Page:History of Goodhue County, Minnesota.djvu/863

 HISTORY OF GOODHUE COUNTY 751 Alfred Carlson, retired hardware merchant living at 1020 East avenue, Red Wing, was born in Sweden, March 28, 1845, son of Gustaf and Louise (Johnson) Carlson, who brought their family to America August 6, 1854, and after stopping a brief time at Red Wing, went to Vasa, being among the earliest settlers of that township. The father preempted 160 acres and carried on general farming for many years. He then retired from farm- ing and removed to Red Wing, where he met with a violent death, February 16, 1880, as the result of an accident while chopping down a tree. The base of the tree hit him in such a manner as to cause almost instant death. His widow died at Red Wing, March 1, 1906. One of the sons, Aaron, now con- ducts the' old homestead in Featherstone township. Alfred at- tended school and worked on the farm until attaining his ma- jority, at which time the father presented him and his brother, Frank, with 160 acres jointly, as a reward for their faithful in- dustry. Here, Alfred carried on general farming until 1877, when he rented the farm out and came to Red Wing, where he entered the employ of Nelson Peterson, hardware merchant as a clerk. In this capacity he remained until 1885 when he pur- chased a store at Hector, Renville county, Minn., and carried on a general hardware business of his own until 1890, when he sold out his business and retired. One year later he built the beauti- ful residence which is now his home. Mr. Carlson is a Republican in politics. He was married June 28, 1867, to Engre Nelson, daugh- ter of Ole and Anna Nelson, well-known farmers of Vasa. They came from Sweden to America in 1856 and located for a time at Chisago county, Minn., later moving to Vasa in 1862, where upon 160 acres they carried on general farming until the death of the father. The mother died at Red Wing, January 16, 1901, at the home of Mrs. Carlson. The family faith of the Carlsons is that of the Swedish Lutheran Church. Frank A. Carlson, Red Wing, was born in Sweden, August 12, 1843, and came to this county with the rest of the family as a boy. Brought up on the farm, educated in the public schools, he in 1876 entered the grocery business until 1882. From that year until 1887 he served as county sheriff and from 1887 to 1891 as assistant postmaster at Red Wing. In 1892 he was appointed on the police force of Red Wing and served two years. From 1894 to 1906 he was in the retail licpior business and then re- tired. He was married May 9, 1866, to Siguild Turner, also a native of Sweden. To this union were born five children — Rosa, Albert B., Minnie, Anna and Elmer C. The family at- tends the Episcopal Church. Julius Carlson, of Red Wing, woodworker at the Red Wing Boat Manufacturing Company, was born in Sweden, December