C.E. Axelsson is a son of Axtel Peterson, taking the Christian name of his father for his surname, as is the custom in their country. Axtel Peterson died a half century ago in Sweden, never having left his native land.

C. E. Axelsson was born in Kalmer, Sweden, in 1840. In 1869 he came to America and settled in Brooklyn, New York, where he lived ten years. April 25, 1879, he emigrated to Kansas and after a stay of three months in Mitchell county, came to Jamestown, when there were but few houses, and at the beginning of the building of the railroad. He bought lots near where the Central Hotel is located, returned for his family and has since made Jamestown his home.

Mr. Axelsson is a shoemaker by trade. In 1887 he opened an exclusive shoe store, buying the building he now occupies in 1889. He had learned the trade in Sweden, where he served as apprentice about six and one-half years, in the meantime learning every branch of the trade, cutting, fitting etc. Before coming to America he had worked at Stockholm, Hamburg, Germany and Hull, England. While in Brooklyn he became one of a corporation in a boot and shoe manufacturing establishment, where he remained six years.

Mr. Axelsson is a linguist, reading and speaking several different languages: Swedish, German, English, Danish and Norwegian. In 1874 he was married to Christine Smith, a native of Schleswig, Danish America. Their family consists of seven children. Mary Christine has occupied the position of book-keeper in a candy store in Chicago for six years. She is one of the leading employes of this large concern, practically at the head of the business, owing to the continued illness of her employer. John A., was for three years a brakeman on the Central Branch railroad, but is now located in Illinois, near Chicago. Caroline is taking a course in telegraphy in the city of Chicago. Alma is also in the same school. Otto, Carl, and Esther, aged thirteen, eleven and eight years respectively.

In politics Mr. Axelsson is a Republican, and was a member of the first city council in Jamestown. The family are members of St. Luke's Lutheran church.