"An Illustrated History of Skagit and Snohomish Counties."  Interstate
Publishing Company, 1906.  p. 526.
 
ELMER A. AXELSON

     is one of four brothers who have made an unqualified success of Skagit
county farming since coining from Sweden. He is a successful grain and stock
farmer two miles west of Fir in the Skagit delta, one of the rich agricultural
sections of the county. Elmer was born in Sweden in 1872, the son of Axel W.
Magnuson, who is still living on the farm in his native land. The mother, Sophia
Nygin, was born at Atvidabarg, Sweden, and is still living with her husband,
both being well advanced in years. She is the mother of eight children, of whom
Axel W., Conrad F., Herman and Elmer reside in Skagit county; the others being
Mrs. Sophia Wangberg, Mrs. Amanda Johanson, Mrs. Ella Gustafson and Alben
Axelson. Elmer attended his home school until fourteen years of age. He was
ambitious for a liberal education, but circumstances denied him this for a time
and he left home to work on a farm at Norkoping for a year. A short stay at the
old home followed and at the age of seventeen years he found himself at La
Conner. He was fortunate on first coming to the United States to be employed on
the excellent farm of R. E. Whitney, who was one of the largest and most liberal
farmers of that section. He worked here for six years, then went to work for E.
A. Sisson, putting in seven years off and on with him. It was during this period
of his life that young Axelson realized in part his desire for more education,
and he utilized his winters in attending school. Finally deciding to try what he
could do for himself, Mr. Axelson rented the George D'Arcy place, on the Samish
flats, and operated it for two years. The next seven years were spent in farming
on Beaver Marsh at the J. S. Wallace place. In the meantime Mr. Axelson had
bought and sold a small place by the Swinomish slough, making some money on the
investment and sale. In 1903 he purchased the Captain Loveland place, of 160
acres, all under cultivation, and has since made his home there.
     June 11, 1903, he married Miss Gertrude Morris at Tacoma. Mrs. Axelson is
the daughter of George A. and Sarah (O'Donnell) Morris, natives of England, who
came to the United States eighteen years ago and settled at Avon. Mrs. Morris
died early in 1905, but Mr. Morris still resides at Avon, living in retirement,
having sold his real estate, which brought him considerable wealth.   Mrs.
Axelson was born at Nottingham, England, in 1883 and came to this country with
her parents when only five years old. She attended the Avon schools and entered
the Salvation Army when fifteen, serving for three years in Spokane and
Bellingham, Washington, Helena, Montana, and Rossland and Victoria, British
Columbia.   Before leaving the army she had been commissioned lieutenant. She
has two children: Evalina, born March 26, 1904, and Lucille, born August 10,
1905. Just previous to his marriage, Mr. Axelson realized the cherished ambition
of obtaining a higher education and pursued successfully in 1901 and 1902 a
course in the Bellingham business college, getting a training which he highly
prizes as an adjunct of his business. In fraternal circles Mr. Axelson is a
member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of the Woodmen of the World and
the Independent Order of Good Templars. He is a Republican in politics and with
his wife belongs to the La Conner Baptist church. Mr. Axelson is one of the
prosperous and up-to-date farmers of the southwest section of the county.

     
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Submitted to the Washington Biographies Project in May 2008 by Diana Smith.
Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned
above.