Person:John Colson (7)

Census 1910 Minnesota Wadena

John Colson 77

Anna B Colson 72

Emma Colson 21

John Colson 72

Anna B Colson 67

Edward F Colson 33

Emma Colson 22

John Colson Head B Aug 1839 Married 30 years Born Sweden

Annie B. Colson Wife B Apr 1839 Married 30 years Born Germany

Pauline Colson dau B Feb 1871 single Born Minnesota

Edward Colson son B June 1872 Minnesota

Louis Colson son B Aug 1874 Minnesota

Emma Colson dau B Sept 1882 single Minnesota ------------------------- Census Minnesota State census 1895 Otter tail Oak Valley

John Colson 62

Annie B Colson 57

Paulina Colson 27

William Colson 25

Fred Edward Colson 23

John Colson 53

Annie Colson 47

Pauline Colson 17

Wm Colson 15

Edward Colson 13

Louis Colson 11

Mathilda Colson 8

Emma Colson 2

John Colson 47 Head Farmer Born Swedeb

Barbara Colson wife 42 Born Wurtenburg

Pauline Colson 12 dau Born Minnesota

Wm Colson 10 son Born MN

Edward Colson son 8 Born MN

Louis Colson 5 son Born MN

Matilda Colson dau 3 Born MN

Krall, August Boarder 34 Born Sweden ----------------------- Fred Lehmann 49 Farmer Born Switzerland

Mary R. Lehmann wife 40 Born Wurtenberg

John Lehmann son 15 Born MN

Frank Lehmann 13 son Born MN

Bertha Lehmann 8 dau Born MN

Albert Lehmann 5 son Born MN

George Lehmann 3 Born MN

Charlie Lehmann Born May 1880 in MN ----------------------------------------------------------------

Census 1875 Minnesota State census. Ottertail county Township 133

John Colson 45 Sweden

Anna B. Colson 36 Germany

Paulina Colson 7 Minnesota -----------------------

University History Series Anthropology and a Lifetime of Observation Elizabeth Colson With an Introduction by Laura Nader Interviewes Conducted by Suzanne B. Riess in 2000-2001

Extract of interview of Elizabeth Colson

Let's start with my father. He was born in Hastings, Minnesota, if I remember rightly, in 1874. His father had come from Sweden. He was born in Göteburg and wanted to escape the draft, Sweden having instituted compulsory military service in the early nineteenth century. So when he was liable to be called up, he ran away on a boat heading for Denmark, but they shipwrecked and he went back. The next time he got himself onto a ship and came to North America, still a sailing ship. He landed in Montreal after about three months at sea and then made his way down to Wisconsin where a lot of Swedes were settling. And then, I don't know why he came to Minnesota except that it was opening up, and he may have thought it was easier to get land there.

He was drafted into the Minnesota Regiment during the Civil War, was sent South, was captured, was released on parole with the expectation that he would not serve again against the South, and he signed the parole and came north. Minnesota promptly said, "Fine, you've signed your oath, so we'll send you to fight the Sioux"--that was the time of the Sioux uprising in Minnesota--"and we'll send the men we would have sent to fight the Sioux south." I don't know that anything was gained by paroling him, as far as the South was concerned.

? 2 ? My grandfather's name was John, and he came to this country as John Carlson. Sweden still had the patronymic system then, rather than a family name, though they did have a name assigned for military purposes. But during the Civil War, his commanding officer was very unhappy with his Minnesota Regiment, where everybody was Carlson, Olson, or Anderson, so he went down the line and told them who they would be for the duration of the war. My grandfather was told he was John Colson, liked the name, and changed it by deed poll after the war.

Riess He changed it by what?

Colson Deed poll. It's a legal device whereby you can change your name. His younger brother, who came and settled in a farm near him, kept the name Carlson, and another brother, who settled in Wisconsin, took the military name of Skarin, the family military name, Skarin, and the brother who stayed in Sweden--I suppose he was Carlson. That was complicated. ---------------------------- Duluth News Tribune 4 Aug 1912

"Young Alligator at Large in Wadena"

Wadena, Minn., Aug 3 When A.C. Lifquist returned home from Florida, he brought with him two little alligators about a foot llong. He has been keeping them at the home of John Nathe. This week both alligators escaped and wile working in his garden, John Colson spied one of the reptiles under a lilac bush. A cat was playing with the alligator and after a cursory investigation Mr. Colson decided that the thing was some sort of lizard, as he knew nothing of Mr. Lifquist's alligators and was not expecting to see one. Using the hoe Mr Colson dealt the alligator a blow on the head and killed it, throiwng it in the street. Its mate is still at large somewhere in town and has not been found up to this time."