Nicholas Gustafson (August 20, 1846 – September 11, 1876) was a Swedish immigrant who was mortally wounded in the James–Younger Gang bank raid in Northfield, Minnesota. Various sources use alternate spellings of his names including Nicolaus, Nicholaus or Niclas and Gustavson.[1] He was born near Fiddekulla in the parish of Vissefjärda in Kalmar, Sweden.[2][3][4]
First National Bank building in Northfield; site of the robbery
Gustafson was a recent immigrant to the United States. Swedish emigration records show that "Nicolaus Gustafson" arrived in Faribault, Minnesota on June 9, 1876.[5] Gustafson is known to have settled with his brother's family in the Millersburg, Minnesota area about 12 miles southwest of Northfield and 12 miles northwest of Faribault. At that time, the community was attracting a number of Swedish immigrants.[6][7]
It is the general consensus that, because of his recent arrival, he didn't speak enough English to understand what was going on during the raid on September 7, 1876. Consequently, when members of the James–Younger Gang were yelling at local citizens to get off the street, he may not have understood them and was mortally wounded during the gun battle.[8][9]
Cole Younger pleaded guilty to Gustafson's murder (perhaps, in part, to avoid Minnesota's mandated death sentence if he had been convicted of the crime), but claimed he wasn't the primary killer. He later stated "I have always believed that the man Nicholas Gustafson... was hit by a glancing shot from Manning's or Wheeler's rifle. If any of our party shot him, it must have been Woods."[10]
Gustafson died from his wound four days after the raid. John Olson of Northfield was the only eye witness of the Gustafson murder and testified against the Younger brothers. Olson was from Sweden and was working as a carpenter on a basement door at the corner of Fifth Street and Division (Bierman building). Olson's affidavit was instrumental in refuting Cole Younger's testimony and keeping the Younger brothers in the state penitentiary after repeated parole attempts.[11] For twenty years he received death threats from ex-Confederates in Missouri for his testimony.[12]
Gustafson was buried in the Northfield Cemetery since the Millersburg Swedish-American community had no church or cemetery at that time. After his death, Millersburg Lutherans immediately started planning for the construction of Christdala Evangelical Swedish Lutheran Church. In 1877, John Olson was commissioned to build the Christdala Church.[12][13][14]
In 1948, Northfield citizens founded Defeat of Jesse James Days to honor the heroism of Northfield's townspeople. It has become one of the larger of such celebrations in Minnesota. Annually on the anniversary of the death of Nicolaus Gustafson and that of Joseph Lee Heywood, acting cashier at the First National Bank of Northfield, a graveside memorial service is conducted at Northfield Cemetery.[12]
Referencesedit
^ The Northfield, Minnesota Robbery (Civil War St. Louis)
nicholas, gustafson, august, 1846, september, 1876, swedish, immigrant, mortally, wounded, james, younger, gang, bank, raid, northfield, minnesota, various, sources, alternate, spellings, names, including, nicolaus, nicholaus, niclas, gustavson, born, near, fi. Nicholas Gustafson August 20 1846 September 11 1876 was a Swedish immigrant who was mortally wounded in the James Younger Gang bank raid in Northfield Minnesota Various sources use alternate spellings of his names including Nicolaus Nicholaus or Niclas and Gustavson 1 He was born near Fiddekulla in the parish of Vissefjarda in Kalmar Sweden 2 3 4 Historical marker commemorating Nicholas Gustafson at the Christdala Evangelical Swedish Lutheran Church Contents 1 Bank raid 2 References 3 Related reading 4 External linksBank raid edit nbsp First National Bank building in Northfield site of the robbery Gustafson was a recent immigrant to the United States Swedish emigration records show that Nicolaus Gustafson arrived in Faribault Minnesota on June 9 1876 5 Gustafson is known to have settled with his brother s family in the Millersburg Minnesota area about 12 miles southwest of Northfield and 12 miles northwest of Faribault At that time the community was attracting a number of Swedish immigrants 6 7 It is the general consensus that because of his recent arrival he didn t speak enough English to understand what was going on during the raid on September 7 1876 Consequently when members of the James Younger Gang were yelling at local citizens to get off the street he may not have understood them and was mortally wounded during the gun battle 8 9 Cole Younger pleaded guilty to Gustafson s murder perhaps in part to avoid Minnesota s mandated death sentence if he had been convicted of the crime but claimed he wasn t the primary killer He later stated I have always believed that the man Nicholas Gustafson was hit by a glancing shot from Manning s or Wheeler s rifle If any of our party shot him it must have been Woods 10 Gustafson died from his wound four days after the raid John Olson of Northfield was the only eye witness of the Gustafson murder and testified against the Younger brothers Olson was from Sweden and was working as a carpenter on a basement door at the corner of Fifth Street and Division Bierman building Olson s affidavit was instrumental in refuting Cole Younger s testimony and keeping the Younger brothers in the state penitentiary after repeated parole attempts 11 For twenty years he received death threats from ex Confederates in Missouri for his testimony 12 Gustafson was buried in the Northfield Cemetery since the Millersburg Swedish American community had no church or cemetery at that time After his death Millersburg Lutherans immediately started planning for the construction of Christdala Evangelical Swedish Lutheran Church In 1877 John Olson was commissioned to build the Christdala Church 12 13 14 In 1948 Northfield citizens founded Defeat of Jesse James Days to honor the heroism of Northfield s townspeople It has become one of the larger of such celebrations in Minnesota Annually on the anniversary of the death of Nicolaus Gustafson and that of Joseph Lee Heywood acting cashier at the First National Bank of Northfield a graveside memorial service is conducted at Northfield Cemetery 12 References edit The Northfield Minnesota Robbery Civil War St Louis Nicholaus Gustafsson Viissefjarda Anbytarforum Failed Bank Robbery at Northfield Minnesota Civil War St Louis Retrieved December 5 2015 Northfield Raid amp the James Younger Gang Minnesota Historical Society Library Retrieved December 5 2015 Emigranten Popular 1783 1951 Jim Bailey Margaret Bailey August 26 2014 A review of the 1876 Nicolaus Gustafson murder Northfield News Retrieved December 5 2015 The First National Bank of Northfield Northfield Historical Society Archived from the original on October 5 2012 Retrieved December 5 2015 The bank the Younger Gang attempted to rob in 1876 First National Bank of Northfield Archived from the original on June 18 2009 Retrieved August 8 2009 Attempted Bank Raid Northfield Area Chamber Archived from the original on July 27 2009 Retrieved August 8 2009 The Story of Cole Younger by Himself by Cole Younger Minnesota Historical Society Press 2000 Northfield bank raid from eyewitnesses Northfield News July 10 1897 Retrieved December 5 2015 a b c Quist B Wayne 1996 The History of the Christdala Evangelical Lutheran Church Dundas Minnesota Small World Press Christdala Church Christdala Church Preservation and Cemetery Association Retrieved December 5 2015 Nicolaus Gustafson Christdala Church Preservation and Cemetery Association Retrieved December 5 2015 Related reading editQuist B Wayne 1996 The History of the Christdala Evangelical Lutheran Church Dundas Minnesota Small World Press Huntington George 1986 Robber and Hero The Story of the Northfield Bank Raid St Paul Minnesota Historical Society Press ISBN 9780873511940 Trenerry Walter N 1962 85 Murder in Minnesota chapter 8 Highwaymen came riding Minnesota Historical Society PressExternal links editNicholas Gustafson at Find a Grave Nicholas Gustafson at Christdala Church Nicholas Gustafson song at YouTube Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Nicholas Gustafson amp oldid 1214869199, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
