf bought the Southern
Xew England Paving Company, whose
asphalt plant was the first of its kind
in Connecticut. lie now employs an
average total of two hundred and seventyfive
men. and uses in his work one hun-
dred and eighty to two hundred h^ad of
horses. The business operates all over
the State of Connecticut. About ten
years ago Mr. Half bought a quarry at
Terryville, and immediately started to
operate it. Since that time he has pur-
chased two other quarries. These pro-
duce the highest quality of trap rock. In
1915. the company sold eighty-seven
thousand tons, which it shipped to all
parts of Connecticut, Massachusetts, and
New York. The entire business in all
its different branches, is conducted with
the utmost precautions for the health and
safety of its employees. The most modern
and efficient methods of work which
have been devolved are applied here, and
i:i< »GRAPHY
and ingenious efforts of it- founder, Mr.
I;. ilf. He is one of the oldest members
of the Benevolent and Protective Order
of Elks in Hartford. He is a member i>f
the Chamber of I ommerce, of Hartford,
and of the Hartford Landlords' Associa-
tion. He has been sergeant of the Putnam
Phalanx for several years.
Mr. Balf married Rose Welch, daugh-
ter of John Welch, of Suffield. I
he
Welch family is an old one in Suffield.
Mr. and Mrs. Balf have two children:
Edward, burn in [909, and Barbara, born
in 1912.
Bolstad, Dalsland, Sweden, May 2/, 1881,
and is a son of Carl and Stina Greta (Anthe
plant is one of the most progressive derson) Anderson. His parents were
in Xew England, easily ranking among both born in the Province of Dalsland,
the first in that section. Its success has the father on December 2"], 1839, died in
been almost entirely due to the tireless 1918. He engaged in general farming, as
357
ANDERSON, Eric J.,
Pattern Maker.
Among the people of many countries
who came to our chores seeking homes in
the new world there are no finer men, no
better citizens, than those of Northern
Europe. Trained in thrift and industry,
--turd\ and wholesome physically, mor-
ally and mentally, these qualities inher-
ited and inbred from generations of right
living, they bring with them and transplant
them in our civilization. They
come, not as fortune hunters, not seeking
adventure, they come to build homes for
themselves and their children. Eric J.
Anderson came to America from Sweden,
knowing nothing of our language nor
customs, but overcame all obstacles by
his own energy and ambition. He estab-
lished himself, after a time, in a neces-
sary line of production, and by the excel-
lence of his product has placed himself
among the leaders in that line.
Mr. Anderson was born in the parish of