Newton resident turns 107

NEWTON — Barn Hill Nursing home resident Hjalmar Par Carson recently celebrated his 107 birthday. He was born on August 20, 1902 in the County of Smalland, Sweden. He worked on his family farm with his nine brothers and sisters, then left Sweden in 1927 and found work on the Canadian Railway. After leaving the railway, he ended up in Worster, Massachusetts, where he met and married his wife, Gladys in 1936. They moved to Englewood, New Jersey and he began a new career as a machinist. While working as a machinist he discovered the glue that would adhere metal to plastic. He also invented colored bobby pins. He retired in 1972 and spent his time with his three granddaughters. He suffered the loss of his only daughter, Linda Ann Hansen, in 1998, and his wife in 1999, but has always remained strong in his Lutheran faith. He is now a great-grandfather of seven and resides at Barn Hill Nursing Home in Newton.