Name/Title
Anderson family: Magnus Anderson, last Civil War Union Veteran buried in Traill County, 1928, Mayville CemeteryEntry/Object ID
2026.155.1Description
This family history folder contains documents indicating that Magnus Anderson was the last Civil War Union Veteran to be buried in Traill County. Magnus died on 11 February 1928 and was interred in the Mayville Cemetery on 14 February 1928 (see obituary, Grand Forks Herald, and ND Certificate of Death).
In 1863, at the age of 16, Magnus Anderson enlisted in the Union Army and served in the Civil War as a private in Company B in the 12th and 27th Iowa Infantry Regiments [information courtesy John Surman, Grave Registration Officer, Department of Nebraska and the Dakotas of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW)].
Magnus Anderson was born on 25 October 1847 (1848 in some records) to parents Anders Oleson and Ingeri O. (Magnusdatter) Anderson, and was baptized on 25 December 1847 in Voss, Hordaland, Norway [Norway Baptisms]. At the age of three, Magnus came to America with his parents and siblings, settling on a farm in Hanover Township in Allamakee County in northeastern Iowa. The Anders and Ingeri Oleson (later Anderson) farm was located about 20 miles west of Lansing, IA, and east of Decorah, IA.
In the 1860 US Census for Hanover Township, Magnus, at age 12, resided with his parents Anders (Andrew in census), age 55, and Ingeri, age 56, along with brother Ole (age 19), sister Kari (15), brother Ellef (10) and sister Mary (8). Andrew Oleson's brother Nils Oleson and family farmed nearby.
In 1871, Magnus Olesen Anderson married Antonetta 'Nettie" Baker [US Census data]. Nettie was born on 25 June 1850 to parents Joe and Sarah (Keitch) Baker in Providence, Rhode Island [info, US Find-a-Grave and ND Death Certif.]. After Magnus and Nettie married, they settled in Lansing, Iowa, located along the Mississippi River in Allamakee County. They had three children in Lansing: Walter E., Edythe L. and Annie F. Anderson.
By the time the 1880 US Census was taken on 21 June, Magnus, age 32, and Nettie, age 29), moved from Lansing, IA, to the Village of Lynxville in Crawford County, Wisconsin. Lynxville is locate along the Mississippi River about 30 miles north of Prairie du Chien in southwestern Wisconsin. In this 1880 census, Magnus gave his trade as "Buying wheat", and Magnus and Nettie were listed with three children who were all born in Iowa. Their children in 1880 included Walter Elliott Anderson (age 4), Edith Leora Anderson (age 2) and Annie Frances Anderson (age 7 months).
By 1881, Magnus and Nettie, and children, had moved to Mayville in Traill County, Dakota Territory, as evident by their fourth child, Albert Magnus Anderson, being born in Mayville on 30 June 1881 [ND Death Certif.].
In the 1885 ND Census collected for 1 June for the City of Mayville in Traill County, Dakota Territory, Magnus (age 39, 38 in census) was recorded as a "Farmer & Wheat Merchant". Nettie (age 34) was listed with three children, Walter (age 9), Edythe (age 7), and Anna (age 5). However, from other records we know that by 1885 Nettie had four surviving children--for some reason, Magnus and Nettie's son Albert Magnus Anderson (age 3) was not listed by the census taker. In this 1885 census, Nettie's parents, John (age 58) and Frances (age 55) Baker were listed in the household, along with Magnus's parents, Anders (age 82) and Ingeri (age 75) Anderson. Also in the household was Nettie's brother (age 19) and a servant, Emma Melby (age 19).
In June 1890, a special US Census of surviving soldiers was taken in June. This special US Federal Census recorded Magnus Anderson as serving in the US Army at the time of the Civil War from 13 Oct. 1864 to 24 November 1865. On 10 June 1891, Magnus applied for and received a Civil War Veterans invalid pension [see US Civil War Pension Index].
In the 1900 US Census taken on 12 June South of Hayes Avenue in the City of Mayville, ND, Magnus (age 52) and Nettie (age 49) were recorded with four children, three born in Iowa, Walter, Edythe L., and Annie F. Anderson, and one born in North Dakota, Albert M. Anderson. This 1900 census had errors: Albert M. was born in June 1881, not 1885. Nettie's widowed mother, Frances Baker, age 70, was recorded in the Magnus Anderson household. Magnus's occupation was recorded as "Farmer". In this 1900 census, Magnus and Nettie's daughter, Annie F. Anderson, was recorded as a student in Mayville's "Normal School" (Mayville State University).
The 1900 US Census also documented that by this time, Nettie had given birth to six children, with four surviving, including:
1. Walter Elliott Anderson [born 7 Jul. 1875 in Lansing, IA; married widow June A. Smith later in life; died age 76, 15 Oct. 1951in North Bend, OR; interred Sunset Memorial Park, Coos Bay, OR.],
2. Edythe Leora Anderson [b. 14 Feb. 1878 in Lansing, IA; m. Benton John Long in 1904; lived in Finely, ND; a son Floyd Benton Long; d. age 87, 30 Sep. 1965 in Fargo, ND; interred Finley Cemetery.],
3. Annie Frances Anderson [b. Nov. 1879 (1882, 1883 in some records) in Lansing, IA; m. Seymour O. Henderson on 17 Jun. 1911 in McHenry. Foster County, ND; lived in Forbes in Dickey County, ND; no children; d. 14 Dec. 1952 in Brown County, SD; interred in Ellendale City Cemetery, Dickey County, ND], and
4. Albert Magnus Anderson [b. 30 Jun. 1881 in Mayville, Traill County, DT; m. widow Evelyn Davis in 1924; lived Maizeville, PA; four children, Raymond, Albert Jr., Dorothy, and Shirley; d. age 74, 6 Mar. 1956 in Ashland, PA; interred Christ Church Cemetery, Fountain Springs, PA].
In about 1901, Magnus and Nettie, and children still at home, left Mayville and moved to McHenry, ND (see obituary, Grand Forks Herald). In 1904, Magnus, formerly of Mayville, built a grain elevator in McHenry despite opposition from line elevators [news, Portland Republican, 10 Nov. 1904].
In McHenry, Magnus, Nettie and children lived on Wilsey St while Magnus operated his grain elevator business [news, The McHenry Tribune, 12 Mar. 1908]. Unfortunately, in early 1907, Magnus had appendicitis, which had to be treated by Mayo in Rochester, MN [news, The McHenry Tribune, 21 Feb. 1907], and then in 1909, Magnus had eye problems and lost his sight in one eye [news, The McHenry Tribune, 18 Mar. 1909].
In the 1910 US Census taken on 7 May, Magnus (age 62) and Nettie (age 59, 58 in census), continued to reside in the Village of McHenry. Magnus gave his occupation as a "Grain buyer" for his own "Elevator". Magnus and Nettie's son, Walter Anderson (age 33, single), gave his occupation as "Laborer" in a "Grain elevator", indicating Walter was working in his father's business. In this 1910 census, Magnus and Nettie's daughter, Frances Anderson (age 27, single), was employed as a "Teacher" in a "Public school".
Evidently, Magnus of McHenry also had a farm five miles north of McHenry [news, The McHenry Tribune, 11 May 1911] and in 1911, Magnus leased out his grain elevator to T. F. Chambers of McHenry [news, The McHenry Tribune, 12 Oct. 1911].
By 1913, Magnus at age 65 took on a grain elevator operation in Dooley, Montana [news, The McHenry Tribune, 25 Sep. 1913], which is located in Sheridan County. Dooley is located on a railroad line about 15 miles northeast of Plentywood, MT, which is in the very northeastern corner of MT, bordering ND and Canada. Magnus would visit his wife Nettie at their home they maintained in McHenry [news, The McHenry Tribune, 14 Jun. 1914]. Magnus no longer used his grain elevator in McHenry, which was reopened in August 1914 by Paul Engstrom [news, The McHenry Tribune, 13 Aug. 1914].
In the 1915 ND Census for Foster County, Magnus and Nettie were listed in McHenry. Their daughter Frances and her husband Seymour Henderson lived in McHenry too. Also in 1915, Magnus at age 67 did travel to Glasgow, Montana, to look at the possibility of homesteading land there [news, The McHenry Tribune, 14 Jan. 1915]. He took a farm-ranch claim near Nashua, located 15 miles east of Glasgow, while continuing to run his Dooley, MT, land [news, The McHenry Tribune, 3 Aug. 1916]. Magnus operated his lands while mostly living in McHenry with Nettie [news, The McHenry Tribune, 7 Jun. 1917]. As noted in this 1917 news, while Magnus was in Montana, Nettie would visit family in Finley, ND, and old friends in Mayville, ND.
In the 1920 US Census taken on 20 January in McHenry, ND, Magnus (age 72) and Nettie (age 69, 66 in census) resided on Milson St, and no occupation was recorded for them, indicating Magnus had finally retired from operating grain elevators. On Memorial Day in 1920, Magnus attended a ceremony held in McHenry as one of two Civil War Veterans left in the community [news, The McHenry Tribune, 3 Jun. 1920]. In 1921, Magnus was the sole Civil War Veteran in McHenry [news, The McHenry Tribune, 12 May 1921].
Magnus Oleson Anderson lived to the age of 80, passing away on 11 February 1928 in McHenry [ND Death Certif.]. Although passing away in McHenry, his body was transported by train to Mayville, ND (see obituary in Grand Forks Herald), where he was interred next to his parents, Anders Oleson and Ingeri O. Anderson in the Mayville City Cemetery (see Monument photo).
Although Anders and Ingeri Anderson have a monument at the Mayville Cemetery , there is currently no grave-marker for Civil War Veteran, Magnus Anderson, the last such veteran to be buried in Traill County. There are plans by the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW), Department of Nebraska and the Dakotas, to place a military headstone at the site of Magnus Anderson's burial.
On 16 March 1928, Nettie (Baker) Anderson applied for and received a Civil War widow's pension [US Civil War Pension Index]. Nettie lived to the age of 76, passing away on 9 January 1930 while living with her daughter, Frances (Anderson) Henderson, in Forbes in Dickey County [ND Death Certif.]. Forbes is located on the border with SD about 15 miles southwest of Ellendale, ND. Antonetta 'Nettie' (Baker) Anderson was interred at the Anders & Ingeri Anderson monument site in the city cemetery in Mayville, ND [US FaG info].Acquisition
Accession
2026.155Source or Donor
John Surman, Traill County Historical Society
