Nels N. Alling

Nels N. Alling (October 15, 1861 – March 9, 1955) was a Danish-American sculptor who specialized in terra cotta architectural work in the city of Perth Amboy in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. He is known for his life-size terra cotta statue of George Washington located in the city's Market Square. He immigrated to the United States in 1887 and started work at the Perth Amboy Terra Cotta Company. He had come to New Jersey as he later recalled, because: In 1895, Alling received a commission for a life-size terra cotta statue of George Washington, which he modeled in his studio. The statue was a gift from the Scandinavians of Perth Amboy and dedicated on Washington's Birthday, February 22, 1896, in Market Square, in front of the Perth Amboy City Hall. Alling's daughter unveiled the statue at the ceremony, which featured speeches by the mayor and Scandinavians of the city. He later operated a funerary monuments and headstones business.

Personal life

Alling was born on October 15, 1861, in the city of Randers in Denmark. He married Wilhelmina Charlotte Weedfald in July 1887 and soon emigrated to New Jersey.