Alois Karlon was born in 1835 in Trofaiach. In 1858 he received his ordination to the priesthood and worked for a time after that as a prefect and teacher at the Episcopal Grammer School in Graz. In 1864 Karlon moved to Rome for three years, where he studied History and Archaeology. After his return to Graz, his appointment to vice-chancellor of the Graz seminary followed. In 1881 he was a canon and in 1901, shortly before his death, he was dean of a cathedral.

When the “Grazer Volksblatt” was published at the beginning of 1868, Alois Karlon belonged to those who had decisively supported these intentions. In 1869, it was on his initiative that the first Styrian Catholic Day was held in Graz, which resulted amongst other things to the founding of the “Catholic Press Association”. From 1869 to 1900, Karlons´ function was as first director of the Press Association Institution, which from 1880 onwards traded under the name of “Styria” and developed into a significant company under his leadership.

Karlon also had a career as a politician. From 1870 to 1900 he was a representive member of the Styrian state parliament and actively worked in the legislative assembly. In 1902, Alois Karlon died. He is buried in Seckau, where he had successfully given his support to resettling the diocese, which Joseph II had abolished.