Oscar Hugo Carlson was born on September 12, 1906 in North Dakota to Carl Emil Johannson Carlson and Elsa “Elsie” Olivia Eugenia (Larson) Carlson. He grew up on the family farm in Dunn County, North Dakota. O. Hugo was married to Julia Mathilda Whitney on June 20, 1930 in her parents’ home in Minot, Ward, North Dakota. They had six children: Hugo Leonard Lankford (b. 1931), Carl Emil Joseph “Joe” (b. November 30, 1932), Oscar Walter “Oz” (b. February 6, 1935), Julian Alf (b. February 15, 1936), and Julia Elsie (b. March 19, 1948).
His oldest son, Hugo, remembers:
“Dad’s parents immigrated to the U.S. from Sweden in the early years of the century and my Grandfather Carl Emil and Grandmother Elsa took out homesteads on adjoining land close to Halliday, ND. My Dad, O. Hugo, was born in a sod house on that homestead in 1906. He spoke Swedish and learned to speak English with no accent as he grew up.
Marie, Elsa, O. Hugo, and Carl Emil Carlson
Marie and O. Hugo Carlson
He suffered several serious illnesses as a child. This was more than likely because there were no antibiotics at that time and minor infections often became major. I recall him telling about an infection in his face that required several weeks of hospitalization in Bismarck, North Dakota. There was no medical insurance at that time and his father had to sell two railroad cars of cattle to pay the hospital and doctor bill.
As a young man he had an unusual mechanical ability and at the age of 15 completely rebuilt a binder that had been junked (this bundled grain). They were able to use it for several more years. He was also a cowboy who broke horses for riding, rode in rodeos, and participated in cattle drives that were sometimes over 100 miles in distance. He was an outstanding basketball player and lead his team to the state final and personally received all-state honors.
In 1920, my dad was driving cattle on a horse that was barely saddle broke. It took off on a run and jumped over a cow. Dad was thrown to the ground and broke his arm. He said it was the longest ride of his life into town—a distance of about four miles. Getting the arm set was a pretty grim experience in itself because there were no x-rays and the doctor had to set the arm by feel without any anesthetic.”
O.Hugo and Julia lived 300 miles from Hugo’s family in the 1960s. O. Hugo’s grandson Hugh recalls:
“Grandpa was born in a sod house in Halliday, ND to Swedish immigrants and spoke Swedish until he went to school at the age of 5. He always had just a hint of a Swedish accent. He was a salesman and had the gift of gab. He had a great sense of humor, but had an old Swede’s temper too. I’m sure people would think twice before they would cross him.”
O. Hugo had a gas station, but lost it because of the Great Depression. He then sold oil for the Mobil Oil Company. He traveled a lot for work then, covering a huge territory in North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Montana, and Wyoming. He was sociable, happiest when he was talking with people. He loved to bowl, played golf, and quit later in life because he was unhappy about how he played. He loved to tease and play practical jokes. He lost his index and middle finger to an electric planer. He would show little kids his hands and say “What did you do with my fingers? I want them back!!” Once, after boating with his grandkids on Sheridan Lake, he pretended to pull a five dollar bill out of a garbage can and said “Look at that! A five dollar bill in the garbage can!”
O. Hugo Coaching Baksetball Team in Halliday, ND 1928-1929
Hugh says: “In the winter time we would frequently have a fire in their fireplace [in Rapid City, SD]. They had a shaker that would create colors when you shook it into the fire. My uncles would frequently be visiting at the same time. In the summer golf was a favorite activity and my Grandpa would let me drive the golf cart. This was great fun for me. They also had a lake lot on Lake Sheridan. We had a lot of fun times there. Fishing was one of the main activities there. Grandpa and I caught a few trout together. Grandma and I would walk through the forest and collect pine cones.
Julia & O. Hugo Carlson With Their Horses Years Before They Met
Grandpa and Grandma used to take us on site seeing tours too. They took us through Custer State Park and up to Mt. Rushmore. Grandpa drove an Oldsmobile 98 that I called his “luxury car”. It had power windows and all the bells and whistles available back them. Grandpa liked to talk while he was driving and would frequently be doing more talking than driving. Sometimes his passengers would get a little nervous on the mountain roads.
O. Hugo & Julia (center) and Friends
(Unknown), Oscar Hugo, Julia, Mabel and Charles Christenson … Julia Wrote On Back of Picture “Notice my New Hat. It Isn’t an expensive one but I kind of like it.”
Back Row: Marie, Elsa, Julia, Ruth, Lucile – Front Row: Bill, Folke, Oscar Hugo – June 1945
Chess was a commonly played family game. Grandpa Hugo and I had some pretty hotly contested games. He wasn’t always real happy with me if I was giving him tough competition. We also played a lot of Cribbage, and I would play that with Grandma too.
O. Hugo and Julia Carlson
O. Hugo, Julia, Lucille and Helge Carlson
O. Hugo, Hugo, Joe (Emil), and Julia
Julia and O. Hugo Camping
Oz and O. Hugo
O. Hugo’s Boys: Hugo, Joe, Oz, and Julian
O. Hugo, Julian, Joe, and Oz
O. Hugo, Julian, Julie, and Julia
O. Hugo and Julia
Julia, O. Hugo, and Boys
O. Hugo and Hugo
Julia, Hugo, and O. Hugo
Henry Tyge, O. Hugo Carlson, Lizzie Tyge, Julia, Oz, and Julian Carlson
Back Row: Brothers Folke, Emil, O. Hugo, and Helge Carlson
O. Hugo’s Kids: Julie, Julian, Oz, Joe (Emil), and Hugo
O. Hugo’s Grandchildren
Joe (Emil), Oz, Julian, Hugo, LaRae, O. Hugo, Julie, and Julia
Lennon, South Dakota Mobil Station Where O. Hugo Worked
Erick, Oscar Hugo, Emil, Elsa, Folke, and Helge Carlson
Brothers Erick, Folke, Emil, Helge, O. Hugo
Grandpa Hugo had a heart attack when he was in his 50’s. He was always a pretty heavy smoker, and his heart got him in the end when he was 69 years old. He had also had back problems and the family story was that his back was bothering him and he went to a chiropractor who ruptured a disc in his back. He ended up having back surgery which was quite successful.
I miss them both very much.”
O. Hugo passed away in June of 1976. He was buried in Mountain View Cemetery in Rapid City, South Dakota.
O. Hugo and Julia
Julia, Craig, Hugh, and O. Hugo
Julie, Karen, Julian, O. Hugo, Julia, and Hugo
Helge and O. Hugo
