Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

Colton i> a Republican, and in 1909 rep-
resented his district in tlu- State Legisla-
ture, serving on the committee on insur-
ance. In [913 he was elected State Sena-
tor from the Seventh District, and in that
body was a member of the committee on
finance, lie is a member of and a past
master of St. Mark's Lodge, No. 91, Free
and Accepted Masons, of Granby.
Mr. Colton married. November 22,
i&;2. May Louise StultS, daughter of
William R. StultS, of Granby, hut formerly
of Lyons, New York. Mr. and
Mrs. Colton arc the parents of two
daughters: Mildred M.. horn September
io, 1900, and Caroline S., born .April 14,
1903.
JOHNSON, Alfred,
Business Man.
America is the land of hope, achievement
and opportunity for the man born
under another flag, and under Swedish
rule in the beautiful town of Bergheim, on
December 31, 1869. Alfred Johnson, pres-
ident and manager of the Stanley-Svea
Grain & Coal Company of Xew Britain,
Connecticut, was born, the son of Johnner
Johnson.
One year after attaining his majority,
young Johnson came to America, locating
first at North Easton, Massachusetts,
wdiere he remained for a period of about
four years, during which time he was
employed in gardening and factory work.
In the spring of 1895 he went to Chicago
and the following years were filled with
many and varied experiences, the like of
which do not fall to the average young
man of to-day. The harvest fields of
North Dakota and of Wisconsin ; the
lumber camps of Michigan and of the
neighboring States ; the railroads and
saw mills were all at various times the
scenes of his labors and activities. The
ENCYCLi )I*l-.l )l.\ OF BU IGRAPHY
150
experience in working and knowledge of
farming and the lumber busim :icd
. by Mr. Johnson was very Lr. •.! 1 and not
only that, he '
also was 1 of robust
health and a Strong physique, BUCh as can
he I
only
through work and exer-
cise in the great OUt-of-door < >n \pril
~, [897, Mr. Johnson returned East to
New Britain, Connecticut, where he .
subsequently employed in contracting
work until the summer of In the
latter year Mr. Johnson made a trip to
his former home in Sweden, remaining
for a Near. I '])"" his return to New Bri-
tain he was again engaged in contracting
work. It seems hut natural that after the
years spent in the harvest fields gathering
the grain and assisting in shipping it to
the market that time should find Mr.
Johnson in business as a dealer in this product,
lie possesses a greater knowledge
of his wares than one who knows merely
the retailing end of the business, and in
September, [908, Mr. Johnson became
associated with the Stanley-Svea Grain
and Coal Company, rising t the position
of assistant manager in 1908. to manager
in 191 2, and upon the death of Mr. Theodore
Stanley was elected president and
general manager, which position he still
holds in 1917. He is also a director of the
Company. Originally it was the Svea
Coal and Wood Company, and in 1907
the business of M. IV Stanley was purchased,
the name then changing to The
Stanley-Svea Grain and Coal Company.
Mr. Johnson is one of the foremost business
men of the city of Xew Britain, and
takes a keen and active interest in its
affairs. Fraternally he i-~ a member of the
Hundred Men Society, and the National
Order of Yas;t.
On April 6, i9c/>. Mr. Johnson married
Ann Anderson, born in Sweden, daugh-
ter of Andrew Anderson. Mr. and Mrs.
Johnson are the parents of the following