Alfred A. Anderson

Alfred Alexander Anderson was born on June 29, 1831 to John McKay Anderson (1794-1864) and Lydia Melrath Anderson (1797-1882) of Kennett Square. Alfred grew up in the Quaker household with two brothers and three sisters. From time to time there were apprentices staying with the family to learn dentistry under John Anderson. When the 1850 Census was taken, Alfred at age 18 was already listed as a dentist, working with his father.^[1]

But by 1860, Alfred Anderson seems to be leading a double life. According to the 1860 Census he is working as a dentist with his father in Kennett Square.^[2] However, Boyd’s business directory for Pennsylvania lists Alfred Anderson as a photographer in that same borough.^[3]

On May 28, 1863 Alfred Anderson married Sarah E. Brown under the care of Kennett Monthly Meeting and the couple settled in Kennett Square.^[4] 1863 was a frightening year with the Civil War raging ever closer, with the battles of Chancellorsville and Gettysburg feeling too close by. Alfred Anderson answered the call to serve as a Private in Company E, 29^th Regiment Pennsylvania Infantry Militia during this emergency, from June 19 – August 1, 1863.^[5]

The year of 1864 brought more changes to the life of Alfred Anderson. His father died in February,^[6] providing an opportunity to take over the dentist office. Instead, Anderson became serious about the business of photography. Clearly he saw the opportunity to cash in on the high demand for portrait photographs during this turbulent time. The Village Record on August 9, 1864 announced the opening of his gallery in West Chester:

Samples of his cartes-de-visite found in the collection of the Chester County History Center bear the imprint: ”A.A. Anderson, photographer, 13 West Gay Street, West Chester, PA.” Most bear the IRS tax stamps required during that period. His sitters could pose with the standard studio furniture that came with the gallery, a short column with an urn on top, and a simple studio chair. Most of the examples I have seen were vignetted bust portraits.

Alfred A. Anderson is listed in the IRS tax assessments as a photographer in West Chester, PA both during 1864 and 1865.^[8] During 1865, a new imprint was used for his cartes-de-visite with the following text: “A.A. Anderson’s Union Gallery, No. 13 West Gay Street, West Chester.”

Anderson was going up against some stiff competition in the Borough of West Chester. He had to compete against the established studios of Eber Woodward and Thomas W. Taylor as well as new comers Marshall Battin, John Odiorne, Charles Shrieves and R. T. West.

Despite a listing as photographer in Gopsill’s Pennsylvania State Business Directory for 1865-66,^[9] evidence suggests that Anderson returned to the dental profession. An announcement in the December 30, 1865 Village Record announced that he would resume his dental practice in his father’s office in Kennett Square. Furthermore, C. Alfred Garrett announced that he was the next occupant of the No. 13 W. Gay Street gallery in West Chester on October 24, 1865,^[10] so Anderson must have left earlier that fall.

For the rest of his career, Anderson remained a dentist. During the 1870s he had an office in Kennett Square.^[11] The 1880 Census finds him in Wilmington, Delaware^[12] and Philadelphia city directories list him at 1114 Vine Street Philadelphia from 1884-1889. He returned to Kennett Square but retired from practice in April of 1893. In the interest of his health, he and his family moved to Long Beach California. Alfred A. Anderson died on September 15, 1911^[13] and was buried in the Sunnyside Cemetery.^[14] He was survived by his wife, Sarah and two sons, Herman and Frederick.

© Pamela C. Powell, 2021