N. B. Nelson.—Very few have been more successful in business than the personage in question—N. B. Nelson—of the firm, Frederick, Nelson and Munro. He is a man of a lucky mixture—business, integrity, and sociability. Mr. Nelson was born in Kristianstad, Sweden, July 31, 1857, and like most boys in that country received a thorough schooling. From boyhood he had nursed a liking to see America, and in 1875 landed in Colorado, minus means, a stranger in a new world, and worst of all unable to converse with the general public, but picked up the language with marked rapidity. He bent his energy to farming, following the pursuit for several years in Garfield county, but at the same time gave keen eye to public affairs, and served the people as county commissioner for three years. His attention was engrossed with the progress of the Pacific, and thither he journeyed, 1891, and shortly after embarked in furniture business on Pike street in a store less than twenty by sixty. At present the firm of Frederick, Nelson and Munro occupies the Rialto Block, in the very heart of the city, covering 105,400 square feet, more than two and a half acres of household goods. The traffic of the firm is immense, exceeding every establishment of its nature north of San Francisco. Mr. Nelson was married, 1895, to an accomplished young lady, Miss Teckla Johnson, born in Ronneby, Blekinge, Sweden. They have two boys, Frederick Creigh Nelson and Chester Munro Nelson.

Axel H. Soelberg, bank cashier and a respected citizen of Seattle, was born at Ness Hedemarken, Norway, on March 2, 1869. He received a common school education, graduating at the age of fourteen. In 1884 he secured a position in the store of Jevanord Brothers in Brumundalen, with whom he remained until in the spring of 1888, when he emigrated for America. He arrived in Minneapolis on the morning of May 17th. A short time previous, a number of Norwegian-American citizens of Minneapolis had organized the State Sash and Door Manufacturing Company, and Mr. Soelberg was offered the position as book-keeper a few days after his arrival in the city. He served in this capacity for about two years, then was elected secretary of the firm, and two years later vice-president. In the spring of 1892, when the Scandinavian American Bank of Seattle was organized, he was tendered the position as book-keeper in the bank, and accepting, Mr. Soelberg found himself in Seattle on one of the first days in April of that year. At the annual meeting in 1894, he was elected cashier of the bank, which position he now holds. Mr. Soelberg is a man of literary aptitude as well as of business capacity, has contributed largely to the Seattle Daily Times and other leading papers. He could have won laurels on the field of letters as well as business notice in the world of traffic. In January, 1898, he was married to Miss Olga Wickstrom, an accomplished young lady of Seattle. They have a beautiful home in one of the finest parts of the city.

Axel H. Soelberg.
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Drs. Ivar and Eiliv Janson.—Every Scandinavian is familiar with the name, Kristofer Janson, the eminent Norwegian poet and novelist.

No less a halo of the minstrel car,

Light brave Janson sows afar,