John CARLSON vs Eric HELSTEN: Eric's testimony along with Mrs Helsten, son William and Dr St John

The box where Eric HELSTEN stored his important papers (including this document).
The "footprint" of the box is 11" by 5".

If you have been following the story of the deposition in this case, you know that we have a pencil copy of the depositions but don't actually know what the suit was or how it was resolved. The writing is VERY light, the handwriting inconsistent (sometimes abbreviated or close to scribble) and the paper fragile and so it is very hard to read.  This might have been a "scratch copy" and then recopied in ink for the court.  What you have below is the rest of the testimony after three of us have tried to transcribe the document (this is the best we can decipher!).  Why Eric HELSTEN even had this copy is another puzzle.

Reading this does not answer the question as to what the suit was about or how it was resolved.  It DOES give some real personalities to Eric and Mary HELSTEN and to John CARLSON.

Evidence taken Sept. 8^th

Before Reynolds Justice

Deposition from John Carlson

                                 Vs.

                          Eric A. Helsten

     It was 1858, he came at my house.  He was a small boy came along and inquired for me.  He had been sent up by someone from New York.  He wanted to stay with me, my wife.  He came….of everything.  I did not make any bargain with him.  I made a bargain with him to give him his board and clothes.  I would finish him with way to go back to Sweden.  His father and mother were dead.  It appeared to me that he had been sent here to avoid when he came said was 15.  He called himself a year older than he was.  I clothed him right off – gave him clothes.  The first night we had a clean shirt put on him.  We had a good deal of trouble with him for the first year  he wet the bed.  He was a small poor boy.  I …. ….  Pictures have this clothes.  He runs.  He did not understand the English language.  I taught him many things and spelling and reading  I always avoided speaking Swedish  to him on this  I took special pains to try to learn him the language.  I thought I could give him better instruction myself as before.  He was well to understand English.  He start tell about the time he stolen himself.  One fault I had against him he sometimes would tell some wrong stories, always tell the truth anytime.  I did not consider no labor than over than his board and clothes.  I kept him at work as before as he could work as you can go.  I favored him because he was lame.  The first I ever heard of his leg hurt was my boy says John liked to get killed the other day  I got a story from both round and on Sunday he was hurt when he came to the top.  William went down the hill to hunt him  John said he was not hurt.  I spoke up said it is a great wonder you did not get killed did not you.  He use ax.  He said he had to let it go.  I got the story from both of them.  After that I forbid both of the boys to slide down hill.  Many evenings I find John sliding down hill.  I took the sled away from him and sent him into the house.  I think it was 6 weeks after that I heard him complain of his foot.  I did not believe at the time he got his foot out of joint and kept it concealed so long.  I asked him if he was hurt and he always denied it.  I went with him over to Dr. St. Johns office.  I went to Dr. St. John’s Office and he never owned up to Dr. that it was hurt,  to my knowledge, how it happened, Dr. was going to examine his foot.  John would not let him touch it.  Pulled it back.  He did not seem to know what it was.  His foot was swollen pretty bad.  John used up that linament and I told him to go and get more.  He went and got more and after that the doctor saw the foot inflamed and the swelling was down.  He said that foot is out of joint.  Run and get a supporter an Spig (some type of screw)  he wear our shirts   This spig was made and put on the boot and fixed for him.  John wore it and after awhile he broke it and I had another one made.  Dr. St. John said he must wear it.  I had another spig put on a new boot for him.  He did not like to wear it  But summer came on and he would rather go barefooted.  He went off but came back again.  I did not know what to think of it.  He always denied being hurt again.  I had seen before that his foot was hurt.  That has always been big influence.  I estimated it at about six weeks when he went off the wall  at this time   If I have know that his ankle was out of join I should have him in doctor right off.

Cross- examination

     He went to work as usual during this time.  I asked him many times if he was hurt.  He did what he could.  He went away the latter part of summer.

He grew very fast when he came.

William Helsten

     Son of Mr. Helsten

     When he went out out over of all of it.  That week on Saturday I think it was sometime after that he began.  I did not notice it that week nor the next.  I guess he did not (tan –maybe)  I don’t remember whether I did or not

Cross examination

     I am 14  I think it was 7 or eight.  I have heard father speak of it.  I think it was in the ….  One foot on each side  I did not see him go lame.  I could not tell whether he was the same as before.

Mrs. Mary Helsten

     He was a poor school boy and I take him  he was a little boy came in.  I want you to go home  ..shall freeze to death.  Said I we we will put up same as before.  I clothed him  I …. The same before run as you do us the same  Then says I intended to do well by him  I could not understand a word as before  Well says I wonder that he was not killed.  I did not notice that he was lame for sometime as before.  John would not let him touch it  we thought it was a swelling, as before then, as before you came

Dr. St. John

     I think its first time.  He came with an ankle badly swelled.  He was very hesitantly to how as this was.  He did not.  I inquired to know the cause of the trouble.  After I think Mr. Helsten told me what William said about him going over the wall.  Have the same as before.  He did not admit that very absolutely  I continue the same as before.  I think it could have been straightened with the support.  Boys sometimes as before you can make the worked as before.  I considered the injury.  I don’t know as this was anything said about this.

He might have the ….

Cross examination

     Ex. A. (Eric A. Helsten)?

     I thought it might be much nothing, but I don’t think be.  I don’t know when he might have done work.  He says he could not do a full days work.  He might have done some work.

Mr. Helsten

     He did not work while he was sick.  I kept him comfortable.

     I think is about 2 years ago he said his hip was out of joint.  He said Dr. ought to have seen it.  He said I always say no   I knew I didn’t   know as you will give me any the….

Know as the same as before

My next post will be Chris's summary of what she has learned from reading this document -- the first thing that has given her any information on her great grandfather John CARLSON when he came to the US.

John CARLSON vs Eric HELSTEN: John's testimony

As I mentioned in the earlier posts, John CARLSON came to Eric HELSTEN.  John's  Ggrand daughter had a picture of him in a suit.  Her family story was that John was apprenticed to Eric for 7 years and at the end got $100 and that suit.  Being a good family historian, "listen carefully to the stories and then check it out" led Chris to try to find evidence of John's apprenticeship with Eric.  She traveled to Gaylordsville CT, checked all the records she could find.  How did he end up in Gaylordsville all the way from Sweden?  Was he a distant relative?   Was he a family friend (Eric and John both came come Uppsala)?   She checked the records in Sweden.  No luck any where documenting him in Gaylordsville, in an apprenticeship or connected to Eric.  Then we connected and have been working both directions:  from my records and hers.

I found this deposition in a court case:  John Carlson vs Eric Helsten.  We have not found the court record, just this pencil copy of the deposition.  We don't even know what the case is about.

Here is John's testimony and that of Rufus Beeman:

John Carlson                                  Before Reynolds Justice

       vs.

Eric A. Helsten                                    Sept. 8, 1866                                                                       

John Carlson

I came to this country in the fall of 1858.  I am a Swede.  I came here to work.  There was nothing said.  I want to be …….father for me.  No time mentioned  He said he would like have me stay till 21.  I did not make any bargain.  I was 14 going on 15 when I went there.  I worked 22 months.  I left there 27 Aug 1860, always worked in the tan yard.  When I was sick I did not work.  I had the scarlet fever.  I had Dr. St. John 2 or 3 times.  I had no other time.  I believed I worked all the time.  My foot got hit by falling over the stone wall.  I slipped.  It was in the winter.  I worked all the time.  It pained all the time.  It was a little time after that I told him I wanted a doctor.  I was sent over to see the doctor.  I worked all this time.  He said it let you so far.  It pained me ever since even or less.  He said if he had known he said he thought I run to because I did not want to work.  I could not work this Spring because I hurt my ankle.  He said he would see Dr. Benti.  He said he had not seen him.  I told him I did not wish to dy.  When I left he gave me 85 cents before that he had give 25 cents.  He furnished a pair of boots and one pair of shoes  2 new shirts, brand new mittens, wool hat.  There might have been some old clothes.  I told Helsten I did.  He said he did not know but he would give me something.  I was treated well up to this time.  Later at this time 8 or 10 dollars above the board as before.  I think for a couple of months.

Cross Examination

I think it must have been in the latter part of the winter.  I ……  I think I had the shoes on when I went to the doctor.  I believe the day I was hurt. … Helsten I … He said he would  go and see Dr. St. John when I was in the wood house.  It was the same as before.  It got out of joint when I got out of joint, but I did walk on it.  I went to see Dr. … … 2 times.  I think Helsten bought 2 bottles for me.  I might have more if … …   I told him it pained me the same as before.  We slip as before.  That is the always as before you even.  I was not as lame as when I left the same.  I did not tell Mr. Helsten why I wished to leave   I wore the tighter boots, as before the same you know that you owe but I did not owe him.  Helsten sew months before.  I think he asked me soon afterwards.  I told him I did not know what was the matter.  I came to Jonas H. McMahn soon after Election day.  As before… … …   he said if I would stay he would give me money to go to Sweden.  I may have had some clothing I don’t think of.

Direct Examination Record

He went over to see Dr. and I went that day or the next when we were in the wood house.

Rufus Berman (Beeman?)

 I should think John earns at work work faithful for 4-6 dollars per month.  I think the board

it was Mrs. Berman.  I can’t answer the question as to how much work was with his board.

… …  John came to my house in August 1860.  The boy came and wanted to stay all night.  He stayed with me for 4 years.  He was a good boy to work  12 or 15 dollars above his board.  I let him go to school.  Seemed to be very lame in the left leg and hip, as before this runs as you can go.  I called  Dr. Taylor.  He did not work for me in the tanning  He worked very well when he came thru  he could have worked.  I could have bound him from 15 and bound then boarded him.  It appeared he was a skilled workman.

There is more testimony to come in another post.