Hartford E. Anderson was born October 20, 1909 in Hillyard, WA, the son of Andrew and Cornelia (Olson) Anderson. In 1919, his family moved to Dawson where he attended school before moving to work in Chicago in 1925. In 1930, Hartford returned to Dawson where he worked with the WPA on the sidewalks and curbing and also the rip-rapping of the River. Hartford joined the Army in 1942 and served in France and Germany before he was honorably discharged in 1945. He then worked as a carpenter with the Vane Bros. He was united in marriage with Eleanor Peterson in 1963. They managed the VFW Club in Dawson from 1970 until retiring in 1977. He enjoyed the sports of bowling and golfing, loved to travel, and was active in the VFW, Legion, Masons, and Shriners.
Hartford died on Thursday, February 25, 1999 at the Johnson Memorial Home in Dawson at the age of 89.
He is survived by one step-daughter, Joyce Ann (Sherman) Winson of Clarkfield and her family and the wives of his two nephews: Lois Keltner of Sauk Rapids, MN and Anita Keltner of Minnetonka, MN.
Preceding him in death were his parents; his wife, Eleanor Juella Peterson Anderson on June 29, 1993; and two nephews: Bob and Dick Keltner.