Edward William Carlson

Carlson spent most of his childhood in Chicago, Illinois, where his parents owned and operated the Englewood Home Laundry.

[8][9] At four years of age circa 1887 Carlson fell ill with scarlet fever, and as a result, lost both his hearing and eventually his speech.

[10][13][a] Also attending the Art Institute was Eva Randolph Dorchester (August 28, 1880 – October 14, 1926) of Sherman, Texas who was deaf-mute since birth.

[17] By 1910 he was living with his uncle August Holmquist, his aunt Hanna, and his young cousins Alma, Ebba, Alice and Violet at their home on 2700, West 23rd Street, Chicago.

In 1920 a number of his portraits were included in an exhibition of one hundred pieces by forty artists, which traveled first to New York and then to the cities of Stockholm, Gothenburg, and Malmö, Sweden.

They are careful and expert in execution and show unremitting interest in essential character [of his subjects] which is the best gift Sweden has sent to the art of America.

In July of the following year, Edward and Marjorie took the train to the National Fraternal Society for the Deaf (NFSD) convention, attended by about 800 people, in Denver, Colorado.

W. Carlson and 13-year-old daughter, Majorie, left Denver for Spokane, Portland, California and Texas points a two months' trip.

[33] Edward died five years after the death of Eva, on Tuesday, July 26, 1932, after a long struggle with asthma, at his sister's home in Chikaming, Berrien, Michigan, USA.