Memorable Manitobans: Bernhard Theodor “Ben” Axelson (1873-1956)

Farmer, salesman.

Born in Stockholm, Sweden on 27 October 1873, son of Erickson Axelson and Louise Peterson, he worked on his father's farm then worked as a store clerk before emigrating to Canada in 1893 and working on a construction gang of the Canadian Pacific Railway. He worked for two years as a stone mason then farmed for fourteen years before renting out the farm and moving to Elkhorn where he sold agricultural implements and automobiles.

On 11 November 1896, he married Georgina Elizabeth Dahl (1875-1942) of Elkhorn. They had six children: Thomas Alfred Axelson (1898-1898), Mildred Louisa Axelson (1899-1977, wife of William Roderick McFadden), Dorothy Sophia Axelson (1901-1982, wife of Hugh John McLeod), Bernhard Carl Alexander “Bernie” Axelson (1903-1975), Edward Theodor Axelson (1904-1980), and Frederick Dahl Axelson (1913-1990). He served for a year on the Elkhorn village council and was a member of the COF.

He moved to Winnipeg in 1923 and worked as a salesman for the Risch Piano Company. He was transferred by the company to Saskatoon in 1924 where he remained until 1932 when he returned to Winnipeg. He worked in the sales department of the Winnipeg Electric Company until retirement in 1946. At that time, he moved to Vancouver, British Columbia.

He died at Vancouver, British Columbia on 7 June 1956 and was buried in the Elmwood Cemetery.

Sources:

Marriage registration [Bernhard Axelson, Elizabeth Dahl], Manitoba Vital Statistics.

Birth registrations [Thomas Alfred Axelson, Mildred Louisa Axelson, Dorothy Sophia Axelson, Bernhard Carl Alexander Axelson, Edward Theodor Axelson], Manitoba Vital Statistics.

The Story of Manitoba by F. H. Schofield, Winnipeg: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1913.

Death registration [Georgina Elizabeth Axelson], Manitoba Vital Statistics.

Obituary [Georgina Elizabeth Axelson], Winnipeg Tribune, 28 November 1942, page 2.

Death registration [Bernhard Theodore Axelson], British Columbia Vital Statistics.

Obituary, Winnipeg Tribune, 9 June 1956, page 34.

Obituary [Bernhard Carl Alexander Axelson], Brandon Sun, 5 March 1975, page 24.

Obituary [Mildred Louise McFadden], Winnipeg Free Press, 24 November 1977, page 49.

Obituary [Dorothy Sophia McLeod], Winnipeg Free Press, 23 October 1982, page 36.

Thomas Axelson, FindAGrave.

Edward Theodor Axelson, FindAGrave.

Frederick Dahl Axelson, FindAGrave.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough and Darryl Toews.

Page revised: 31 August 2024

Memorable Manitobans

Memorable Manitobans

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