Who was William A Alcott?

William Andrus Alcott, educator, physician and prolific writer of advice literature, was born in Wolcott, Connecticut. Cousin to Bronson Alcott and Bronson's daughter Louisa May Alcott, Alcott was the only son of John Alcox, a farmer. His great-grandfather, John Alcock, was the first settler in Wolcott in 1731 and his paternal grandfather, John Alcox, fought in the Revolutionary War as a captain. Alcott's mother, Anna Andrus Alcox, was descended from the first settlers in Waterbury. A year older than Bronson, William grew up with his cousin in Wolcott. Together they attended the district school, shared a love of books and reading, and agreed to change the spelling of the family name to Alcott. As Bronson writes in his autobiography,

William Andrews [sic] Alcott. He was my cousin and a little older than myself. Living in sight, we sought each other's society whenever we could steal away from our home duties, hoping to find conversation and reading food for our minds not accessible to us at school . . . We read the same books, borrowed any within our reach that promised to be interesting or instructive; formed a Juvenile library, as we called it; corresponded by letters, delivering these at each other's doors; cherished like dreams of the future. Teaching was a desirable occupation and possible for us; we even aspired to authorship . . . Dr. Alcott's writings on hygiene and primary education were numerous; they had a wide popularity for a time, and might be read still with profit. He was a pioneer in reforms, in methods of teaching and discipline. As a teacher in his district his reputation was second to none . . . Few men have lived lives of more untiring industry. His modesty was the only impediment to a wide and just appreciation by his contemporaries.
(p. 151 - 52 Notes to New Connecticut)