Carl E. Elofson Papers

Collection

Identifier: Mss 1165

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Carol E. Elofson Papers consists of papers from the years he was Cass County coroner, 1933-1939, and are mainly his coroner cases. The General Files Series includes budget estimates for the years 1936 and 1938; correspondence between the years 1933 and 1938 (mainly letters or notices he received); clippings and an address by a former Cass County Coroner, O.J. Hanson, on the duties of the coroner; newspaper clippings and reports on the county elections 1932-1936; and a speech given by Dr. Elofson on “Why a Coroner Should be a Physician” with a few notes on another speech. The Coroner Cases Series is the bulk of the collection, with about 260 cases. They are arranged alphabetically by surname with the date of death listed. They consist generally of the coroner’s notes, newspaper clippings, and reports of any eyewitnesses or juries involved. The cases for unidentified persons are given at the end of the alphabet. Brief reports of thirteen cases handled by acting coroner Dr. J.K. Bingham covering November 1940 to November 1941 are listed at the end of the series.

Dates

1933-1941

Creator

Elofson, Carl E., 1898-1954. (Person)

Access

The collection is open under the rules and regulations of the Institute.

Copyrights

The Institute does not own the copyrights.

Biography

Carl E. Elofson was born October 14, 1898 in Wheaton, Minnesota. He attended public school at Fergus Falls, Minnesota and received his Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees from the University of North Dakota and his medical degree from the University of Kansas. He interned at St. John’s Hospital in Fargo, and was on the St. John’s medical staff. He took numerous post-graduate courses in medical centers. Dr. Elofson served three terms as Cass County Coroner (from 1933-1939). He was commissioned a lieutenant commander in the Naval Medical Corps in 1942 and was promoted to full commander in 1945. He was attached to Bremerton, Washington Navy Yards in 1942 and 1943. He was senior medical officer aboard in the U.S. Cratan aircraft carrier in 1943. In 1944, Dr. Elofson returned to North Dakota and was attached to the Navy Units at the University of North Dakota and the V-12 program at Valley City. In 1945 he was at Camp Peary, Virginia as dispensary medical officer and in 1946 was in charge of twelve dispensaries. He was recalled to active duty during the Korean War and also served at Great Lakes, Illinois. Dr. Elofson was in private practice and in general surgery in Fargo from 1930 until his death in 1954 (except for time spent in naval reserves). He was married to Stella Dale on September 30, 1930 at Perley, Minnesota. They had two sons, Carl and Stanley, and a daughter, Dorothy. Dr. Elofson was the former vice president and member and of the Cass County Medical Society, the North Dakota State Medical Association, The Association of Military Surgeons of the United States, and a fellow in the American Medical Association. He was also a member of several Masonic bodies, the El Zagal Oriental Band, and a deacon of the First Baptist Church. He died unexpectedly of a heart attack on Saturday, May 8, 1954.