Alfred Magnuson

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On June 25, 1900 Alfred Magnuson, also a stone mason and nephew of Nils Nelson, became the fourth death on the job when he fell while setting roof trusses over the Senate chamber.  He was brought to the hospital but died four days laterat the age of 23.[1]  Magnuson, the son of Nil’s older brother Magnus Jeppsson, was unmarried and he had only been in the country four years.  He was five years old when Nils struck out for America back in 1882 so he may have had some memory of his uncle and read some “America letters” from him.  His family moved around within the parish of Ivetofte during his childhood and his mother died in 1895, the year before he left for America.[2]  Magnuson is buried in an unmarked grave in Union Cemetery in Maplewood not far from Nelsons plot.   The nephew’s gravestone must have been something that Nils just never got around to.

Fellow Capitol workers John L. Olson and Ole Moe were also living at this address in 1900.




[1] Pioneer Press June 26 and 30 , 1900, St. Paul Globe, June 30, 1900, NYHS

[2] Swedish Church Records

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