Biography of J. Leo Andersen, Pensacola, Escambia County, FL

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Transcribed from:  The History of Florida:  Past & Present, The Lewis Publishing Co., Vol. 
III, page 209, 1923.

ANDERSEN, J. LEO  One of the younger members of the Pensacola bar, who in a comparatively 
short time has established himself firmly in the practice of law in his native city, is J. 
LEO ANDERSEN, a veteran of the World war and a member of a well known and substantial family 
of this section.

Mr. ANDERSEN was born at Pensacola, Florida, August 27, 1892, and is a son of Capt. LARS and 
MARY JANE (SANCHEZ) ANDERSEN.  His paternal grandparents were ANDREW and MARY CHRISTIANA ANDERSEN, 
who were born in Norway and spent their lives there.  ANDREW ANDERSEN was a man of character,
and for many years served in the office of assistant postmaster at Dramma.  The maternal 
grandparents of Mr. ANDERSEN were FRANK and SARAH SANCHEZ, the former of whom was of Spanish 
ancestry but was born at San Antonio, Texas.  The latter was born in Queens County, Ireland, 
and was brought to America in childhood.  Mr. And Mrs. SANCHEZ became residents of Warrington,
Florida, and there the mother of Mr. ANDERSEN was born in 1869.

Capt. LARS ANDERSEN was born in his parents' home at Dramma, Norway, October 24, 1854, and 
had school privileges there in boyhood, but he was still young when he became a sailor and 
for many years afterward followed the sea and eventually became master of a ship.  In 1885 
he came to Pensacola as a pilot, and this city has been his home ever since.  He is well 
known in many circles and now lives comfortably retired.  Of his family of six children J. 
LEO is the second in order of birth, and all have been given superior educational advantages. 
The eldest, MARION CHRISTIANA, is a graduate of the Florida State College for Women, and is 
an instructor in the Pensacola High School.  MARGARETTE CECELIE, who is a teacher in the 
grammar schools at Pensacola, is a graduate of the Florida State College for Women.  The 
second son, EDWARD OWEN, who is now engaged in the practice of dentistry at Atlanta, was a 
member of a training camp for officers at the University of Florida at Gainesville during 
the World war.  HILO INEZ, who is a teacher in the public schools at Pensacola, attended the 
Florida State College for Women for two years.  DORIS VIRGINIA, the youngest of the family, 
is yet in school at Pensacola.

J. LEO ANDERSEN attended the public schools of his native city and then entered the University 
of Florida, where he took a preparatory course in law, subsequently receiving his degree of 
L.L. B. from John B. Stetson University. He still preserves membership in his Greek letter 
college fraternity, and Psi Kappa Psi, is an honorary member of the Phi Alpha Delta.

On August 6, 1917, Mr. ANDERSEN entered military service, enlisting on that date in the United 
States Coast Guard, and was transferred to the United States Navy on September 6, 1918, and
when he received his final honorable discharge he had rank as warrant officer machinist.  
His personal plans had been somewhat disturbed by the exigencies of war, but like many other 
loyal and patriotic young men of the day he wasted no time in vain regret but accepted conditions 
cheerfully, and on June 19, 1921, opened his law office in the Theison Building at Pensacola, 
and entered upon the practice of his profession.  In political sentiment he is a democrat. 
He is a member of the Roman Catholic Church.