The full biographical sketch as printed, transcribed from the public-domain book. Spelling and wording are the original author’s; a few scanning errors may remain.
HANS PETERS.
Hans Peters is the owner of an excellent farm in Layton township. He was born in Holstein, Germany, on the 10th of November, 1851, his parents being Frederick and Lottie Peters. The father came to America with his family in 1868, first settling at Davenport, Iowa. He made his home there until 1873, when he and his wife removed to Avoca, Iowa, where they spent their remaining days. In their family were eight children, of whom four are yet living, namely: Fred, a farmer of Shelby county, Iowa; Johann, of Avoca ; Albert, also of Shelby county ; and Hans.
In his native country Hans Peters spent the first sixteen years of his life and then accompanied his parents on their emigration to the new world. He was reared to the occupation of farming, which he has always followed, and he worked by the month as a farm hand for ten years in his youth and early manhood. In 1875 he purchased a farm of eighty acres in Knox township, which he rented for two years, later taking up his abode upon the place. Sub- sequently he extended the boundaries of the farm by additional purchases un- til he now owns two hundred and forty acres lying partly in Knox and partly in Layton township. He has two hundred and forty acres in Lincoln town-
.ship, on which his son Antone resides. He likewise has four hundred and eighty acres in southeastern Kansas and his farm property is the visible evi- dence of his life of thrift and enterprise. He has improved his home place by erecting all the necessary outbuildings and also putting up a nice residence and the farm is now one of the attractive and valuable properties of the com- munity. Mr. Peters makes a specialty of the raising and feeding of cattle and hogs and also carries on general farming, annually gathering good crops.
In 1877 occurred the marriage of Hans Peters and Miss Lena Goettch, a daughter of Peter and Salki Goettch, who came to America in 1876, settling at Avoca, whence they afterward removed to a farm. Mrs. Peters was one of a family of five children and by her marriage became the mother of eleven children, of whom eight are yet living: Mate the wife of J. J. Maassen, of Valley township, Pottawattamie county. Iowa: Emil and Antone, both at home: Amanda, the wife of Henry Stamp, of Layton township, Pottawattamie county; Emma. Minnie, Anna and Ferdinand, all at home; and Henry, Dora and Bertha, who have passed away.
The parents are members of tie- German Lutheran church and in politics .Mr. Peters is ;i democrat, who keeps well informed on the questions and issues of the day and is a stalwart supporter of the party principles, lie has served as school director for several year- and also a- road supervisor. Whatever success hi' lias enjoyed is attributable entirely to hi- own efforts, for lie started nut in life empty-handed and has worked his way upward by reason of his unfaltering diligence, close application and strong purpose.
Source: History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa. See the original pages at the Internet Archive.
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