"Seattle and Environs, 1852-1924." Vol. 2. Hon. C. H. Hanford, Editor. Pioneer Historical Pub. Co., 1924. p. 514. JOHN LUDWIG CARLSON The career of John Ludwig Carlson was note worthy because of the marked stimulus which he gave to a large number of business enterprises and he became known throughout the Pacific Northwest as one of the chief promoters of the salmon-canning industry, of which he was one of the pioneers. He was born near Stockholm, Sweden, December 9, 1847, a son of John N. Carlson, and there attended the public schools. When a lad of about thirteen years he left home and started out in the world on his own account becoming an apprentice seaman, in which capacity he visited many parts of the globe. About 1878 Mr. Carlson settled in San Francisco, California, and after working for a few years in the oyster beds near that city he went to the Columbia River district, where for a time he engaged in the occupation of salmon fishing. He then became one of the organizers and a director of the Alaska Packing Company, which was later absorbed by the firm of Libby, McNeil & Libby, and he next formed the Taku Packing Company. They established a plant on Summy bay, Alaska, their main offices being located at Astoria, Oregon, where Mr. Carlson spent the winter months, while his summers were passed in Alaska. Three years later the business was sold to the Pacific Packing & Navigation Company and at that time Mr. Carlson assumed the duties of superintendent of the Alaska Fisheries Company, located at Chilcotte. Later he formed the Lynn Canal Packing Company, which secured a two-year lease of Taku harbor from the Pacific Cold Storage Company and on the expiration of that period purchased the lease. They continued operations until 1918, when their interests were acquired by Libby, McNeil & Libby, and the subject of this sketch then organized the John Carlson Company, which he continued to operate until, his death on August 12, 1921, conducting a herring and salmon cannery and also manufacturing fertilizer from these products. Broad experience had given him an expert knowledge of every phase of the business and his initiative spirit and powers of organization and administration found expression in the development of an enterprise of large proportions. Mr. Carlson married Miss Amanda Nelson and they became the parents of five children: Amanda, the eldest, died in infancy; Ludwig J. wedded Anna Lindhart and they have two sons, Stanford and John; Lillian, the next in order of birth, is deceased; Otto William married Cordelia Davis, by whom he has two daughters, Kathlyn and Evangeline; Amy is the wife of Joseph C. Stocks and they have two children, Joseph and Ruth. Mrs. John Ludwig Carlson died in 1891. Following the death of his first wife Mr. Carlson married Miss Mary Reffling of Portland, Oregon, who passed away in 1912, leaving three children: Ruth C., who married George Canfield and has a daughter, Esther; Axel J., who wedded Catherine McCloy; and Esther, the wife of August Pollock. Mr. Carlson joined the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks at Juneau, Alaska, and he was also a valued member of the Seattle Chamber of Commerce and the Arctic Club of this city. Motoring was his favorite form of diversion and his trip to California each year in his automobile afforded him much pleasure. His benevolence reached out broadly to his fellowmen and the joy of generous giving was his. He was ever ready to aid a fellow traveler on life's journey and his benefactions were always made in a quiet and unostentatious manner, in keeping with his modest and unaffected nature. He was a self-made man, deserving of all the praise which the term implies. Possessing practically nothing at the outset of his career, ambition spurred him on to greater effort and his constantly expanding powers at length placed him in a commanding position in business circles of Seattle. His success never represented another's loss but resulted from labor, intelligently directed, from keen insight and from the recognition of opportunities, needs and possibilities. Honor was the keystone of his character and upon his tomb might be appropriately inscribed the words: "An honest man is the noblest work of God." OBITUARY Aug. 12, 1921; Oregonian, p 3 "John L. Carlson Dead" Seattle, Wash., Aug. 11 John L. Carlson, one of the pioneer cannerymen of the Pacific coast, died in Juneau, Alaska, late Tuesday night, according to word received here today. The body will be brought to Seattle on one of the first boats arriving from the north by his son, William O. Carlson, who was with him at the time of his death. He was well known in Portland and Astoria, where he visited frequently. Carlson was born in Stockholm, Sweden, 74 years go and came to the United States in 1869. He came to the Pacific coast shortly after his arrival in America and engaged in the oyster business in California. About 50 years ago he started in the the salmon business on the Columbia and Umpqua rivers and made his headquarters at Astoria, where he resided for 30 years. In 1901 Carlson started a cannery at Taku inlet near Juneau, and later operated canneries at Chilkat and Taku harbor, selling the latter cannery to Libby, McNeil & Libby about five years ago. When he died he was in Juneau on business connected with his cannery at Auk harbor, a few miles north of that place. He is survived by three sons, Axel J., and Ludwig J. of Seattle, and William O. Carlson of Juneau. ******************* Submitted to the Washington Biographies Project in January 2013 by Diana Smith. Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.