Charles J. Pearson, BiographyPorter County biographical sketches . . . .
Transcribed biography of Charles J. Pearson
CHARLES J. PEARSON. In estimating the relatives success of men, more consideration should he given to the difficulties they have overcome than to the position they have attained. Always more interesting is the career of one who, unaided by the advantages of birth, of education or capital, and with only those resources within himself upon which to rely, builds up a definite success and by his own accomplishments raises himself to a preeminent position.
Twenty-two years ago, or on May 3, 1890, there landed at New York a young Swede, strong of body and alert in mind, to whose ears had come glowing accounts of the opportunities America afforded young men who were without capital and were not afraid of hard work. That young man was Charles J. Pearson, today well established in a thriving grocery business at Chesterton, Indiana, and accounted one of the substantial men of the community.
Mr. Pearson was born in Sweden on the 6th of December, 1872, a son of Hans Pearson. His mother, whose maiden name was Aling Hokinson was twice married, Hans Pearson being her second husband. The father died when Charles J. was about three years old, but the mother is still living and resides in Sweden. Charles J. Pearson was not yet eighteen years of age when he immigrated to the United States, his youth up to that time having been spent in his native land where he eagerly accepted any honorable employment and early became a clerk in a grocery store. Later he accepted a position as a grocery salesman. He had a sister on this side of the water, and when he had saved enough money to pay his passage he bade adieu to home and friends to take up his life in a new land. He found employment in New York City, soon after his arrival and remained there about seven month, or until November, 1890, when he came to Chesterton, Indiana, and took up work in the organ factory there. He applied himself diligently to the work in hand, became very skilful as a machinist and later became foreman of that department. After some four or five years there he went to Pullman, Illinois, where he was employed three months in a Cabinet factory. He had a natural ability for decorating and was soon transferred to that department of the factory, where he continued three and a half years. In 1900 he returned to Chesterton to engage in business for himself. He opened a tea and coffee store and as his business grew he added other lines of stock until today he has a complete line of groceries and is the proprietor of one of the most thriving business enterprises of the town. Besides this store, he is a stockholder in the Chesterton State Bank, owns fifteen acres of land, and has acquired other property besides. It is all the result of his own industry, perseverance and good business management.
Mr. Pearson has been twice married. His first wife was Sophia Samuelson, a native of this country, whom he married in 1894. She died on December 24, 1895, leaving him an infant son, Carl A., born on July 9 of that year. The second marriage of Mr. Pearson occurred on September 5, 1896, when Miss Matilda Johnson became his wife. Mrs. Pearson was born in Chesterton, on November 9, 1874, and is a daughter of John and Alina (Anderson) Johnson, both of whom are natives of Sweden. Two children have come to this second marriage: Edwin, born June 16, 1901, and Olga E., born June 9, 1911. Both Mr. and Mrs. Pearson are members of the Swedish Lutheran church at Chesterton, of which he is also treasurer. Fraternally he is a member of Chesterton Lodge, No. 442, Knights of Pythias, and is a past chancellor commander of that lodge. In politics he is a Republican. For two years' he was chairman of the township Republican committee and at one time was president and is now a member of the Chesterton town board. By what he has accomplished he has become one of the representative men of Porter county, and as such the publishers are pleased to give him recognition in this volume.
Source: Lewis Publishing Company. 1912. History of Porter County, Indiana: A Narrative Account of its Historical Progress, its People and its Principal Interests. Chicago, Illinois: Lewis Publishing Company. 881 p.
Page(s) in Source: 799-800
This biography has been transcribed exactly as it was originally published in the source. Please note that we do not provide photocopies or digital scans of biographies appearing on this website.
Biography transcribed by Steven R. Shook