In the book's own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
Born 1867
From History of Otter Tail County, Minnesota : its people, industries, and institutions : with biographical sketches of representative citizens and genealogical records of many of the old families (1916)
John Peterson was born in Sweden, December 5, 1867, the son of Peter Johnson and Mary (Knutson) Johnson, both of whom were natives of Sweden, where Peter Johnson now lives, a farmer on one hundred and twenty acres of land in that country. Alary Johnson having died in June, of the year 1913. Peter and Mary Johnson were the parents of the following children. Anna, Carl, Tilda, John, Eingre, Nels, Augusta, Mary, Alfred, Oscar and Ammei, of whom Nels and John came to America. Peter Johnson and his family are members of the Swedish Lutheran church.
John Peterson, following his education in the public schools of his native land came, during the year 1887, to America and after landing at New York I ity he came to Meeker county, Minnesota, where he worked for two years as a day laborer and then went to the city of St. Paul, Minnesota, where after working some time at day work, he went to the state of North Dakota, and there rented a farm, later returning to Wilkin county, Minnesota, at which place he bought one thousand acres of land on which he cultivated wheat and oats for two years, and then selling this land, John Peterson moved to Otter Tail county, and. in the year 1902, bought two hundred and forty acres of land in Compton township, where he now lives. The farm of John Peterson is one of the best improved and most highly cultivated of the county, this progressive farmer having built, during the year [903, a modern barn in size forty-four by fifty-six feel, and more lately erected a large and complete silo.
On November 20, 1805, John Peterson was married to Cora Larson, (60b)
'i I i who was born in Sweden. May 5. [876, the daughter of Andrew Larson and wife, who came to America during the year 1880, and located in Wilkins county, Minnesota, where Andrew Larson now lives, his wife having died there. To the marriage of John and Cora Peterson were born nine children. Nina May. Harry, Genevieve, Alice. Gladys, Mabel, Agnes, Norma and Lawrence. John Peterson and his family are members and active workers of the Swedish Lutheran church in Compton township.
John Peterson and his family are among the best known people of the community, they being respected and esteemed for their lives and for their works in the township and county.
As printed in History of Otter Tail County, Minnesota : its people, industries, and institutions : with biographical sketches of representative citizens and genealogical records of many of the old families (1916). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
Their biographies name John Peterson: Andrew Anderson (b. 1871)
The printed record stops around 1916. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.