Carl Harstrom

Carl Axel Harstrom
16th Mayor of Norwalk, Connecticut
In office October 13, 1915[1] – 1917
Preceded by	Francis Irwin Burnell
Succeeded by	Jeremiah Donovan
Personal details
Born	(1863-12-20)December 20, 1863[2] Västerås, Sweden[2]
Died	January 24, 1926(1926-01-24) (aged 62)[3] Norwalk, Connecticut[3]
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Lee Selden Partridge[2](d . August 27, 1926)[3]
Children	Frances (b. 1890), Carl Eric (b. 1892)[2]
Residence(s)	Norwalk, Connecticut
Alma mater	Peekskill Military Academy (1880) Hobart College (A.B., 1886; M.A., 1889)[4] Yale College (1899, PhD.)[2]
Occupation	educator

Carl Axel Harstrom (December 20, 1863 – January 24, 1926) was an American educator, and one-term Republican mayor of Norwalk, Connecticut, from 1915 to 1917.

Early life and family

Harstrom was born in Västerås, Sweden.[2] He was the son of Carl Gustaf and Amelia Adolphina Fosberg Harstrom.[2][5] His father was a manufacturer in Sweden who brought his family to America in 1872, when Carl Axel was nine years of age.[2] He attended the Peekskill Military Academy, and graduated in 1880.[2] He taught school for two years before entering Hobart College.[2] He graduated as valedictory orator[4] and with magna cum laude honors.[2] He earned an A.B in 1886, and an M.A. in 1889.[2][5] He served as headmaster at the Peekskill Academy for three years, and principle of Vienland Preparatory School for four years.[2] On June 20, 1888, Professor Harstrom married Lee Selden Partridge of Phelps, New York.[2][5]

Life in Norwalk

He moved to Norwalk in 1891 to take a position as headmaster of the Norwalk Military Academy.[2] He started his own private preparatory school for boys in Norwalk in 1893.[2]

While teaching and serving as headmaster, he also pursued his own education at Yale University in classical Philology from 1896 to 1899. He earned his PhD in 1899.[2][5] He was a member of Theta Delta Chi, and served as its national president for five consecutive terms.[2]

Political career

In Norwalk, he served as a member of the Board of Estimate.[5] In 1915, Harstrom was elected mayor of Norwalk and served a two-year term. During his term of office he reconstructed the financial system, with the result of making it more transparent to the public.[5] He is credited with introducing voting machines to Norwalk.[5] He is also credited for the many miles of hard pavement laid during his term.[5]

During the World War he was chairman of the local draft board.[5] He was a founding board member of the Norwalk Savings Bank and of the Fairfield County Savings Bank.[5]

Associations

• Member, American Philological Association[2][5]
• Member, Phi Beta Kappa Society[2][4]
• Member, Yale Club of New York City[2][5]
• Member, Norwalk Club[2][5]
• Member, Knob Outing Club of Norwalk[2]
• Vestryman, Grace Episcopal Church[2][5]
• President of the Grand Lodge, Theta Delta Chi[4]
• Member, Senior Warden, Master Mason (1917), Worshipful Master (1922), St. John's Lodge No. 6, Free and Accepted Masons[6]

Awards

• Valedictorian, Hobart College[4]
• Horace White Essay Prize[4]
• Junior Greek Prize[4]
• Senior Debate Prize[4]
• Phi Beta Kappa[4]

References

1. The Highland Democrat
2. Men of Mark This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
3. Obituary - Mrs. Lee Selden Harstrom
4. The Shield
5. Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial; representative citizens; (Volume 11).
6. The Norwalk Hour

Preceded by Francis Irwin Burnell

Mayor of Norwalk, Connecticut 1915–1917

Succeeded by Jeremiah Donovan