Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

did his ancestors. His wife was a daugh-
ter of Andreas Anderson. Mr. and Mrs.
Anderson were the parents of the following
children: I. Hilma Kattarina, who
married David Stromberg, now of Hartford,
Connecticut. 2. Sarah Augusta,
who married Alfred Walquist ; now
resides
in Waterford, New York. 3. Anna
Gravilda, who married Axel Anderson,
remaining in Sweden. 4. Wendela Eliz-
abeth, who married Emil Larson, also
remaining in Sweden. 5. Andrew Gustav,
of Hartford. 6. Eric Jr., of whom
further. 7. Ellen Gustava, who married
Anders Larson, and remains in Sweden.
The family are all members of the Luth-
eran church.
Eric J. Anderson was educated in the
public schools, and came to Hartford at
the age of sixteen, entering the employ of
the late James R. Topping. He remained
there five years, by patient appli-
cation to detail and thorough study of the
wide range of possibilities in the trade
learning pattern and model making.
Then he spent six months on a visit to
his home in Sweden. Returning to this
country, he entered the employ of The
Hartford Pattern and Model Company,
where he worked for three years as a
journeyman. Then he spent another six
months visiting in Sweden. Returning
once more to Hartford he started in business
for himself in a small shop on Hicks
street, in partnership with Bert Andrus,
under the name of Anderson & Andrus.
Starting in a small way, they did their
own work, but by turning out only the
best they built up a good trade. After
two years Mr. Anderson bought out his
partner's interest and has since carried
on the business alone. By carrying out
the policy of the firm in his own manage-
ment, his business gradually increased as
he established himself in the confidence
and good will of his patrons. Having
EXCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
358
purchased the site of his present plant,
he enlarged the small building already
upon it, and moved into his new quarters
in July, 1916. He now employs on an
average fifteen men, and enjoys the pa-
tronage of some of the largest concerns
in the country. The character of his
work is shown by the fact that he has
made some very notable patterns, among
them being the valves for the new water
works of New York City, the patterns for
the propeller on the Gatun Dam of the
Panama Canal, also he makes patterns
for all kinds of work for the largest auto-
mobile concerns in the country.
Mr. Anderson married Minnie Sophia,
daughter of John August Josephson, who
was born in North Dakota, of Swedish
parentage. They have one child, Carl
Evert, born June 17, 191 7. They are
members of the Swedish Lutheran
church.
ALCORN, Thomas Grant,
Physician, Legislator.
Thomas Grant Alcorn, one of the most
successful and popular physicians of En-
field, Connecticut, and the region surrounding
that flourishing town, is a member
of a very old and distinguished fam-
ily, a family that has its representatives
in several different parts of the country,
and especially in Pennsylvania, where
there are a number of branches. In Con-
necticut, also, there are many of the
name, which in origin is Irish, the Al-
corns having been seated in Donegal in
times past. Thomas Grant Alcorn is a
son of John and Barbara (Hamilton) Al-
corn, old and highly respected residents
of Thompsonville, Connecticut, where
Mr. Alcorn, Sr., followed the occupation
of machinist for many years. He and his
wife were the parents of a large number
of children, as follows : 1. Thomas Grant,