Yakutat mission 1923

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BIOGRAPHICAL

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Lite "all fortunate Swedes I iras born near the center of Sweden, In the Province °f OstergCtland. The early years -rare a continuous chain of play and romance, bu^ vith the yoara life became more serious, and at the age of •eYonteen I get out i o r .America. And in tha opring or 1896, I landed in New York, and a little^ Vhe same on a farm in lova. .The hot summer days vith ita strenuous fanznrork vas no "picnic" for t h e " G r o a n - h o r n " , but Trintero brought more leisure, and I ^aa giTen the opportunity to attend the near-by Grade School. This brought on a ne-w interest in life.

And after five years, I set out -with a train of cattle f-or Chicago; the animals bound for the stockyards, and I for North Park College, It Tras late in the afternoon of the short vinter day -irhen I came along the rickety sideiralks on Foster Avenue, and for the first time beheld the oupola of "Old Uain". A feeling of both awe and inferior! tjjBeiied me as I entered itjj halls. But, really, it became "Love at first sight."

The teachers proved to t>o BO considerate and helpful', the students so friendly, that almost at once I felt at home in the ne'w surroundings. And for nearly six years I had the pleasure and profit of remaining a student under the tutelage or a corps of teachers, second to none. (Si^^n >n Ci^S" PJof' ^r^-^^-^d $ eJf'hf Ai^T'CS 0-^r\ &^a/<$ f/ c^r-^ki'-S In 1906 I completed the '-Course in the Seminary and accepted a call to Ogden Park, Chicago. The same year a church iras built at 66th Str. and Harmitago Ave, September 15, 1909, I married Nellie Anderson, from "^averly, Nebraska. This union hleaaed us l\/&2 with three boye, Amsden, Clifford, and ?/ayne. But the Foreign Field iraa "beconing ma and Trith a deep desire to amend for tho vronga my o-vn race had done in ruthlessly appropriating the homeland of the Indiana,. I sot out for Alaska -with my -wife and infant son, Amsdan. w e landed at the Indian village of Yafcutat in July 1911. Here ve found a. most interesting people. They -rere of the Indian race and the Thlinket Tribe. Soon we became acquainted, and for over thirty years ve worked as Covenant liissionaries among t h e a e people.

Takutat vas one of the most isolated villages in Southeastern Alaska. Hemmed in by the high St. Zlias Alps,-.it oould be reached only by -crater,- and-the mostprimitive conditions existed. Fishing and hunting trore the means of livelihood., and tha slothful TTB.S often in -rant. The Covenant Missionaries, Albin Johnson and Carl Handrickaon arrived here in 1887. A missionary station vas established, and vithin a few years several lolloTred. Tho Rasgnsjan family served immediatly before our arrival', but from 1914, to 1941, -re were' alone at this station. 3*&Qi?fl$< vfo\/M^ 5c->i — /^^c-^^-t J^] & ^k^- ± '&&-n}\~e-r ^J 'b td-P-Sn? y?*"c h.$rf &>\?o ,/V7<W 5' of £ ( of- &* * faW3~f-vY' a>\f^^^ c, As Uiasionaries there "was plenty of work for "both -of us. Our counsel and help ^ras sorely needed overy day, and in every 'way. The spiritual needs cama first. In church, in the homes, and o f t e n out-doors we preached and admonished them to accept salvation in Christ, Aj^gTir God blessed our efforts, /^nd further, ve soon shared in their hunting -and fisSing trips, taught them gardening!' and in such useful -work as carpentry, we toot a leading roll. We built homos, and TPB built the church, all by community work.

The Governor of Alaska prevailed on mo to accept the o f f i c e of United States Commissioner. And as such 1 had to serve as, Justice of the Peace, Probate Judge, etc.

From my p r e d e c e s s o r I fell heir to the Postmastership, and for almost half of the period I -waa obliged to serve as teacher of the Alaska School Service. For the Department of Agriculture I had to tako dally records of -a-eather and ?/ind, and k e e p a good supply of medicinb on hand for distribution among sick Indians. "^his busy life gave ue no time for long vacations. Only twice did we make short trips to the homofiek. Four months in 1915, and six months in 1923.

But mrrk and care

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Friday, August.2.7, 1 "l9-4'8

- !i .'Life- Eternal-?' \\'\, , St. John !T:-3.' .= '• .-.',.

E.'fvl. AXELSON ' 'Tlie- earliest records o f ' m a n indi. cite lij^jje.a.i-QU. for iLCiftd.. Vi'e, fhul testimonies ot this la the oldest .Babylonian clay..figures,, the. Egyption figure-writings., and Nordic "runes, -And in their, groping for Jight some people bowed before a .block, a stone or an image made liy t h e i r ' o w n . hands, .others lifted .their eyes heavenward ami worshipped .'-rite sun anil tlie many stars that illumine the firmament.

But rill this was_only a ^roiilil^_in. ~" .tin: 'auillvui-'ss, e'vim . though It centered in such heavenly bodies as the- snu that lights our world. , And such worship was futile, and always will be futile. The yearning .human heart cannot be satisfied _witb things created, and the spirit of man eannot survive except It .eo.nies back to the..real Fountain of Life. And while things created 'testify of the Creator, yet the knowledge gained from these is not u- saving, lifeglving knowledge. '^So God .had compassion with his wayward children and began to '.manifest/himself to them by anil .through ^revelation. Mighty men .moved by..the Spirit of God . ap.peared and made, known the true • Cod. .The prophets of ohl crle-.l o u t : "I urn the Lord thy Qotl and .thoii shalt have no other gods be .fore me." And, "Onme now ami let .us reason together;. though youi ;slns be as scarleLthuy shall ba as .'white as s:io\y; though they b-1 -red as crimson, they shall be ;wool. _ And as a father pitieth- hi: .children, so the Lord pitieth, then .tliat fear him." And ugaia: ''Tin eternal Jjod is ttiy refuge, f am • uiuiernenth are the cverhujtln. .arms." And again: "Comfort ye comfort ye my people, saith you •God. Speak comfortably to Jeru .Salem and cry tnHo her, t/iat he .warfare is accomplished, that he .iueiiuity is imrdonytl: for'she hat .received of the Lord's hand doubl : iov all her sins."

• What a message; what a gospel A light began to shine over thos ,_tliai walked in the land o f ' t l a r U ness and in the' 1 shadow of ilentl •Cod tlie eternal, almighty'-beln •spoke as a loving father to lii • wayward children, harassed by ,si and the devil. .

'.. •, V TUE:.COVENANT " .

•Ill sive you rest. "Take your-yoke-i > „••.•••[£•• pon you, 1 and learn: of me'; for'.I —He d f d " m o r e : in the fullness of time he sent us a savior: Listen, ua jneek aoC lowly in, he.art;. and. '"For unto us a child Is born, unto e shall fiud rest to your.'souls^ ' us a son is given: aud the govern'or my yoke Is easy ana mj: burden 1 inent shall be upon his shoulder: -light.'.' .. •- '. *;• '!•' -"• ••-"•'V ' • a n d ; his- name shall be called Here is balm for the weary heart, ] Wonderful/' Counselor, the '"misiHy ere ' is healing for "the ' wounded ' tioilf the everlasting Father, the oul, here is relief for the longing '. 1'rince of Peace." "For God so plrit.'- -Yoir weary," ; laboring,- sin ; i o v e d - t h e world "that he gave his urdened-souls, come, everything'-ia 'only begotten Son, that whosoevet eady. God • through 'Jesus. Christ ..believetli in him should hot perish, las" prepared the feast of salvation. "but have everlasting life." ' Christ The table'is set, the blessings are _.the S.:n oil.Cod is UIB light' oi:;tUe eady ro be 'served. Listen,. hear world and ; the salvation _o'f man nd believe and live. . . 'Though For there is no oilier'n:imu* l uhtle'i.

•our sins be as scarlet . '. . And lieavt'ii in which" man can be saved. 1 his is life etprnfl]- flitit HinV ^yt^i"And to Calyary he must go to atone | iiuw tlieii tlie uuly true Uod, and 1 for our sins. On the cross-he_suf-' esus Christ whom thou'hast sent." fei-ed and die'il .so that, you and I Bnr you say: I am not ready. through fni'th in iiiuf shouliT'lmvel )ear friends, do not let the' idols life • eternal. And .truly he could I letain you any longer. They don't lear your prayers, they cannoL • say: "I 'am the way, the truth and 1 the life: no man cometh unto the lelp you to life eternal. The things .Father, but by me." ._ • \' • f the world x 'perish, -anil 'so do Indeed, as God tbc Father |is tho hose .whose I'alth'ls In tliesij things. only true^ living God, so Jegus omeoae said recently: "Must .we Christ -is, Llie only true living Savior. valt to pray till we look into'the Hear again: "No one cometh to the nuzzles of enemy guns, or cover Father, but by me." And yet- \ve up ourselves in dirty for'holes on are all included in this, wonderful he firing line. No, triends, now plan of salvation. ''Let the wicked 5'the acceptable time, the "day of salvation, "and let nothing hold us - forsake his way, and ..I. will be merciful to him," saith the Lord. tack from learning to know .''the And, "couie unto me all ye that only true Gocl. and Jesus .Christ as labor tiud -are heavy laden, and 1 our Savior, Sin came into' 'the ^world, .and with.sin death—the wages'of sin is death.. OUL- hearts,-though ever- so* iyti '-bent funeral raarches.-to .the -rr'avu" said the* - greiit poet Long* . fello\v.. We . may escape floods, famine, and the sword, nevertheless the inevitable hour Is steadily appreachlng—where. we least expected—a - remlevous with the coh' stranger, nerhaps. Shall we perish or shall pu-e have tlie saving knowledge of U u U aiul Clirijit thaL"gl us lit'e eternal. Listen again, am the resurrection- iind the -life and whosoever believeth in me shull live although he dies." Le this be our hope in these dark days of sorrow and-distress.. "This Is life eternal to know thee, the only true God and him whom thou sent, Jesus Christ." Tin's is the supreme need of our sin-sick, fighting and dying world. God will yet save, and save to the uttermost. Watch, and pray, and believe.

• Seattle, "Wash.

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^*- ' From Yakut at Friends y*^ug'7-;: .&•*;•'$*>'i:''>--,'- " j 7 To Mrs.' Petra Rprend r F^v*^^>i#'----• > On the 'eve 'of her"Departure ' ." L '^ ' ' - ' ' "- ^orway,rllpril 12, 1933'. .

With the gentle "breszej.pf- ^Spring, When birds their There comes a •Of friends aJLmost-: In ^ mighty, /Can I but "see Father , friend, ; : Sister In the fi- orc i 3j --the hqod's^re.^s.'-'-rfl'T^^:' •' vl!and 1 "»•'-.^i,;,; ; -.^JtN" To charming fairyland y ^^ :»•^^^j^h^ ;,.:jfj^jlin.^.-jT.l.;,;,-1,.-,: -^',; v•"•?'•''*•'•:• .,» ';::.. •-; .

With shores of golden olden .sand, M:HS !/'•')'•" -•:: • the X

And I must take'.

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•'_-;-. And now •^ for'<f^t^^S^^^^^:^^ journey^loh'g/.-^^^H "-> This be "a f arewell.''-song. ^ffifaip:. '' In plaintive tunes .'and". 1'ow^'jr * i1 -

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Here is f or" h e a t t i - .;and A pleasant. '' "Lykke paa To .fe^L Land of King^Eaaken ,V^ , n ere long, "Wiedersehen..."

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Retired Pastor' Dies in Seattle . .

The Rev. E. M. Axelson of Seattle, Washington, who was a Covenant missionary for over 30 years in Alaska, died on Friday, August 17, following a long illness. He was S3 years of age.

He is survived by his wife, Nellie, whom he married September 15, 1909,. in Waverly, Nebraska; three sons; Amsden of Bremerton, Washington, Clifford of Bainbridge Island, Washington, "'and Wayne of Bellingham, Washington; ten grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

Elof Martin Axelson was born February 24, 1S79, in Ostergotland, Sweden. He came to the United States in 1896, settling in Lanyon, "Iowa, where he'was'converted 'in December, 1898. • He attended North Park in Chicago for five years, graduating from the academy in 1903 and from the seminary in 1906.

He served the Ogden Park Covenant church in Chicago irom 1906 to -1911. That year he accepted a call' to1 serve as a missionary to Alaska and subsequently was ordained in the North Side church (now. First Covenant) in Chicago. He went to Yakutat, where he worked from 1911 until his retirement from the active ministry in 1943.

"The faithful work of the E. M. Axelsons, E. B. Larsson, and the L. E. Osts," Dr. Karl A. Olsson comments in his 1954 history of the denomination, "cannot be commended too highly. These missionaries held the outposts through decades of indifference and of ebbing -resources' and made later developments possible."

E. BL Axelson 1, 19_62

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._I?i-3K_£0fifth. y.ear..a_',renewal- Christmas 1899 , Following year entered North Park College ^?^-i^4JCS5.-i.KQ..Ministry -graduated,-and -served a church in Chicago" till in the Spring of 1911, when I was called to _go. to,the..Thli_rigit .people—-— - • at Yakutat, Alaska, as missionary. Here I and my faithful wife ^remained f q r _ a little over....3,CLyears., "Kei'tE"er~~sicknesB nor home-sickness interfered, and = - w e - s p e n t , every Christmas < o f thaie 30 years -with "the"people "up "there'.' God blessed ars missionary efforts and souls were won for His Kingdom* Glory;_ -•to his; name; ' • *•

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Ever since our return to Seattle we have been -memhers-of this''church."in 1 a" spirituaT~~sehs~e"irecord" However, as the traditional custom is to sjixciii -members' in a-Church Registry we;'are glad t o ' c o n ' f o r m " t o this formality, and hope and pray that _if—p-os-siKle-,—we-may—be—eve-n- more-useful—-to—the ' church by taking this step.

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Additional information about Elof Martin and Nellie Axelson gleaned from writings of their daughterin-law, Pearl Axelson. She refers to him as Elof.orPa..however, any letters we have found from him are signed "Martin."

In 1911, Elof and Nellie traveled to Yakutat, Alaska with their 2 month old baby, Amsden, to join the Rasmuson family serving there as missionaries and teachers with the Tlingit Tribe. They made their home in the school house, which was located near the mission house. Upstairs in the school was a manual training area where work benches and tools were available to teach Indians carpentry. These buildings were a part of the new village and cannery, a mile or so south of the old Tlingit Tribal village.

The Rasmusons move to Skagway in 1914, so Elof and Nellie had full responsibility for the mission work as well as teaching school. The government insisted that they teach in English (not Swedish or Tlingit) so that they could be integrated into the United Sates.

So Amsden's father was his school teacher until 1922 when E.B. Larson came to take Axelson's place while they came out on their one extended furlough during their 30 years in Alaska. Later Elsa Bergstrom came to live with the Axelsons and became the missionary teacher for the village.

During that furlough Amsden and brothers Clifford and Wayne attended school in Turlock, CA, Waverley, NE and Chicago, IL. as the family traveled from place to place.

(Baby Martin died in childbirth in 1916. His grave was marked with a concrete slab and a little tombstone behind the Yakutat school).

Nellie was a tall, strong, beautiful Swedish farm girl who shared Elof s life and mission.

She stored her fancy wedding gifts in Nebraska and lived a life of subsistence graciously for all those years...keeping the coffee pot on and door open to all who came.

During the summer months, she gathered sweet wild strawberries and blueberries for canning and jam. Their protein came from the plentiful salmon, crabs, clams and wild birds. For many years Elof kept the only cow and bull in that part of Alaska for fresh milk. He also kept some chickens for eggs. They ordered the yearly supply of staples from the wholesaler Swaybacker Co. in Seattle. These goods were stored in one of the upstairs bedrooms of the mission. Home. They always ordered some special goodies like a large box of coconut covered pink and white marshmallows. Elof kept a bountiful vegetable garden to enjoy the produce while fresh and to can it for the cold winter.

Elof was not only the missionary, but he bacame the Postmaster and was appointed the government's commissioner who had to appear in Juneau on court cases involving the Indians from Yakutat. The government also supplied him with medical supplies and dental forceps to pull the teeth for those experiencing extreme pain. .

For thirty years Elof fought the effects of white men selling liquor and cheating the Indians out of their winters' catch of fur pelts. He loved, tenderly cared for, baptized and named the Tlingit babies...he also married, buried and generally was like a father to the Yakutat Natives. The Shaman became a Christian and one day his son came to church with something under his coat. Elof had tried to purchase the Shaman's sacred rattle, which was used in his former life to supposedly drive out evil spirits when people were ill. That Sunday the son presented it to Missionary Axelson as a love gift.

Before Elof and Nellie left Alaska in 1941, the natives asked if they could be brought back when they died and buried where Elof had buried so many of their loved ones.

This was the greatest honor that God could have given these missionaries who were so greatly loved by their native flock.

Elof was never able to return to Sweden and introduce his wife to his family there. They had hoped to go after their years in Alaska, but WWII broke out. Then when they planned to go later, Elof had a debilitating stroke. In one of his letters home he wrote of his desire to visit.. .."but if it's not possible for us to meet on this shore, let us so live our lives that we shall meet again in heaven."

To all whom these Presents shall come:

ft feuoton, Ctjat

E..,Mr./\xELsoN.

Missionary and called to the office of ^Pastor of the Swedish. Evangelical Mission Covenant -------~~~~~r~7...,.Church •

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C!)e S)toeiDfei) Ctiangelfcal 2pte0ion Covenant of America Al

set apart and Ordained as a Minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, by the laying on of fhe hands of the proper officers and the customary solemnities, n.........x . .

on the.....?^M,------"--™rT--™--~ in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred:&N&£$y...bhr&&...' C.192.5)..» ......

In testimony whereof we have subscribed our names and affixed 'the official seal, *•

Swedish Evangelical Mission Gonvenant of America, President.

Form 2603

No. OL-2, 312

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having been naturalised "by the Comity Onurt of Onnlr finmrhy. at Ohicaen. Til., on T.'ay P.4. 19ng.

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By direction of the Commissioner,

YAKUTAT PHOTO CAPTIONS

Yakutat village in 1923.

Elof Martin Axelson holding a bear. He raised many orphaned bears over the years. The family story is that he would wrestle them until the bear won, then the bear would be shipped down a zoo in the the lower 48 states.

Amsden (Phil's dad) Axelson and 2nd boy could be Clifford, his brother, or possibly Elmer Rasmeson. Most of their time in Yakutat, they were the only white people in the village.

Notice the "pet" bear.

Elof Martin Axelson displaying the root vegetables from his bountiful garden.

The copied picture collages are from some historic writings that Phil's mom, Pearl, left for the family. We joke that she "Pearl-ized" everything by writing in all the margins or inserting a missing person with her trusty glue stick.

I hope these photos and information will be helpful as you complete the archived of Alaska missions. I found Wikipedia to be another source for information from NPU, and by listing the personal names of various missionaries.

Blessings, Jonna and Phil Axelson 1st Covenant, Anchorage 1994-2002