Carl John Carlson 1891-1940

CARLSON, JOHNSON

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 2/13/2011 at 16:39:27

C. Carlson Dies of Injuries
Passed Away at the Coleman Hospital This Noon – Fire Injuries Fatal
Carl J. Carlson of Graettinger passed away at the Coleman hospital at noon today from injuries and burns he received when his house was destroyed by fire Sunday evening. Three other members of the Carlson family were burned or injured as they jumped to safety from their burning home. The condition of the baby was reported as “fair” by hospital attendants late this afternoon.

Carlson and a two-year-old son, Jackie, were burned critically when they fled from a downstairs bedroom while Mrs. Carlson and a twelve-year-old daughter, Winifred, were injured as they leaped to the ground from an upstairs window.

Cracking Flames
The family was aroused by crackling flames in the dining room at 9 o’clock.

Taking his son, Carlson dashed from the downstairs bedroom thru the flames and out a door to safety. Both were badly burned, Carlson’s burns covering his hands, face and feet.

At the same time, Mrs. Carlson and Winifred were awakened in their upstairs bedroom. They found the stairway blocked by flames and leaped out a window, Mrs. Carlson receiving back injuries in the fall. She also suffered severe shock.

In Hospital
The girl’s injuries were less serious. All four were taken to the Coleman hospital in Estherville.

Three other children, James, Geraldine and Virginia, were away at the time of the fire.

The blaze is believed to have started from an overheated stove. The Graettinger fire department was called but unable to check the fire which wrecked the dwelling, a frame building. The loss was estimated at $2,000.

Donald Bryan, George Mousel, Robert Swift and John Misener, all of Estherville were returning home from Graettinger Sunday evening when they noticed the flames and assisted in bringing the injured persons to Estherville. (Vindicator & Republican, Estherville, IA, February 6, 1940)

Carl J. Carlson Dies as Result of Burns of His Body
Burns caused the death of Carl J. Carlson of Graettinger Tuesday at the Coleman hospital in this city. Mr. Carlson, his wife, daughter, and two year old son were trapped in their home north of Graettinger last Sunday evening about 9:30 by flames caused by an explosion of a lamp or oil heater. The home was burned to the ground. Three children of the family were in Spencer for a visit at the time of the fire.

Mr. Carlson and his son were in a bedroom on the first floor. Seeing he was trapped by the flames he took his son and rushed through the burning room. He was badly burned about the face and hands. Mrs. Carlson and daughter hearing the roaring fire in the stairway were soon aware of the fact there was no escape except through the window, and so they jumped. Mrs. Carlson had her back injured when she fell.

Mr. Carlson was so badly burned he flesh from his hands adhered to the steering wheel of his car when he went for aid. All were brought to Estherville where Mr. Carlson died. The little boy is in a critical condition. (Estherville Enterprise, Estherville, IA, February 8, 1940)

Carl J. Carlson Died From Burns Received in Sunday Night’s Fire
Burns Received in Tragic Fire Sunday Evening Caused Death of Carl John Carlson; Funeral Will Be Held Tomorrow Afternoon
Carl John Carlson, 48, passed away in the Coleman hospital, Estherville, Tuesday afternoon at one o’clock from burns received in the fire that gutted the Carlson farm home six miles west of Graettinger Sunday night. Jackie, a 2-year-old son is in critical condition in the hospital. He was a given a blood transfusion Monday and there is some hope for his recovery.

The funeral will be held Friday afternoon at 1 p.m. at the Lightle funeral home, Ruthven, and at 2 p.m. at the Lost Island Lutheran church. Rev. M. Mandsager, Graettinger, will conduct the services.

Mrs. Carlson and daughter, Winnifred, who jumped from a second story window, were not seriously injured but sprained and shaken by the fall.

Mr. and Mrs. Carlson and son and daughter reached the Coleman hospital shortly after receiving the burns. They were given immediate medical attention. Mr. Carlson’s condition was quite serious as was also the baby’s condition. Friends and neighbors hoped first reports were exaggerated and the death of Mr. Carlson, although partly feared, was a saddening blow to the community.

The cause of the fire is not definitely known. It may have been caused by an overheated stove. The fire seemed to be the worst in that part of the house closed to where the stove was located and it is presumed that in some manner the fire was caused from the stove. Many of the details following the discovery of the fire are not known fully at the present time.

The fire in the Carlson home was discovered shortly before 9 p.m. Sunday. Mr. Carlson and 2-year-old son, Jackie, were occupying a downstairs bedroom and Mrs. Carlson and an 11-year-old daughter, Winnifred, were asleep in a second floor bedroom. The flames evidently had a good start when the Carlsons were aroused. The west door to the home was closed tightly for the winter and it was necessary for Mr. Carlson to pass through two blazing rooms to reach the outside. He stopped at the stairs door and shouted to Mrs. Carlson and daughter to leap to safety from a window, that the entire down stairs was in flames. On the way through one of the rooms he stumbled over a chair and dropped the little boy. It took valuable seconds to grope for the child.

As soon as the husband and wife and two children were outside. Mr. Carlson hurried to the garage and secured his car, starting immediately for the Coleman hospital, Estherville. He apparently realized the seriousness of his condition and stopped at the Garland Gage home and asked Mr. Gage to drive the machine to the hospital. When he released his grip on the steering wheel the skin from his hands clung to the wheel. Also from the burning home to the garage could be seen blood stains in the snow, from Mr. Carlson’s burned and bleeding feet.

Physicians at the Coleman hospital worked through the night to dress the burns and alleviate as much as possible the sufferings of the injured. Mr. Carlson was badly burned about the head, hands and feet and limbs. The baby was also quite badly burned. It was thought Sunday night that Mr. Carlson had a chance of recovery but the condition of the baby was serious. It was also feared Mrs. Carlson might be severely injured but an x-ray the following day disclosed no serious injury. The little girl suffered a sprained ankle in the jump onto the frozen ground.

Mrs. Carlson and Winnifred jumped from a window on the south side of the west wing. Both jumped into a bed of rose bushes but at this season of the years there have been little foliage to break a fall. And the ground, of course, was frozen solidly.

The Times does not know who discovered the fire and who turned in the alarm to Graettinger. The siren here was sounded shortly after 9 p.m. In a few minutes the fire truck with Fire Chief George Friel, and members of the volunteer fire department was speeding to the Carlson home. Two or three cars were in the yard when the firemen arrived. There was no wind blowing and it was necessary for Harold Jorgensen, local mechanic, to improvise a hookup for pumping water from the well. It does not take a large supply of water for the booster pump to develop pressure and in a very short time water was being played upon the fire with telling effect.

Anxiety at the moment was felt for members of the family. Neighbors thought the Carlsons were in Spencer visiting relatives. Parties were asked to go the nearest telephone and locate the family. The first stop was at the Garland Gage farm where information upon what had happened was received.

It didn’t take very long to get the fire under control but it was necessary to remain for a couple of hours to make certain that all sparks were extinguished. Members of the local fire department who have had years of firefighting experience, say they never fought a fire like the one Sunday night. The fire seemed to be in all four walls and under the ceiling. Members of the department said they believed there was fire between every 2x4 in the walls. Twice the fire broke into the open in first one end of the house and then the other but the open flames were quickly squelched. Gradually the fire in the walls was extinguished.

One room that was not damaged by the actual blaze presented a peculiar spectacle the next day. The paper on the four walls all fell off. Some clothes on a hanger were almost like powder. This was from the intense heat from the fire inside the walls.

There was no wind blowing that night and the other buildings on the farm were not endangered and would not have caught fire anyways, as the blaze was not of the roaring variety. And, if necessary the fire truck could be used to protect the other buildings.

The damage to the house, furniture, personal effects, etc., will probably reach well toward the $2,000 mark. There was $1,000 insurance on the house and there was probably some insurance on the contents. Members of the Graettinger fire department deserve much credit for the prompt wheeling of the equipment to the blaze, for the efficient manner in which they brought the fire under control and saved much of the value of the home. Work well done is naturally a satisfaction to them but they are receiving many nice compliments just the same. (Graettinger Times, Graettinger, IA, February 8, 1940)

Remains of Carl J. Carlson Laid to Rest
Funeral Services Held Friday for Carl John Carlson Friday Afternoon; Remains Laid to Rest in Lost Island Cemetery
The funeral services of Carl John Carlson, about 49, was held Friday afternoon. Services were conducted at the funeral home at Ruthven at one o’clock and at the Lost Island Lutheran church at 2 p.m. There was a very large attendance at the funeral and the Lost Island church was filled to overflowing. Services were conducted by the pastor, the Rev. M. Mandsager, Graettinger. Banks of beautiful flowers and missionary gifts were remembrances from sorrowing relatives and friends. The remains were laid to rest in the Lost Island cemetery.

Details of Mr. Carlson’s tragic death were given in last week’s Times. He died from burns sustained in the fire that gutted the Carlson farm a week ago Sunday night. The blaze was burning briskly when Mr. Carlson was awakened. He carried his two year old son Jackie to safety and both were severely burned in passing through the flame swept and smoke filled rooms. Mr. Carlson passed away in the Coleman hospital Tuesday afternoon. The condition of the baby was critical for days and now there is every hope for the child’s recovery. Mrs. Carlson and a daughter Winnifred jumped from a second story window to the ground. They sustained minor bruises.

Carl John Carlson, was the eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. C. J. Carlson, Holland, Sweden. He was born in this Swedish town March 5, 1891. He was nearing his 49th year at the time of his tragic death. When he was 19 years of age he left his native Sweden and came to the United States. The first three years in this country were spent working for Mr. and Mrs. James Johnson, Adelphi, Iowa. On March 23, 1914, he was united in marriage to Miss Rebecca Johnson, Adelphi, Iowa. The early years of their married life were spent in the Adelphi community. In 1918 the family came to this section of the state and located near Ayrshire, in Palo Alto. They resided there for five years when they moved to a farm in Lost Island township which community has remained the family residence.

Mr. Carlson’s death is mourned by his sorrowing widow and by six children. The children are Orville, Spencer, Iowa; James, Des Moines; Geraldine, Virginia, Winnifred and John Lee, who are at home. The latter is the 23-months-old child who was painfully burned and who is still in the Coleman hospital.

Emil Carlson, a brother of the deceased, resides at Des Moines. There are three sisters, Gertrude Carlson, Clarinda; Ahna and Matilda, Sweden.

As mentioned in last week’s Times the death of Mr. Carlson was a saddening blow to the community. Shortly after the home fire it was hoped that reports of the serious burns sustained was exaggerated and that Mr. Carlson would eventually recover from the injuries and the harrowing experience. However, his condition was very serious and death was caused by collapse of the lungs less than 48 hours after the injuries were sustained. Mr. Carlson’s death is a distinct loss to Graettinger and the Graettinger community. He was one of the prominent and influential men of Lost Island and was active in every worthwhile religious, educational, social and agricultural activity in his home community. Neighbors regarded him very highly. It was a pleasure to him to accommodate or assist any neighbor who might look to him for help. He frequently visited Graettinger and was known by all our business people. He had a pleasant, cheerful smile and a friendly way that made him outstanding and well liked. The Times publisher knew Mr. Carlson real well as he often called at the office on matters pertaining to our business. He was not only a pleasant visitor and capable business man but it was a real pleasure to discuss current events and similar matters with him. He was well read and well posted and was an interesting conversationalist. It is indeed sad and almost unbelievable that he is dead.

Mr. Carlson’s death is a shock and a heart breaking blow to his devoted wife and to his loving children. Misfortune and tragedy struck so suddenly and so unexpectedly that the night of horror and the hours of anxiety that followed have had stunning effect. The grief of separation under such trying circumstances is almost unbearable. Mr. Carlson was a devoted husband and a kind, loving, provident father. He took a pardonable pride in the success of the members of his family and in the school and other activities in which they were interested or which they were engaged. He will be missed so much from the happy family circle. He will be missed by neighbors and friends and business associates and he will be missed by the membership of the Lost Island Lutheran church of which he was a devoted member. He will be missed by all our people because in his death we have all suffered a loss. The Times extends sincere and heartfelt sympathy to Mrs. Carlson, to the sons and daughters and to the brother and sisters in their trying hours of sorrow. (Graettinger Times, Graettinger, IA, February 15, 1940)