John Axel Magnuson, oldest son of Alfred and Susanna Erickson Magnuson, was a native of Douglas county, having been born May 29, 1891, on his father's farm in LaGrand township. Here he attended the Douglas county schools and Sunday school and grew to manhood helping on the farm. He served with the armed forces in World War I and shortly after the World War he and his three brothers, August, Albert and Julius, came to Alexandria and engaged in the garage business. They erected the Magnuson building on Lincoln avenue. Later Axel built a cottage on Lobster Lake, which he made his home and from there he managed his farms timber lands and also engaged in road construction work; dredging, threshing and operating a sawmill. The past winter he had lived with his sister, Mrs. Herman Michaelson, and had moved out to his home in LaGrand a week before he passed away at his home on Wednesday, May 3, following a stroke. At the time of his departure he was 52 years, 11 months and 4 days. Three brothers, August on the home farm in LaGrand township, Albert and Julius of Alexandria, and two sisters, Nina (Mrs. Herman Michaelson) and Esther (Mrs. Harlan Campbell) of Alexandria, are left to mourn his loss. He is also survived by one niece, and four nephews. He was a good brother and liked by all who knew him and he will be greatly missed. Funeral services were held Tuesday, May 9, at 2:30 o'clock from the Anderson Funeral Home, with Rev. Bengt Anderson officiating. He wa a member of the Alexandria American Legion post and they were present and escorted the remains to the Evergreen cemetery where he was interred with military honors. Pallbearers were: Arthur Peterson, Remer Hoglund, Albin Dahlstrom, Ed Ormseth, Oscar Olson and Henry Borchert. In the firing squad were Ernest E. Haskins, Emil Peterson, Eldred Evanson, Percy Reese, Dave Jones, Gerald Renner, Gordon Kerns, John Leuthner and Holger Hanson. Color bearers were Arthur Mellin, Newton Nash. Color guards were Bob Chan and James LeRoy. Usher was Oscar Englund and bugler Carl Ekman.
(Park Region Echo, 11 May 1944)