Biography of John A. Carlson
Anna S. Carlson
John A. Carlson was born in Vermeland, Sweden, June 11, 1869, making his age at the present time 57 years. He was the eldest of a family of six children, four girls and two boys, born to Carl and Christine Johnson. Both his parents are dead, his mother dying in Sweden, while his father died here at the home of his son, John, with whom he had made his home most of the time. His father was by trade a stone mason which he worked at a great deal of the time.
He died April 19, 1916, at Aneta, North Dakota, and is buried at the Valley Grove Cemetery near Kloten, North Dakota, also a sister, Hilma is dead and buried near Hawley, Minnesota. Those remaining are three sisters, Mrs. John Ukkistad and Mrs. Bernt Ulven of Dale, Minnesota, and Mrs.Hedvig Elinson of Goteborg, Sweden. His only brother, Justin, after being a few years in America returned to Europe and is now located at Moss, Norway.
John Carlson came to America when he was seventeen years old. He came to what was once Manitoba Junction (now Dale) Minnesota, where he had relatives living. He made his home with them for a while and later on worked at odd jobs, sometimes logging throughout the year.
On the 13th of November, 1900, he was united in marriage to Anna Charlotte Mattson at Moorhead, Minnesota. She was also from Vermeland, Sweden. To this union have been born five children, three boys and two girls; Carl, born at Lake Park, Minnesota, while Lillian (Mrs. I. O. Helgeland) of Kloten, Levi, John, and Anna all were born on his farm near Aneta, North Dakota.
Mr. John Carlson came to North Dakota in 1902 from Minnesota. He had purchased some land here and intended to begin farming as soon as he could. The journey to North Dakota was made in a wagon drawn by three horses. Progress was slow as it rained a great deal of the time. However, he arrived here on the 25 of April, 1902.
The first year he broke 25 acres of land and sowed flax while on 10 acres that were broken he sowed oats. He helped Charles Calson throughout haying, harvest, and threshing. In July his wife and son, Carl, arrived from Minnesota and made their home at Charles Calson until after threshing. During the winter they stayed on the Lars Helgeland place and moved on to their own land in the spring. Their first house was a one room shack of boards which still remains on the farm as a grain shed. The stable was a structure of poles and flax straw. These buildings were used throughout the winter and the next year a better stable was erected and a basement laid for a house. This basement was used to live in at first and the rest of the house was completed in later years as means afforded. In 1912 his stable burned down together with a hog house. He also lost his wagons, rack, harnesses, about 150 bushels of wheat and a stack of hay. Winter came on and his stock were left to roam the prairies until some shelter could be provided. The following year he built another stable which was soon replaced by a modern and convenient barn.
Mr. Carlson's closest neighbors at that time were Asle Platen, James Miller, Sever Odegard, and Elias Moen. The three last named are now dead while Mr. Platen has retired from farm life and now lives in Aneta, North Dakota. The closest town was Cooperstown, 18 miles to the south, and there Mr. Carlson had to haul his grain and get provisions. A post office and store was kept at Lee and later moved to Kloten, North Dakota.
Mr. Carlson now resides with his family in Lenora Township, Griggs County, 5½ miles southwest of Aneta and 4½ miles south of Kloten. He had two quarters of land, 180 acres under cultivation and the rest in pasture. He raises a great deal of cattle and every fall he ships a carload of beef.