John Foby Colson was born in Sweden in 1853, and came to St. Charles with his family before his second birthday. Colson worked for 12 years as a clerk in L.C. Ward's store. Later he worked as a clerk for Charles Anderson at Anderson’s Dry Goods Store, which stood at 24 W. Main Street. Several years prior to Anderson's death, Colson became his business partner. When Anderson died in 1880, Colson retained the business for himself and renamed it Colson's. In the early 1900s, Colson moved his business to 116 W. Main Street.

The store remained in the Colson family for over 80 years. John Colson's children worked in the store when they were young and his sons, Harold and Lloyd, continued the family business after their father's death. It wasn't until 1963, when Lloyd sold the store to Marion Greene, that the store ceased to be owned by the Colson family. (read more on the St. Charles Library website).