The Peterson Families of Lyon County, Minnesota

OLE E. PETERSON (1872) rents his father's farm, the northeast quarter of section 34, Custer township, land which the elder Mr. Peterson took as a homestead in 1872. Henry and Annie Peterson, parents of our subject, resided on the homestead until 1904, when they moved to Tracy, where they are now living.

It was in Dodge county, Minnesota, that Ole Peterson first saw the light of day, on December 3, 1871. The family moved to

Lyon county when Ole was a baby, and he has been a continuous resident of the county since that time. He was reared on the farm and attended school until thirteen years of age, at which time he hired out to a neighbor, harding cattle. That employment the boy followed three years; then he spent a year at farm labor and afterward ran a herd himself six years. He was an industrious young fellow and had been looking forward to the time when he should be farming for himself, so he rented the place he now conducts and has been on the place since that time. He raises cattle, horses, hogs and chickens, in addition to general farming, and is a stockholder of the Farmers Independent Elevator Company of Garvin and of the Garvin Telephone Company.

Ole Peterson and Lena Johnson were joined in the holy bonds of matrimony October 25, 189 9. Mrs. Peterson is a native of Fillmore county, Minnesota, and was born March 29, 1876. She is a daughter of Hans J. and Annie (Knutson) Bredeveien, the former of whom resides in Garvin and the latter being dead. Mr. and Mrs. Peterson have one child, Arthur, born September 11, 1900.

The church affiliations of Mr. Peterson are with the Norwegian Lutheran organization of Monroe township.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

LEWIS C. PETERSON (1874) has been a resident of Lucas township since his birth, November 27, 1874. He is a prominent farmer of the township, is the owner of 360 acres of its best land, and has all but forty acres under cultivation.

Our subject's parents, Christopher and Bertha (Berret) Peterson, were pioneer settlers of Lyon county, the father taking a homestead in Lucas township in 1872 and.

residing on the farm until 1909, when he and his wife moved to Cottonwood to live. He died one year later and Mrs. Peterson still lives in that village. Christopher Peterson prospered during the many years of his residence in the township and at the time of his death was the owner of several hundred acres of land.

Lewis received his education in the common schools of the district and completed his schooling at the age of seventeen, after which he worked for his father until 1897; then he started farming for himself oifrthe land which he now owns and where he has since resided. He engaged in grade stock raising to a considerable extent and has succeeded in his undertakings. He is a stockholder of the Home Telephone Company of Cottonwood.

The subject of this sketch married Inga Slaan at Fergus Falls, Minnesota, February 1." 1906. She was born in Norway October

11, 1884, and her parents reside in Norway. By her marriage to Mr. Peterson she became the mother of three children, as follows: [name withheld], born July 16, 1907; [name withheld], born September 17, 1908; and Thorfin, born May

12, 1911. Mr. and Mrs. Peterson belong to Silo Norwegian Lutheran Church of Cottonwood.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

MARTIN PETERSON (1875) is the efficient marshal of the village of Minneota. He is a native of Lyon county and was born in Nordland township September 20, 187 5. On a farm in that precinct Martin grew to manhood. When twenty-one years of age he began farming for himself and continued in that work nine years. He then moved to Minneota, where he operated the dray line two years, when he was made marshal of the village, a position he still holds.

On December 28, 18 99, Mr. Peterson was married to Clara Johnson, a native of Lyon county. They are the parents of three children: Elmer, Martin and Clifford.

Martin Peterson is a son of Swen and Christina (Amundson) Peterson, natives of Norway who came to the United States when they were very young. Mr. and Mrs. Peterson, Sr., were married in Olmsted county, Minnesota. They came to Lyon county in 187 4 and homesteaded in Nordland township, where they still reside. They are the parents of the follow-

ing five children: Tinnie,.Martin, Charlie, Andrew, Sophia, Alfred.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

JAY P. PETERSON (1886) is a member of the Home Land Company of Russell and is interested in other business enterprises in that village. He is an early settler of southwestern Lyon county and was the first station agent at Russell.

[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]

When Jay was nine years old the family came to America and made settlement at Maquoketa, Jackson county, Iowa. In 1886 they moved to Lyon county, bought the northeast quarter of section 36, Coon Creek township, and on that farm Jay lived with his parents a little over a year. While living there, during the memorable blizzard of January 12, 1888, Hans Peterson and our subject had an experience that will never be effaced from their memory. An account of their experience in the storm can be found in the historical part of this volume.

At the age of fourteen years Jay Peterson left the parental roof and set out in life for himself. His first work was on the grade of the Willmar & Sioux Falls road, which was then building through the county. In 1891 he went to Tyler and in the railroad station at that place learned the telegraphed's trade. On September 12, 1892, he located at the new station of Russell, opened the station, and had charge of the company's interests there until 1900.

During the next three years Mr. Peterson was agent, respectively, at Lester and Doon, Iowa; Yankton, South Dakota; and Pipestone, Minnesota. He was then promoted to traveling freight agent for the Great Northern, with headquarters at Sioux City, and held the position until 1909. That year he gave up railroading, returned to Russell, and opened a general store. He conducted that one year and has since been engaged in the real estate business. In 1910 he organized the Home Land Company in company with

B. Leknes, cashier of the First State Bank. He is also engaged in the jewelry business and is a stockholder in the Russell Tile and Cement Manufacturing Company.

Upon the incorporation of Russell Mr. Peterson was chosen the first village recorder, and he was one of the first trustees of the Presbyterian church of Russell. He is a Blue Lodge and Chapter Mason and a member of the Woodmen and Workmen lodges. His wife is a member of the Eastern Star, Royal Neighbors and Degree of Honor orders.

The marriage of our subject occurred in Russell November 27, 1899, when he wedded May B. Patton, a native of Lodi, Wisconsin, and a former resident of Esmond, Kingsbury county, South Dakota. Her parents, James and Jane Patton, were born in Scotland and in the early seventies located in Kingsbury county.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

ANTON PETERSON (1895), the newly elected constable of Shelburne township, is one. of the successful farmers of the community. He lives on the southwest quarter of section 12, Shelburne township, which he has rented since December, 1911. Mr. Peterson was elected constable of the township in March, 1912.,

Our subject was born in Racine, Wisconsin, April 22, 1882, and in 1895 he moved with his parents to Lyon county, the family first locating in Coon Creek township. There they remained only one year, the father buying the northwest quarter of section 10, Shelburne. Anton resided on the home farm until recently, when he rented the quarter where he is now living.

Anton's parents are Peter Peterson and Christina (Nelson) Peterson, both natives of Denmark, now living on the home farm on section 10. There were four children born to them, all of whom are living: Hans, of Racine, Wisconsin; Lawrence, at home; Anton and Magdelina (Mrs. John De Kiere), of Marshall.

On December 2, 1911, Anton was married to Elsie Peske, a native of Germany who came to the United States with her parents when thirteen years of age. Her father is Albert Peske, now living in Shelburne township.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

LOUIS E. PETERSON (1887) is a thorough believe in the value of Lyon county farm land, and his judgment should be good, for Mr. Peterson has prospered since locating on the west half of the southeast quarter of section 31, Rock Lake township. With the additional forty which he has charge of Mr. Peterson farms 120 acres and also raises considerable stock for market. He has outside interests, being a member of the board of directors of the Western Mutual Fire Insurance Company of Balaton and of the Farmers Co-operative Elevator Company of the same village.

Sweden is Louis Peterson's native country. He came to America in 1880, locating in Knox county, Illinois, where he worked as a farm laborer seven years. In March, 1887, he was married at Prophetstown, Illinois, to Nellie Olson, a native of Sweden. She was born December 25, 1854. Immediately after their marriage Mr. Peterson and his bride departed for Lyon county and located on the farm which he had purchased in Rock Lake township from the Winona & St. Peter Railroad Company. On that place they have since made their home. For the past fourteen years a boy, Leonard Johnson, has made his home with the Petersons.

Our subject has been clerk of the township board of Rock Lake the past five years and was chairman of the board for a "number of years. He has also been school clerk and assessor several years during his Rock Lake residence. Mr. Peterson is a member, and for the past twenty-four years has been secretary and a deacon, of the Swedish Lutheran church of Scandia township, Murray county.

Louis Peterson's parents were Peter and Ellen (Johnson) Larson, both of whom are now dead. Louis Peterson was born October 3, 1857, and was educated in Sweden. When seventeen years old he commenced work in a saw mill as engineer and held the position three years, afterward holding the position of bookkeeper two years. He resigned that position to come to America.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

AUGUST PETERSON (1890) is the proprietor of a hardware store in the city of Tracy. He was born in Sweden April 2, 1873, a son of Peter and Allan (Hawkinson) Anderson. The father died in 1911, and Mrs. Anderson resides in Sweden. They were the parents of seven children, as follows: Mrs. Rettig, of Denver, Colorado;

August and Henry, of Tracy; Vendla, of San Diego. California; Pete, Xels, Freda and Fritz, of Sweden.

August Peterson resided in the land of his birth until 1890, when he came to the United States and located in Lyon county. He has resided in the county almost continuously since that time. He spent one year in Minneapolis and farmer a year in Murray county, after which he moved to Tracy, and he has since lived there. He worked four years for Dr. Farrell, and then tended bar one and one-half years. Then, in company with John Lindeman, he started a saloon, which he conducted two years. Mr. Peterson spent some time as agent for the Standard Broom Company of Mankato, after which he again engaged in the saloon business for two years. On January 1, 1909, he purchased of H. E. McKenzie the hardware store he now conducts. He handles shelf and heavy hardware.

Mr. Peterson was married at Ruthton, Minnesota, August 2, 1901, to Selma Johnson. They are the parents of two children, Delpha and Bernetta.

Our subject was one of the organizers of the Tracy Garage Company (incorporated), which was established in 1910.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

MARVIN PETERSON (1911) is the junior member of the firm of Peterson Brothers, of Garvin, dealers in dry goods, groceries, shoes, notions and crockery. He is a native of Murray county and was born in Lake Sarah township February 28, 1889, a son of Godfrey and Anna (Olson) Peterson, who now reside in Murray county.

Marvin received his early education in the public schools of Slayton and Tracy and later attended Humboldt College, of Humboldt, Iowa. He was graduated from the commercial department of the latter institution in 1908, after which he engaged in farming with a brother in Murray county. Mr. Peterson continued his agricultural pursuits until January, 1909, at which time he engaged as a drug clerk at Crosby, North Dakota, for a short time. He was later engaged as assistant cashier of the Security State Bank of Crosby, North Dakota, until January 1, 1911, when, in company with his brother, Clarence Peterson, he engaged in the general merchandise business at Garvin. They have enjoyed a very prosperous trade in their late venture, carrying, as they do, a stock valued at between six and seven thousand dollars.

Mr. Peterson is a member of the Norwegian Lutheran church. He is a stockholder of the Farmers State Bank of Garvin and in the company which publishes the Garvin Leader.

On September 22, 1911, occurred the marriage of Mr. Peterson to Ida Stageberg, a native of Lac qui Parle county, Minnesota. She was born March 29, 1891.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

ALBERT E. PETERSON (1910), of Sodus township, was born in Dunn county, Wisconsin, January 13, 1877, a son of Adolph and Gunild (Christopher) Peterson, the former a native of Norway and the latter of Wisconsin. Albert resided at home until twenty-six years of age, when he married and purchased a quarter section of land near Cedar Falls, Wisconsin, where he farmer until 1909.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.