My Genealogy Hound

CHARLES WEEDLUN. Among the many fine farm residences that greet the eyes of the traveler through Hayes township, one of the most conspicuous is that of this gentleman. He was born in Sweden March 25, 1843, and is the son of Charles and Gertie (Munson) Carlson, both of whom were natives of Sweden. The former, a farmer by occupation, was born in 1806, and the latter in 1811. These were the parents of six children, four boys and two girls, two of whom live in Kearney county.

Charles resided in Sweden until twenty-five years of age, engaged in early life in attending school and working on the farm. His father died when our subject was only nine years old, and many of the duties of farm life fell upon the latter, who emigrated to America in 1868, and went direct to Altona, Ill., where he remained a few weeks and then went to Burlington, Iowa, and was a resident of that place for eleven years. While there he was engaged at farm and railroad work. In February, 1879, he came to Kearney county and homesteaded a quarter in section 22, township 6, range 15. He constructed a small dug-out, in which he lived about four months, and then built a comfortable frame house. He and his brother broke out eighty-five acres the first year and planted it in sod-corn, from which they harvested a fair crop. Corn-stalks and weeds, with an occasional load of willow brush from the Platte river, twenty miles away, served as fuel the first year. When Mr. Weedlun came to Kearney county he had but little to start with — a team, harness and wagon were about all. At the present time he owns four hundred acres of fine land, three hundred of which are under cultivation. He has raised considerable stock and has prospered far beyond his expectations, his success being due to his own industry and good management.

March 10, 1880, Mr. Weedlun married Tilla W. Carlson, a daughter of Charles and Anna Carlson, natives of Sweden. Mr. and Mrs. Weedlun have had born to them one child — Mabel, born February 7, 1889.

In politics Mr. Weedlun is a republican and takes an active interest in his party. He held the office of road supervisor for his township in 1887-88. In 1886 he built the present residence at a cost of $1,500 and the spacious barn at a cost of $1,000.