John August Carlson papers, 1887-1909
Table of Contents
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Carlson, John August, 1859-1944
- Title
- John August Carlson papers
- Dates
- 1887-1909 (inclusive)18871909
- Quantity
- 4 boxes, (2 linear feet)
- Collection Number
- UUS_COLL MSS 26
- Summary
- Correspondence (including that which was written back and forth during Carlson's Swedish mission), financial records of Carlson's blacksmithing business and other accounts paid and received by Carlson, genealogical records of both the Carlson and the Lundstrom families. Newspapers written in Swedish are contained in this collection.
- Repository
- Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections and Archives Division
Special Collections and Archives
Merrill-Cazier Library
Utah State University
Logan, UT
84322-3000
Telephone: 4357978248
Fax: 4357972880
scweb@usu.edu - Access Restrictions
-
Open to public research. Not available for interlibrary loan.
- Languages
- Collection materials are in English.
- Sponsor
- Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant, 2007-2008
Biographical Note
John August Carlson was born June 28, 1859 in Lannaskede, Sweden the son of Carl Gustof Johanson and Anna Marie Jonnasson. During the 1880s, John joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and opted to move to the Utah Territory, United States, to be among fellow church members. While sailing to the United States, he met his future wife Anna Britta Lundstrom, also Swedish and immigrating to the Utah Territory.
After arriving in the Utah Territory, John briefly settled in Smithfield, Utah and opened a blacksmithing shop. A year later, John procured land in nearby Logan, Utah and relocated to pursue farming. He also continued to work as a blacksmith. After moving, he met Anna B. Lundstrom again, who had moved to Logan to work at her brother's furniture business. Shortly thereafter, John and Anna were married on November 10, 1886 in Logan. They later had ten children together.
In 1894, John was called by his church to serve as a missionary in Sweden, where he proselyted for three years. After completing his missionary duties, he returned to his family in Utah but moved the family to Smithfield. In Smithfield, John opened a blacksmithing shop. John lived most of his remaining life in Smithfield. John died January 19, 1944 in Logan.
Source: Parker, Virginia Carlson, "Biography of John Wilford Carlson," 1975.
Content Description
This three-box collection contains the papers of John A. Carlson. His papers consist of correspondence, missionary papers, blacksmithing records, genealogical information, and a scrapbook. The majority of Carlson's papers concern his mission in Sweden and his blacksmithing business. Some of the items included in this collection are the letters written between Carlson and his wife while he was serving as a missionary in Sweden, his blacksmithing ledgers, which show work performed, and fees, and a scrapbook containing clippings from Utah Korrespondenten , a Swedish Salt Lake City newspaper.
The materials in this collection have been organized topically and then chronologically. The researcher should be aware that some of the material in this collection is written in Swedish, such as some of Carlson's correspondence and blacksmithing records. Some items from this collection were removed and have catalogued separately. These items include; issues of Utah Korrespondenten , an issue of Fyrbaken , and issues of Nordstjaman and Skandinaviens Stjerne .
Note: Researchers interested in the Carlson family should also see the papers of J. A. Carlson's son; Coll Mss 27: The John W. Carlson papers.
Use of the Collection
Restrictions on Use
It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances.
Permission to publish material from the John August Carlson papers must be obtained from the Manuscript Curator and/or the Special Collections and Archives department head.
Preferred Citation
John August Carlson papers, 1887-1909. (COLL MSS 26). Utah State University. Special Collections and Archives department.
Administrative Information
Arrangement
Arranged topically and chronologically.
Acquisition Information
The materials in this collection were donated to USU Special Collections & Archives in 1975 by Virginia Carlson Parker, the granddaughter of John A. Carlson. Additional materials (box 4) were donated in 2026 by Rodney Schvaneveldt, great-grandson of John Carlson.
Related Materials
John W. Carlson papers, COLL MSS 27
Detailed Description of the Collection
Correspondence, 1894-1989
(162 pieces, 7 items).- Description: Swedish Missionary Correspondence, A-G(6 pieces)Dates: 1894-1897Container: Box 1, Folder 1
- Description: Swedish Missionary Correspondence with Hoglund, A. J.(20 pieces 1 item)Dates: 1894Container: Box 1, Folder 2
- Description: Swedish Missionary Correspondence with Hoglund, A. J.(20 pieces)Dates: 1894-1895Container: Box 1, Folder 3
- Description: Swedish Missionary Correspondence, L-T(19 pieces, 1 item)Dates: 1894-1896Container: Box 1, Folder 4
- Description: Swedish Missionary Correspondence from unidentified sources(12 pieces)Dates: 1895Container: Box 1, Folder 5
- Description: Record of Correspondence while on Swedish Mission(2 items)Dates: undatedContainer: Box 1, Folder 6
- Description: Swedish Correspondence, B-N(14 pieces, 1 item)Dates: 1895-1898Container: Box 1, Folder 7
- Description: Swedish Correspondence, P-Y(19 pieces, 2 items)Dates: 1890-1898Container: Box 1, Folder 8
- Description: Swedish Correspondence from unidentified sources(20 pieces)Dates: 1890-1897Container: Box 1, Folder 9
- Description: Swedish Correspondence from unidentified sources(14 pieces)Dates: 1898Container: Box 1, Folder 10
- Description: Swedish Missionary Correspondence with John A. Carlson's wife, Anna CarlsonDates: 1894-1898Container: Box 4, Folder 1-3
- Description: English translation of a selection of Anna's letters
Eleven of Anna's letters were translated into English in 1993 by Vivianne Englund Forsyth. An additional 40 letters were donated to USU Special Collections in 2026.
Dates: 1894-1898Container: Box 4, Folder 4
Financial accounting materials, 1887-1905
(73 pieces, 4 items)- Description: Accounts received by Lundberg and Carlson, Blacksmithing
(2 pieces) (also see box 3)
Dates: 1890sContainer: Box 1, Folder 12 - Description: Account book of Blacksmith business in Smithfield, Utah, written in Swedish(1 item).Dates: 1887 January-1894 MarchContainer: Box 1, Folder 13
- Description: Account Book written partly in Swedish(1 item)Dates: 1890 August-1893Container: Box 1, Folder 14
- Description: Financial Accounts of John A. Carlson, written partly in Swedish(5 pieces)Dates: 1897-1898Container: Box 1, Folder 15
- Description: Account Book(1 item)Dates: 1900-1905Container: Box 1, Folder 16
- Description: Account Book(1 item)Dates: 1905 June -1909 NovemberContainer: Box 1, Folder 17
- Description: Receipts, Cache County notices of Assessment and receipts of payment(11 pieces)Dates: undatedContainer: Box 1, Folder 18
- Description: Cache Stake Tithing Store, Contains Bishop's storehouse(12 pieces)Dates: 1889 October 21 - 1894 March 15Container: Box 1, Folder 19
- Description: Accounts paid by John A. Carlson(23 pieces).Dates: undatedContainer: Box 1, Folder 20
- Description: Accounts paid by John A. Carlson(20 pieces).Dates: undatedContainer: Box 1, Folder 21
- Description: Blacksmithing materials20 1/2 x 13 1/2 cm. (2 items)Dates: undatedContainer: Box 2, Folder 1
Missionary papers, journals, 1890-1897
(24 pieces, 5 items)- Description: Accounts of ordination to Priesthood positions prior to mission to Sweden(l piece)Dates: undatedContainer: Box 2, Folder 2
- Description: Missionary Items, 1890-1895, written in Swedish(23 pieces)
Names of people who bought tickets to the dance of the 7th Ward, March 28, 1890. Monthly missionary reports, January-December, 1895. Quarterly income report of N. N. Branch of N. N. Conference, 4th quarter, Quarterly expenditure report of 1st district Council, 4th quarter, Tithing list of N. N. Branch. Record of people deceased, Wengokers Branch, -March, 1894-December, 1895. Daily notebook of income-and expenditures, 4th quarter, book report from August to November, 1895. Total books and amount of money, Improvement Era, 1895. Diploma of graduation from Elementary School, November 25, 1872. List of books which are found in Wengokers Branch. Records of 119th Quorum of Seventies. Record of members in branch. Quarterly statistical report of the N. N. Branch, November 10, 1890. Subscription for North Star, January 1. Subscription for brethren in branch to North Star. Collection of Konrad Haglunds, March 8, 1895.
Dates: undatedContainer: Box 2, Folder 3 - Description: Record of members of N. N. Branch, and missionary diary, Swedish(3 items)Dates: 1895-1897; undatedContainer: Box 2, Folder 4
- Description: Dag bok (diary/mission record)Dates: 1894-1896Container: Box 4, Folder 5
- Description: Black notebook
Possibly a study journal and/or book of poems
Dates: undatedContainer: Box 4, Folder 7 - Description: Green notebook/ledger
Includes two loose pages found tucked in back cover
Dates: undatedContainer: Box 4, Folder 8
Genealogical records, undated
(79 pieces, 7 items)- Description: Genealogical notes written in Swedish(2 items)Dates: undatedContainer: Box 2, Folder 5
- Description: Lundstrom family records and genealogical materials written in Swedish(8 pieces)Dates: undatedContainer: Box 2, Folder 6
- Description: John A. Carlson personal records and family materials(14 pieces)Dates: undatedContainer: Box 2, Folder 7
- Description: Genealogy of John A. Carlson family and Lundstrom family(1 item)Dates: undatedContainer: Box 2, Folder 8
- Description: Record of temple work done by Sene Catherine Mikkelson Sorensen(1 item)Dates: undatedContainer: Box 2, Folder 9
- Description: Personal items of John A. Carlson. Genealogical records of Carlson and Lundstrom families written in Swedish(15 pieces)Dates: undatedContainer: Box 2, Folder 10
Assorted and oversize materials
- Description: Miscellaneous items(9 pieces)Dates: undatedContainer: Box 2, Folder 11
- Description: Miscellaneous items written partly in Swedish(15 pieces, 3 items)Dates: undatedContainer: Box 2, Folder 12
- Description: John A. Carlson printed advertising cards from Sweden and miscellaneous items(18 pieces).Dates: 1894-1897Container: Box 2, Folder 13
- Description: Item 1:: Scrapbook and loose newspaper clippings, (contains clippings from Utah Korrespondenten) circaDates: 1890sContainer: Box 3
- Description: Item 2:: Account bookDates: 1891-1894Container: Box 3
- Description: BYC [Brigham Young College] felt pennantDates: undatedContainer: Box 3
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Blacksmithing--Utah--Records and correspondence.
- Blacksmiths--Utah.
- Mormon missionaries--Sweden--Correspondence.
- Mormonism (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
- Swedish Americans--Utah--Logan--Genealogy.
- Swedish-American newspapers.
Personal Names
- Carlson, John August, 1859-1944.
Family Names
- Carlson family.
- Lundstrom family.
