John A. Carlson was born in Vermeland, Sweden, June 11, 1869. He was the eldest of a family of six children, four girls and two boys, born to Carl and Christine Johnson. He came to America in 1886 to Manitoba Junction (now Dale), Minnesota.

One November 13, 1900 he married Anna Charlotte Mattson who had also come from Vermeland, Sweden. To this union 5 children were born

Carl, Lillian (Mrs. I. O. Helgeland), Levi, John and Anna.

John A. and Anna Carlson came to North Dakota in 1902. He had purchased some land in Griggs County with the intention to begin farming as soon as possible. The journey was made in a wagon drawn by three horses. The progress was slow as it rained a great deal of the time. Their first house was a one-room shack of boards, which still remains on the farm as a granary on the NE quarter of Section 6 in Lenora Township. The stable was a structure of poles and flax straw.

Mr. Carlson continued to farm and raise cattle. Each fall he would ship a carload of beef to market.

Mrs. Carlson died in 1955. Mr. John A. Carlson died in 1961. Two of their sons, Carl and John, continued to farm until John's death in 1969. Carl now resides in Aneta.

Source: Griggs County History 1879 - 1976 Page 337