Maurice Edward CARLSON

1895 - 1956  (60 years)

• Name	Maurice Edward CARLSON
  Birth	30 Aug 1895	Wabasha, Wabasha County, Minnesota
  Gender	Male
  MN Death Cert Checked	Y
  Minnesota Death Certificate	1956-MN-005289
  Occupation	Entrepreneur
  Death	17 Jun 1956	Bloomington, Hennepin County, Minnesota
  Burial	20 Jun 1956	Sunset Memorial Park, Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota
  	Funeral at 11:00 according to Cora’s diary. His burial plot was Lot 73, Lot 7A, Grave #9 according to the mortuary.
  Notes	His birth is entered as #39, on p. 209, of the Wabasha County Register of Births as Maurice E Carlson, born August 30, 1895, and registered, with many, many others, on January 1, 1896. His parents were Albert Carlson and Bessie, both born in Sweden. For Albert’s occupation, the entry is “Affidavit on file.” An article in the Minneapolis Journal, 3 Jun 1906, lists a Morris Carlson in the 4th grade at the Jackson school. His teacher was Elizabeth Caldwell. Maurice's name, although he was born Maurice according to his birth record, was commonly spelled Morris. Cora may have changed it. Their wedding announcement listed "Maurice." This spelling change also was noted on DHC’s birth certificate and on a 1941 copy of MEC’s birth certificate obtained from Wabasha County. In the Minneapolis city directories, he’s Morris through 1917 and Maurice thereafter. He purchased the property on Minnehaha Avenue as Morris. In December of 1934, as part of getting a mortgage on the Minnehaha property, he had to clarify, in a sworn deposition, that his correct and true name was Morris E Carlson. Maurice registered (as Maurice E. Carlson, and signed as Maurice Carlson) for the WWI draft on June 5, 1917, in the 12th precinct, 7th ward, Minneapolis. The registrar was Harry Martin. Maurice was living at 3716 Elliott and was a machinist with the Findley Electric Company at 216 South 5th Street. He notes his dependents and his occupation as reason why he claims an exemption from the draft although he notes that only his wife is a dependent. (Vivian was not yet born.) He is recorded as of medium height and medium build with grey eyes and light hair. Maurice obtained a copy of his birth certificate from Luke C. Beaver, clerk of Wabasha County, on February 27, 1941. The copy noted that the birth certificate number was B-209-39. It also noted that the birth was registered in January of 1896 and that the parents were “Albert (sic) and Bessie.” The 1941 copy included the pencil notation “#1908.” His eighth grade school graduation diploma (Grammar Department of Minneapolis Public Schools, January 27, 1911) listed him as Morris Carlson. In the 1912 city directory, Morris is a clerk for M O Bordeaux at 1412 E 46th St. (In the 1910 census, there was a Marcus A Bourdeaux who lived at 4439 Blaisdell Ave. He was a hardware merchant.) In 1913, Morris is a machinist living with his parents at 3805 Chicago. In 1914, he’s a clerk for his father’s hardware store. In 1915, he’s a tinner, still at 3805 Chicago. In 1916, he’s a machinist. In 1917, he’s still a machinist but his employer is listed as Findley Electric Co., Inc. and he’s still living, apparently, at 3805 Chicago. (DHC’s city directory research shows Maurice E.’s address in 1917 as 3716 Elliot.) In the spring/summer of 1914, “Chicago Hardware” sponsored a baseball team. “Teams wishing games in the 16-17 year-old class phone Maurice Carlson, Grove 68.” In 1918 and 1919, now Maurice, he’s working as a machinist for the Loe Machine & Tool Co. at 3020 East Franklin. Maurice is living at 3716 Elliot. {According to DHC’s research, Syver Loe, presumably the owner of Loe Machine & Tool Co., lived at 3024 East Franklin. This is consistent with the 1920 census which shows Syver Loe, a 65 year-old widower, living with his son, Fred, 28, at 3024 East Franklin. Syver’s occupation is “inventor, machines” and Fred is the assistant manager of a machine factory.} In 1920, Maurice was a “tinner” at the Northwest Bakers & Confections and was living at 1535 E. 39th Street where he lived until he moved to 4230 Minnehaha Avenue in 1924. In 1921, Maurice worked for the Twin City Chandelier Manufacturing Co., a firm that also employed Edgar Hendrickson and, perhaps, Alfred. This didn’t last long. (The Twin City Chandelier episode is probably what Cora refers to as the electrical business with, incorrectly, Arthur. In 1922, Charles Hendrickson had quit his job at Butler Manufacturing, where he had worked for at least 12 years, and joined Edgar in the TCCMCo. Charles only stayed a year there and went to work at Strutwear in 1923. Edgar stayed with TCCMCo through 1923. He was no longer listed in the Minneapolis City directory after that.) In 1922, according to DHC’s city directory research, Maurice had formed Economy Sheet Metal with Alex E Fogelquist as his partner. The intent of the venture, at least in part, may have been to produce Sandy Fogelquist’s patented pie cutter. In 1923, Maurice was still with Economy Sheet Metal but Alex Fogelquist was no longer listed as his partner. Maurice still lived at 1535 E. 39th Street. In 1924, 1925, 1926, and 1927, Maurice was still with Economy Sheet Metal but now resided at 4230 Minnehaha Avenue. In 1928 and 1929, Maurice was listed as the secretary-treasurer of Heating Systems, Inc. In March of 1929, Maurice, with another man (G.L. Running), acted as a bondsman for the $10,000 bond for John P Ekberg, a former city alderman convicted of bribery. Ekberg had been sentenced to one to ten years of hard labor at Stillwater penitentiary. The bond enabled Ekberg to prepare his appeal. Later, in April, Maurice, Oscar Bergerson, and G.L. Running headed a Twelfth ward committee to plan a benefit dance to raise funds for the appeal of Ekberg’s conviction. In 1930, Maurice was listed as the secretary-treasurer of Heating Systems, Inc., but Economy Sheet Metal was no longer listed for him. {Instead, according to DHC’s research, the 1930, 1931, and 1932 city directories have Thomas F. Burniece associated with Economy Sheet Metal at 3725 Minnehaha Avenue. There are no entries for Burniece or Economy Sheet Metal in the 1933 or 1934 directories but it appears again in the 1935 directory, now at 5042 39th Avenue South.} In the 1931 directory, Maurice is listed as the proprietor of Bonded Heating Company of 1818 Washington Avenue North. Heating Systems is also listed for him. In the 1932 and 1933 directories, Maurice is still listed with Bonded Heating Company and Heating Systems is no longer listed for him. In that 1933 directory, Maurice has Economy Sheet Metal at 3725 Minnehaha Avenue listed for him. In the 1934 directory, Maurice’s listing is for Acme Beverage Wholesale at 3735 Minnehaha Avenue. His listing includes machinist. In the 1935 directory, Maurice is secretary-treasurer of Acme Beverage Wholesale at 3725 Minnehaha Avenue. Cora is listed as president and Sam Blumbo is vice-president. Maurice received an off-sale license, presumably for just beer, in April of 1935. Later in the month, he received a license for dealing in second-hand goods at 3727 Minnehaha. In the 1936 directory, Maurice is now vice-president of Acme Beverage Wholesale and Sam Blumbo is president. Irving H Green is secretary-treasurer. In that 1936 directory, Acme Bicycle appears for the first time. It’s at 2825 Hennepin Avenue. William Marsh is manager. That 1936 directory also shows Acme Bicycle and Supply at the 2825 Hennepin address. The 1937 directory lists Acme Beverage, now owned by Sam Blumbo, at 3746 Minnehaha. Acme Bicycle and Supply, of which Maurice is the manager, is located at 108 S. 4th Street. Acme Bicycle and Supply also has a store at 3725 Minnehaha Avenue. Vivian Marsh is the vice-president, William Marsh is the branch manager. According to DHC’s city directory search concentrating on businesses: Brunett’s was at 1818 North Washington. Started 1930, out 1933. In 1932, Hall Supply moved to 108 South 4th Street and sold Stutz and Pierce bikes. Acme Beverage appeared in 1934 and was out in 1937. Acme Bicycles appeared in 1935. Economy Sheet Metal was out in 1933 and appears with Tom in 1934. Acme Bicycle adds wholesale business in 1936. In 1937, Acme has three stores. In 1938, Acme has two stores, Hall is out. In 1940, Acme has one store. Al and Bess threw a dance and reception for Maurice and Cora on September 9th, 1916, at the Odd Fellows Hall on 16th Avenue South and Franklin Avenue in Minneapolis. Pastor Tenner Thompson spoke at Maurice's funeral. This may have been Tenner Thompson, Jr. Otherwise, it was the same pastor who baptized Don and confirmed Don and Vivian. On January 5, 1920, the census enumerator found the Carlsons living at 3716 Elliot Avenue South. (Minneapolis enumeration district 127, image 5 of 36.) “Morris” is listed as age 24 with the occupation of “machinist” employed for wages at a “shop.” Cora is listed as age 23 and Vivian as 2 years and 5 months. Also living with Morris and Cora was Alfred, age 47, and Bessie, age 42. The dates of immigration and naturalization for Alfred and Bessie are listed but are not legible. Alfred is listed as a tailor employed for wages at a tailor shop. In January of 1923, as M.E. Carlson, Proprietor, he runs Economy Sheet Metal Manufacturing Co. at 3725 Minnehaha. “Let is estimate your gutters, steel ceilings, ventilation, blow piping, manufacturing cornice work, skylights.” “Furnaces installed and repaired.” His home phone number was Drexel 6280 and his business phone number was Dupone (sic - probably Dupont) 5113. An article (essentially an advertisement) in the Weekly Business Review section of Minneapolis Star’s 14 May 1923 edition discussed Economy Sheet Metal. In the fall of 1923, M.E. Carlson was assessed on lot 2, block 3 of E.H. Dann’s Driving Park Addition to Minneapolis. in the fall of 1924, M.E. Carlson petitioned the city for permission to build a frame addition to tin shop, 20x30, 30 feet from street line, at 3725-27 Minnehaha Avenue. In February of 1926, M.E. Carlson was assessed on lot 18 of Confer’s Rearrangement in Edgewood Addition to Minneapolis. In April of 1927, M.E. Carlson petitioned the city for permission to erect a private frame and stucco garage, 18x20 feet, 21 feet from the street line, 12 feet from the nearest flat, at 3901 Bloomington Avenue. In June of 1927, M.E. Carlson, doing business as Economy Sheet Metal Co., 3725 Minnehaha Avenue, was granted a license for installing warm air heating plants. In the 1930 census, Maurice's and Bess's house are shown as worth $7500 each. Bess is shown as divorced and was renting out part of her house at $35/mo to Arthur and Violet Nash. He was a school teacher, she was a hairdresser. Charley was living with Maurice and Cora. He is shown as having emigrated in 1867. Bess is shown as having emigrated in 1883. Maurice's occupation is in the heating industry. In June of 1933, “Mrs. M.E. Carlson and others” asked the city to pave the alley from 42nd to 43rd between Snelling and Minnehaha avenues. In the 1934 Minneapolis city directory, he is Maurice E Carlson, a machinist at Acme Beverage Co of 3725 Minnehaha Ave. He resides at 4230 Minnehaha Ave. In June and July of 1934, M.E. Carlson had three short letters to the editor published in the Star, generally disparaging unions. An article in the 24 Nov 1936 edition of the Star, headlined Carlson buys Hall Supply Co., has M.E. Carlson, manager of the Acme Bicycle and Supply Co., Inc., purchasing Hall Supply Co., 108 S. 4th Street. The article notes that Acme has branches on South Lyndale Avenue and Minnehaha Avenue in addition to “the new main office.” In June of 1937, bicycle races were sponsored by the Star and the Minneapolis Park Board. Maurice was noted in an article in the Star as “planning the prizes” as well as being a drop-off point for filled-in entry blanks. The three locations for the Acme Bicycle Company were 108 S. 4th Street, 2825 Hennepin, and 3725 Minnehaha. Maurice said he would pick prizes and set them out in the window of his 108 S. 4th Avenue store for the racers to see. Later articles said that the prizes would include “swell” Stutz bicycles. The races held in July featured the prizes being handed out by George Grim, od the Star, and M. E. Carlson, of the Acme Bicycle Company at 108 S. 4th. Races were sponsored again in the summer of 1939. In the 1940 census, Maurice’s house is shown as worth $6000 and Bess’s as $3000. Maurice is shown as the owner and prorietor of a bicycle shop. In the 1941 city directory, he’s an inspector with Northern Pump and is associated with/owns Acme Bicycle and Supply Co. In the 1942 directory, he’s only with Acme Bicycle & Supply. In the 1944 city directory, Acme Bicycle & Supply Co. is listed with his entry at 4230 Minnehaha. Small want-ads for Carlson’s Sporting Goods started appearing in the Star in June of 1946. The phone number was DU 5113. Carlson’s, with the fishing line logo, had a big add for sporting goods in the 5 Dec 1946 Star. Ads also appeared in January of 1947, then stopped, at least with “M.E. Carlson, owner” in the ad. A December 7, 1941, ad (a notable date) in the Star, by Scott-Atwater Motor Power Equipment, listed Carlson’s Sporting Goods as an authorized Twin City dealer. In the 1948 Minneapolis city directory, Maurice and Cora are still listed at 4230 Minnehaha. An article in the August 3, 1948, edition of the Star had Bruce Morikubo says at the Carlson’s sporting goods store, which he represents, archery is second in sales to fishing tackle. Morikubo was probably an archery sales rep. Carlson’s was robbed of a motorscooter in November of 1948. Carlson’s was part of a story in George Grim’s column in April of 1948 about a little sparrow who supposedly lived near the store. Carlson’s was robbed of $1,000 of weapons, fishing reels, ammunition, and $40 cash on 28 Jun 1949. It was the fourth burglary of the store in two years, the management reported. Thieves broke through a door, then bent an iron gate to enter. Carlson’s sponsored an archery meet at Lake Nokomis on 17 July 1949. In the 1950 Minneapolis city directory, he is listed as Morris C, wife Cora C, residing at 2255 E Old Shakopee Rd. Thieves stole 15 fishing rods and a pump shotgun on 25 Feb 1950. Police arrested a five-man burglary ring in March. Carlson’s was burgled again over the Christmas weekend in 1954. The thief only stole a pellet pistol but broke a rear window and a glass door. A Carlson Sporting Goods, later called Carlson’s Sporting Goods, in Red Wing was advertising in the Star in the 60s. They sold refrigerators along with sporting goods. Death Certificate:  CARLSON, MAURICE E.  Minnesota Death Certificate ID# 1956-MN-005289     Date of Birth: 08/30/1895  Place of Birth: MINNESOTA  Mother Maiden Name: ERICKSON  Date of Death: 06/17/1956  County of Death: HENNEPIN The Carlsons in Minneapolis Maurice finished school in January of 1911 after the eighth grade. He was still working for his dad in the hardware store on 38th and Chicago in the fall of 1914 when he met Cora. (DHC says this wasn’t owned by Al.) Nevertheless, his trade was machinist and after marrying Cora he went to work for Strand Machinery Company in a triangular building on Riverside, five or six blocks from Cedar Avenue. He eventually became a foreman at Strand which was a wartime company. (This was one of the reasons why Maurice did not participate in World War I.) The Strand Company probably folded after the war. {The 1917 city directory shows Morris as working at Findley Electric Co. The 1918 and 1919 directory shows him working at the Loe Machine Tool Co.} On Vivian’s birth certificate, Maurice is a machinist. At this time, Cora and Maurice were living in a house that they had been given (by Al?) at 3716 Elliot Avenue. Vivian was born there. Cora remembered it as an old house with three bedrooms and a bathroom. Cora didn’t like it. On Vivian’s birth certificate, the address for Maurice and Cora is 3716 9th Avenue S. (Elliot used to be called 9th Avenue.) After Strand, Maurice worked at a shop that made bakery ovens. His father's half brother, Sandy Fogelquist, worked there and that probably had something to do with Maurice going to work there. It was at this shop that Maurice got interested in sheet metal work. {The 1920 city directory shows Maurice working as a “tinner” at “N W Bakers & Confec.”} During this time, Maurice also got involved in an electrical business with Myrtle Carter’s brother (and Cora’s cousin), Arthur Hendrickson. This was a time when gaslights were being replaced with electric lights and the business wired the lights through the old gas pipes. Alas, Arthur was apparently a crook and stole from the business, driving into bankruptcy or close to it. {It wasn’t Arthur, it was his half-brother Edgar. The name of the company was the Twin City Chandelier Manufacturing Company. Maurice is shown as working there only in 1921. Alfred’s occupation is shown as “elec” that year so even he may have gotten involved with the venture. The TCCMCo is listed as Edgar’s employer through 1923. Edgar then vanishes from the city directories.} In 1920, Maurice and Cora and Vivian moved to 39th and Bloomington (the street address was 3901). {That address is never listed in the city directories. The directories show that Maurice and Cora moved to 1535 E. 39th Street in 1920.} In 1924, they built a duplex on the vacant corner lot next door which they kept until 1938 or 1939. (They may have needed money at that point to build the resort on Cedar Lake.) In the 1914 city plat map, there is no construction on the lot. There is just one lot, on which both the residence and duplex were built. In an early photograph of the residence, the alley is not visible. When the alley was put in, the clearance between the house and the alley was only a few feet. On March 2, 1922, when he was 26, Maurice purchased the property on which he would build the store building at 3725 Minnehaha Avenue to be used as a sheet metal shop. The ownership of Lot 18 of “Confer’s Rearrangement in Edgewood Addition to Minneapolis” was in Morris’s and Cora’s name (spelled “Morris”) and was purchased from “Thorp Bros.” The first ad for Economy Sheet Metal Mfg. Co., at 3725 Minnehaha, was in the 29 Jan 1923 version of the Star. Maurice may have borrowed the money for the building from Al but there is no mention of that in the abstract. The abstract does, however, mention a $2000 mortgage against the property that was established on September 29, 1927, and satisfied on March 15, 1928. Another mortgage, also for $2000, was established with the 4th Northwestern Bank on December 18, 1934, and satisfied on December 27, 1935. (It was the due diligence on this mortgage that led to the bank demanding the name clarification, mentioned above, in which, on December 21, 1934, Maurice asserted that his correct and true name was Morris E Carlson.) A $2500 mortgage, also with the 4th Northwestern Bank, was established on November 6, 1935. A large ad in the Star on 13 May 1929 is for M.E. Carlson Heating Company at 3727 Minnehaha. The big feature was a Brunett’s system. In May of 1929, Maurice received a license, perhaps renewed an existing license, for installing warm air furnaces and plants. He was dba Economy Sheet Metal Co., 3725 Minnehaha Avenue. In June of 1929, Maurice won a prize in a fishing contest (“Witt Market fish contest”) for a northern pike he caught on Lake Mille Lacs. It was 42 inches long and weighed 19½ lbs. A lengthy, well-stated letter to the editor of the Minneapolis Journal, by M.E. Carlson, published in December of 1930, argued in favor of teacher pay and that tax payers shouldn’t complain about that segment of their taxes. By May of 1932, he was doing business as Bonded Heating Co., 1818 Washington Ave. N., when he received his license for installing warm air heating plants. In the 1914 city plat map, the organized set of parcels on which the store building would be located is referred to as the Edgewood Addition. This was bounded by 37th Street, 38th Street, 34th Avenue, and Minnehaha Avenue. The Carlson building would be on lot 4 of that subdivision and the vacant parking lot, that Maurice wouldn’t purchase until the late 1940s, was lot 5. The property abstract also records a curious ownership transfer, to and from Maurice’s mother. On February 3, 1931, the ownership of the Lot 18 parcel was transferred to Bessie Carlson and back again to Maurice on the same day. This transaction was not filed with the county clerk until nearly a year later, January 2, 1932. On September 16, 1946, Maurice and Cora purchased the vacant parking lot (Lot 17) next to their Minnehaha store building (Lot 18). Lot 17 of Confer’s Rearrangement in Edgewood Addition to Minneapolis was purchased by Maurice and Cora from the Franklin Life Insurance Company. Lots 17 and 18 were sold by Cora to Don and Elaine Carlson on January 1, 1978, in a contract for deed. The ownership change was filed on January 24, 1985, presumably when the contract for deed was satisfied. His business was called Economy Sheet Metal (a name still used on the water bills into the 1980s). In the building boom after the World War, Maurice’s business put gutters and downspouts on new houses. Maurice was all by himself the first year but, being a hard worker, he could still do a job faster than his competition and, as a result, got a lot of business. In 1921, Tom Burniece was the first, or one of the first, employees hired for Economy Sheet Metal. (Eventually, the business grew to five or six employees, including Maurice’s uncle, John Erickson.) On DHC’s birth certificate, Maurice (name was changed from Morris somewhere along the line) was in the sheet metal business. In late 1923, Maurice and Al began building houses on adjoining lots in the 4200 block of Minnehaha Avenue in south Minneapolis. Maurice’s would be 4230 Minnehaha; Al’s would be 4228 Minnehaha. On April 18, 1924, Maurice, 29, a pregnant Cora, 28, and Vivian, 6, moved into the Minnehaha house. (Cora, perhaps because she was pregnant, remembered a blizzard that happened three weeks before on March 28th.) Donald H. was born in the front bedroom of the Minnehaha house three months later on July 13th. Maurice and Cora would live in the Minnehaha house for 24 years. In 1926 or 1927, Maurice and Cora bought a cottage on Gray's Bay of Lake Minnetonka west of Minneapolis. DHC remembers it on the channel between Gray’s Bay and Smith (?) Bay and that the cottage was next door to the one owned by Al and Bess. DHC remembers that Maurice and Cora had a grape arbor and a big garden. One of the “magnificent” events that DHC remembers is Maurice buying $100 of fireworks for a 4th of July celebration out at the cottage. From Cora’s diary, it appears that they didn’t sell the Lake Minnetonka cottage until August 23, 1938, when they sold it to their friend and Lake Minnetonka neighbor, Walt Spargen. The likeliest location for this “channel” between Gray’s Bay and some other body of water is the currently exisiting channel between Gray’s Bay and the small lake called Libb’s Lake on the extreme southeast corner of Gray’s Bay. A 1914 map of the area around Lake Minnetonka does not show such a channel, nor does it even show a name for Libb’s Lake. In addition, the 1914 map shows no road to the area where the future channel would be. This apparently changed in the 1920s when Minnetonka Boulevard may have been extended to the Libbs Lake area. It would seem that the Carlsons would have gotten to their cottages via Lake Street and Minnetonka Boulevard, also called County Road 5. While he was still in the sheet metal business, a man named Brunett persuaded Maurice to join him in the furnace business. They would build hot air furnaces, basically for homes, as Bonded Heating Co. (and Heating Systems, Inc.). Brunett had a patent on an economizer system he called the Utilizer. They built some furnaces at the Minnehaha store but eventually they had to rent a building at 1818 North Washington Avenue (phone number Cherry 4521). By this time, the furnace business was so good that Maurice sold Economy Sheet Metal to Tom Burniece who rented the building and continued to run it out of the Minnehaha store. Maurice’s and Brunett’s furnace company built the then–largest hot-air furnace in the world in what is now (as of the mid–1970s) the St. Louis Park roller skating rink. The depression sunk the furnace business by the early 1930s after only a few years. Brunett may have kept the business but Maurice got out. At this point, a lot of people owed Maurice money. Maurice supposedly lost money in the furnace business. In 1931 or 1932, Maurice bought a machine shop, with $10,000 worth of equipment, for $500 and set it up in the Minnehaha building. (The business that Maurice bought, and/or the new business he set up, was called Acme Machinery and Repair.) The machine shop had three line shafts running north-south from a large electric motor in the southeast corner of the building. [This would have been where the bicycle parts section later went; in 1931, the building was only half its present size.] There was a 12 foot display and office area in the front of the building. [See floor plan of the store building attached as a picture.] There wasn’t much money in the machine shop business. In 1933, with prohibition over (Roosevelt signed the Cullen-Harrison act on March 23rd), Maurice got into the beer distribution business, as Acme Beverage Co., with a partner, Sam Blumbo. (Blumbo had a chicken drive-in restaurant at NE Corner of Lake St. and Hiawatha.) In May of 1933, Maurice and Cora sought a bank loan from the First National Bank, probably to develop the beer business. The application statement showed a net worth of about $47,000 made up as follows: cash and bank account $1828.42, accounts receivable $2000, merchandise ("50 furnaces") $5650, plant $6000, machinery $3000, real estate $23500 (duplex at 3901 Bloomington $7500, Lake Minnetonka property on Gray’s Bay $3000, 4230 Minnehaha $6000, and shop at 3725 Minnehaha $6000), 1931 Chrysler 8 Sedan $1000, and cemetery lots $4200. The application cited Maurice’s current business as “heating and sheet metal.” At this point, he nearly doubled the size of the Minnehaha store building (to its present size) to store beer. He also installed an elevator near the southeast corner of the original building. The machine shop co–existed with the beer distributorship until the fall of 1934. At that point, the machine shop is dissolved and removed to make way for the retail bicycle business. Maurice started out this business, known as Acme Bicycle and Repair, with three bicycles plus parts that he bought for a total of $500. His supplier at the time was Hall Supply at 108 South 4th Street. His line of bicycles at the time was Iver Johnson. Cora’s diary notes Maurice delivering bikes in April of 1935. In June of 1935, he had obtained a license as a dealer in second-hand goods at 3725 Minnehaha Avenue. Maurice had numerous ads and mentions in 1938 and 1939 regarding bike races. He had Acme Bicycle Co. at 108 4th St. S. In the beer business, Maurice distributed the Old Heidelberg brand made by the St. Cloud Brewing Company of St. Cloud and Fleck's made in Faribault. (He had a Liquor Control Commission license to sell for St. Cloud dated March 26, 1934.) On June 21st, 1933, Maurice signed an agreement with Lewis Hamilton by which the two agreed to divide the Twin Cities into a north and south zone. Maurice would be the exclusive distributor of Fleck’s beer in the south zone, Hamilton would be the exclusive distributor in the the north zone. The agreement seemed to apply only to bottled beer and specifically excluded keg beer. The beer sold would have been “3.2 beer”, 3.2% alcohol by weight, the strongest allowed by the Cullen-Harrison act. The bicycle business co-existed with the beer business at 3725 Minnehaha for a couple of years until Maurice finally sold out the beer business to Blumbo in about 1935 or 1936. {He sold it on September 21, 1935, according to Cora’s diary.} (Maurice lost money in the beer business.) Sam moved the business across the street to the J H Foster building and went broke a year later. (A Nash automobile dealership moved into the Foster building after Blumbo went broke and continued there until World War II. Blumbo's main business was a successful drive-in chicken restaurant on the NE corner of Lake Street and Hiawatha Avenue.) At about this time (1936 or 1937), Maurice bought out Hall Supply and moved the wholesale bike business into what had been the beer area. The business was now called Acme Bicycles and Supply. Vivian entered the business at this point. She ran the Minnehaha store, Maurice ran the downtown store (the old Hall Supply facility at 108 South Fourth Street), and Bill Marsh ran a 3rd store on 28th and Hennepin. {According to Cora’s diary, Maurice got a lease on the Hennepin Avenue store on December 20, 1935. Maurice also bought a fourth store on Grand Avenue (near a theatre) in St. Paul. This store was mainly for the wholesale end but it had some retail upstairs. Jake Peterson ran this store. Bill and Viv worked there for a short while. {According to Cora’s diary, Maurice had a St. Paul store before he had the Hennepin Avenue store but both were obtained in 1935.} {Also according to Cora’s diary, Vivian started at the St. Paul store on March 16, 1936.} According to Cora’s diary, Maurice bought Hall Supply on November 6, 1936. In the spring of 1939, Viv and Bill made the decision to go out on their own. In 1940, Vivian and Bill moved to the east coast (Ron was born in Wilmington, Delaware, in June of 1940). The Hennepin store was sold, after only being open about a year, then the St. Paul store (Jake bought that business for $500), then the downtown store. By 1941, only the Minnehaha store was left. {It’s not quite as DHC remembers it. Maurice sold the St. Paul store to Jake Peterson on January 4, 1938. Maurice moved out of the downtown store on August 31, 1940.} Maurice’s interest in the business waned even before it shrunk back to one store. He played a lot of cards with men down on Washington Avenue during the winter and let George Moll run the downtown store. He also played cards in a lean-to shack off the restaurant building on Minnehaha south of the store. He let Bill Stedman, the road salesman for the wholesale business, run the whole business after the Marshes left and all during World War II. In the fall of 1938, Maurice bought a farm (for $1200 with Cora’s money) on Cedar Lake near Deerwood. (He had originally stumbled upon this property when he went to see Eric Person’s relatives to go fishing.) He intended to build a fishing resort on Cedar Lake and got so far as building four cabins on the lake and a cabin for the family on a hill. (In 1938 {no, 1935 and 1936}, the family camped at Hufstrand's in tents.) Maurice also built a barn and sheep shed on the property, the barn being the last in the summer of 1942. The back of Cora’s 2nd diary records these events at the farm and in Minneapolis. “Built cottages 1939 Building caretakers house Fall 1940 Put in gas burners at duplex Fall 1940 Bought fencing for farm Summer 1941 Bought sheep October 3, 1941 Papered our place February 1942 Chairs upholstered March 1942 Bought Guernsey cow July 1942 Barn built Summer 1942 Chicken coop built Summer 1943 Bought cows, horses, and chickens Spring 1943 Our house shingled Fall 1944 Our house painted, both stucco and the trim, also garage 1944 Maurice painted stucco on house, June and July 1944. Maurice painting house, Fall, 1944.” The resort was to be called "Woodcrest" and Cora had stationery printed up for herself that said: Woodcrest Mrs. M. E. Carlson Deerwood, Minn. One of the first meetings of John Everson and Maurice Carlson is recorded in the December 5, 1938, edition of the Brainerd newspaper: “Mr. Carlson of Minneapolis was looking over property here which he purchased recently. He spent the night at the John Everson home.” In the early months of 1939, Maurice logged off the Deerwood farm, employing all the farmers in the area, including John Everson. He also constructed a sawmill on the site to turn the logs into lumber. He netted 100,000 board-feet sawed. Part of this lumber was used to build his Bloomington house in 1948. The outbreak of the second World War ended the resort idea. In the fall (November 2nd) of 1942, Maurice went to work for Tom Burniece to help him make Navy chart boards and height verniers for the war effort. Maurice, Cora, and Don left Deerwood and returned to Minneapolis and Maurice and Don went to work at Economy Sheet Metal on November 2nd of 1942. (Don was a bookkeeper first, then a glue pot welder.) Maurice designed a machine to make reclaimed bottle caps. This effort was sponsored by Coca Cola. Maurice designed a punch press to reform the bottle caps. This production, called Economy Crown, was in the Franklin Creamery building. Maurice eventually (actually in February of 1941) went to work at Northern Pump as an inspector in the lathe department for the duration of the war. Northern Pump made 5” cannons, naval pumps, electrically operated turrets, etc. Maurice worked 7 days a week, 12 hours a day initially and eventually got down to about 60 hours a week. {But Cora’s diary notes that Maurice got a new job at International Harvester on March 24, 1942.} Published ads referring to 3725 Minnehaha pretty much vanished between the summer of 1941 and February of 1946. By that time, it was Carlson’s, and no longer Acme Bicycle, and Schwinns were mentioned in the ads. Don was called into the service in May of 1943 and went in for good in November. Maurice quit a job on November 30, 1943. Cora notes that he was “working again” in her diary entry for July 13, 1944. When the war ended, Maurice sold the wholesale business to Stedman, who moved it to 273 Cedar Avenue, but not the Acme name. For the remainder of Maurice’s life, Carlson’s Sporting Goods, as it was now called, would get a 20% discount off of Stedman’s wholesale price. The store building was completely remodeled in the winter of 1945-46. (No. 1946-1947.) The remodeling was to convert the building to a sporting goods store. When Don returned from the war in 1946, he took over the operation of the store. Maurice and Cora looked for suburban property after the war and purchased 1 acre from Carl Zeck on April 11, 1946. This was the property on which Maurice built the Bloomington house in 1947. He and Cora, with Don and Elaine, moved into the house on Old Shakopee Road in January of 1948. On September 9, 1949, Maurice’s neighbor, Carl Zeck died. On January 23, 1950, Carl’s widow, Mardelle Zeck, sold Maurice the rest of the Carl Zeck farm land. This would have been the land to the north and east (and, perhaps, to the southeast) of the original 1946 purchase. Maurice took out a $2000 mortgage with Mardelle for the purchase. That mortgage was satisfied on December 27, 1954. The purchase included the “berry house” of Carl’s berry farm which Maurice moved and it became the “berry house” of Carlson Berry Farm. The original location of the berry house, before Maurice moved it, was right next to the Zeck garage. The original slab of that old berry house site remained on the property through DHC’s ownership of the land. Most of the 1950 purchase was sold to Independent School District #271 on December 18, 1961. Cora sold DHC the remaining north lot for his 2263 EOSR house on May 15, 1968, one day after the sale of 2239. All of Cora’s remaining property on EOSR was moved to a trust on January 8, 1985. Maurice bought thirty burial plots, in three separate areas, at Sunset Memorial Park when it was constructed in the mid-1920s. (A loan application statement in 1933 listed the value of the plots at $4200!) Apparently the developer approached many businessmen about buying plots. Maurice got a prime location near the bell tower. The first family member interred was Al in 1952. His casket-bearers: Leonard Reiland, George Booth, Bill Stedman, Tom Burniece, Albert B. Nelson, and Frank Carter. His SS#: 410-17-9303
  Person ID	I8	Don Carlson's Tree
  Last Modified	15 Feb 2024

  
  

  Father	Johan Alfred CARLSON,   b. 12 Mar 1872, Berghem, Kånna, Kronobergs län, Sweden d. 6 Jun 1952, Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota (Age 80 years)
  Mother	Brita (Bessie) ERICKSON,   b. 12 Sep 1877, Rättvik, Dalarnas län, Sweden d. 22 Feb 1965, Hopkins, Hennepin County, Minnesota (Age 87 years)
  Marriage	31 Mar 1895	Nelson, Buffalo County, Wisconsin
  Divorce	Dec 1929	Hennepin County, Minnesota
  Family ID	F8	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Cora Christena ANDERSON,   b. 7 Mar 1896, La Crosse, La Crosse County, Wisconsin d. 19 Dec 1995, Bloomington, Hennepin County, Minnesota (Age 99 years)
  Marriage	2 Sep 1916	Vernon County, Wisconsin
  	6:00 PM at the Bowe farm south of Viroqua. The Vernon County Censor said the wedding was at the home of the bride’s father, Charley Anderson, in Brookville. The marriage was conducted by Rev. E.O. Hofstead.
  Children	1. Vivian Mae CARLSON,   b. 23 Jul 1917, Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota d. 4 Apr 2008, St. Louis Park, Hennepin County, Minnesota (Age 90 years)   2. Donald Herbert CARLSON,   b. 13 Jul 1924, Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota d. 15 Mar 2011, Eagan, Dakota County, Minnesota (Age 86 years)
  Photos		Cora and Maurice Probably from the late 1940s, taken at Eversons'.
  Histories		Cora meets Maurice
  Family ID	F6	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	3 Aug 2022

  
  

• Photos » Slide Show		Morris Carlson, baby Early 1896. The original is mounted on card stock. The photographer was Lee & Co., 313 Washington Avenue S., Minneapolis. Cora's annotation on the back is "Maurice."
  		Carlson Four Generations Taken in front of Maurice and Cora's house at 2255 E. Old Shakopee Road, spring of 1950. Al Carlson, 78, holds his great-grandson. Maurice Carlson, 54, stands next to his son.
  		Maurice Carlson Probably from the mid-1920s, taken at the family cottage on Lake Minnetonka.
  		Maurice with new truck From the mid-1930s
  		Maurice Carlson Taken in his backyard in Minneapolis, 1946 or 1947
  		Myrtle and Maurice with strawberries Taken at the Carlson Berry Farm in Bloomington in 1953, 1954, or 1955.
  		Maurice playing shuffleboard
  		Bess and family Bess with nearly all of her descendants on Christmas Eve, 1953. Taken by DHC.
  		Cora and Maurice Taken at Eversons in 1954.
  		Cora and Maurice, wedding September, 1916. Although they were married on the farm in Viroqua, it's possible that this picture was taken in Minneapolis.
  		Maurice and Cora Taken in their back yard, about 1930
  		Maurice and Cora in Florida, February, 1955 Maurice and Cora took a six-week road trip down to Pompano Beach, Florida, in January of 1955. Returned home at the beginning of March.
  		Maurice and Cora in their back yard, 1950 Duplicate of a slide taken by Frank Carter. Probably taken on Sunday, September 3, 1950. Cora records in her diary: "75. Sunny. Grand day. Maurice and I pulled weeds in garden all forenoon. The Carters over late afternoon."
  		Maurice and Cora's Wedding They were married at the Bowe farm south of Viroqua on September 2, 1916
  		Maurice, Cora, and their daughter Probably from 1920. Maurice would be 25 and Cora 24. The original is a postcard made by the Walfrid Westman studio, 1425 Washington Ave. So., Minneapolis.
  		Maurice, Cora, Mamie, and Steve in Florida, 1955 Seated, Cora is on the left and Mayme is in the middle. Standing, Maurice is on the right. Steve must have taken the picture.
  		Maurice Carlson