Bio: Carlson, Charles & Augusta

Surnames: CARLSON

----Source: ABBOTSFORD, WIS. CENTENNIAL BOOK - 1973

Carlson, Charles & Augusta

Charles Carlson, born in Ramkville, Sweden on July 27, 1864, worked in the lumber camps of northern Wisconsin, and also on the railroad east of Rhinelander, as a section crewman.

In 1895, he purchased a farm, two miles west and one-half mile north of the present Highway 12-29 junction of the city of Abbotsford, which was then nearly solid timber.

He had come to this country alone, leaving his wife, Augusta, and two sons, Albin and Anton, in Sweden. In 1897 he sent for them.

When they came to Abbotsford, they settled on this farm. Here they made their home and five more children were born: Arvid, now living on this same farm, Alma, Joseph, who died at 35, and two girls who died when very young.

As the years went by, they cleared all of this land and made it into a good producing farm. A frame barn was built in 1903.

In the ensuing years, different improvements came. Rural route mail delivery about 1905 and the telephone in 1906. At first the milk was skimmed at home and made into rolls of butter. This was taken to the grocery store and exchanged for merchandise. Then a creamery was built in Abbotsford where the milk was taken and the cream separated and made into butter. Later the cheese factories were built.

Charles got his first tractor in 1917, this was a combination caterpillar and wheels, one track and two wheels. The first car was purchased in 1919, a Buick.

Both Mr. and Mrs. Carlson spent their retired years in California, near Turlock, and are buried there. Mr. Carlson was almost 90 years of age when he died.

***Notes: North of the present Highway 12-29 junction should be Highway 13-29 junction.  Linda J. Mertens, Mayville Historian